Eugene Thiessen takes his last lap.

[BritTwit]

Sad to announce the passing of Eugene “Gene” Thiessen.  He died July,12, 2021 at the age of 93.
His racing career from 1948 to 1958 was always aboard a BSA.  Hap Alzina along with Rich Childs were major supporters of Gene’s efforts for BSA in America.
DAYTONA – His first time on the beach was 1948 as an Amateur.  He placed 33rd out of 119 starters.  This feat was accomplished with a punctured lung and broken ribs received from a crash earlier in the race.  Later that season he took the same iron head B-34 to the Langhorn 100 Miler and set a new amateur track record.  Subsequent Dayona outings resulted in 6 top 20 placings.  The best being 9th in 1952 and 1953, 5th in 1956 and a 3rd in 1957.
ROSEMOND DRY LAKES – July 1951.  Fastest time for 40 inch (137.30 on Alcohol – 130.90 on pump gas).  Fastest time  for 30.50 class 119.20 on pump gas
BONNEVILLE – September 1951.  New “Class A" record (143.54) on a Golden Flash followed by a new “Class C” record (123.69) on a Star Twin. 
DODGE CITY – 1952 2nd on his Stat Twin.  1953 6th on his Star Tw in
CATALINA – 1952 First place trophy for out of state riders
BAY MEADOWS – 1952 20 Mile National.  7th (Star Twin).  1954 9th.  1956 5th.
PORTLAND MEADOWS – 1951 25 Mile Pacific Coast Championship.  1st (new track record).  1954 1st 5 Mile National.  This put Gene in 11th place in the GNC point standing.
SAN JOSE MILE - 1951 (Inaugural Northwest 15 Mile National) 1st place.  1957 5th.  1958 10th.
WILLOW SPRINGS – 1954 125Mile National 5th.
CANADA – British Columbia. Half Mile Championship.
Most of Gene’s racing was on the West Coast due to the isolation of the Pacific Northwest and holding a fulltime job.  However, in 1952 Alzina sent him to race some East Coast tracks accompanied by Al Gunter.  Thiessen gained a 2nd place in the Expert 5 Mile race in Syracuse and a 6th place in the Langhorn 100 Mile National.
Gene retired from racing at the end of the 1958 season.  He continued in the motorcycle industry as a Yamaha dealer (dealer number 410) and Honda (#1561).
For more information click on the following link https://www.worldofspeed.org/archive-blog-1/2019/3/19/bsa-racer-gene-thiessen
Click on the last photo to see the entire archive.

[BritTwit]

Gene's daughter found these in his files.  This is the original program from the Bonneville time trials in 1951.  something I didn't know was the cycle participants were by invitation only.

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[muskrat]

G'day BT.
Pics don't show. May be wrong format.
Cheers

[BritTwit]

I'll try to overcome my technical limitations and post more images this weekend.  I'll try this as a test run.

[Rocket Racer]

that picture by the van is lovely, pale green sliders and a rigid, looks like one of the 1954 a7ss bb32r framed factory specials used at daytona🤔

[BritTwit]

that picture by the van is lovely, pale green sliders and a rigid, looks like one of the 1954 a7ss bb32r framed factory specials used at daytona🤔

The photo was taken at the 1953 Daytona event.  The bike in the photo was a works plunger frame.  Gene rode a factory works Gold Star in '54. 
I would love to have that van.  By modern standards, a very uncomfortable ride.  Especially on a drive from New Jersey to Daytona on non interstate highways.

[Rocket Racer]

53, so an iron motor. lovely shots and the van very cool. great to see in colour. He was certinly a legend