1974

Hans Kok

also info on Siep de Jong and Ernst Laqueuille

Autumn of 1974 saw Hans Kok (Sunbeam Imp) as champion of the Dutch Touring Group 2 class up to 1000cc.
In 1966 he had started his career driving his mother's Simca 1000 in the first Group 1 (standard, then) saloon car races. Lateron he was driving an NSU in the same class. Soon, he started with rallycross, too.
In 1974, '75 and '76 he drove his Hillman Imp and won a few national titels (sponsor: Randstad).

1968-1970

Driving an NSU 1200 TT, both in races and in rallycross

1971

Touring Class Group II up to 1000cc

Easter races
Transavia/RTR had announced that they would be using a Sunbeam Imp, but it was still in England in George Bevan's workshop, waiting to get tuned and prepared.

racehistorie.nl - file on Hans Kok
Only the portret photo at the top I scanned myself - ages ago. Many other photos on this page can be found at racehistorie.nl - permission pending. These photos come from the collection of Hans Kok.

Zandvoort (only ten rounds)
Behind Vanderpol

When the Steinmetz Opel Commodore which had been ordered for Rob Slotemaker was still not delivered, the Transavia- RTR team replaced Hans Kok for their Hillman Imp by Rob Slotemaker. Slotemaker never drove the Imp faster than Hans Kok did.

1972

Fiat Abarth for races;
NSU 1200 TT for rallycross

1973

In 1973 Hans was able to buy back his Imp.

In 1973 Hans Kok (far right, in between the Daf 66 and the Imp) managed two teams:

• Team Nieuwe Revu (to the left in bright yellow cars with red letters)
  doing rallycross
• Team Randstad (bright blue with white letters and a white roof)
  Randstad, a subsponsor of Nieuwe Revu, became the main sponsor for a sister team of Team Nieuwe Revu.

That year Hans Kok won the championship for Group II up to 1000cc driving the Hillman Imp - despite his three broken ribs due to a nice new curve in the Zandvoort circuit called the Panorama.

The Team wasn't rich. Panels weren't simply ordered as needed. To get the Imp rolling again, parts were needed that couldn't be gotten at once. They went for a marauding expedition and saw an Imp the village of Weesp. The owner, a racing fan, had heard of the accident and sold his Imp for 17.50 Guilders to Hans Kok.

1973 Dutch Touringcar Championship
1973 Nederlands Toerwagen Kampioenschap (NTK)

1974

Strange field... unevenly matched
Push and pull
Two victories for Team Randstad - a double Tour of Glory
Champion of Group II up to 1000cc. The Hillman Imp rules ;-)
Sponsor Randstad uses the victories for promotion at their Headquarters in Amsterdam

1974 Dutch Touringcar Championship
1974 Nederlands Toerwagen Kampioenschap (NTK)

Paasraces
Zandvoort, 15 April 1974
The small class was won by Hans Kok’s Imp after the leading Datsuns both ran into troubles.

The grid for the small Group 2 field; on pole Antonides' luckless Datsun, the Miscziek Fiat of Franz beside him. Outside row 2: #6 Kok.		Two Datsun Cherries, Kok's Hillman and the Daf of Geeris.
Two DNF's: Koks (Datsun) and Laqueuille (Sunbeam).		Kok, Bevan Imp ???
These four photos (with captions) were taken from Frank de Jong's site on ETCC, found at this page - photos used with permission

NAV Koninginnedag races
Zandvoort, 30 April 1974
The 1000 cc class was won by de Jong, after Antonides had another retirement while leading.

NAV Koninginnedag races
Zandvoort, 30 April 1974
The 1000 cc class was won by de Jong, after Antonides had another retirement while leading.

NAV Nationale races
Zandvoort, 19 May 1974
The 1000 cc cars were led initially by Antonides but Kok took over when the little Datsun ran into engine problems. He finished second though, in front of a bunch of NSU TT's.

NAV Internationale Pinksterraces
Zandvoort, 3 June 1974
Kok won the smaller class.

Grote Prijs (GP) van Zandvoort
Zandvoort, 21 July 1974
The smallest class was won by Laqueuille, when both Kok and Antonides (Datsun Cherry 100A) had to retire - after a great fight. Siep de Jong drove the Rentokil NSU 1000 TTS, finishing 2nd.

4e ADAC Dreiländer Trophy
Zandvoort, 25 Aug. 1974

NAV Trophy of the Dunes
Zandvoort, 15 Sep. 1974
Kok, in the 1000 cc class, was second, enough for the championship.

NAV Final Races, 6 Oct. 1974, Zandvoort
Kok, who was at this point already champion in the 1000 cc class, retired early in the race after six laps.

Results in 1976, Hans Kok driving a Hillman Imp; Siep de Jong driving a Sunbeam Imp. These are all national races held at Zandvoort.

Toerwagens group 2/4, up to 1000cc

Opening races

1st.: Hans Kok. Average: 128.491 kph.; 2nd: a Fiat Abarth 1000; 3rd. NSU 1000 TTS
Fastest round: Hans Kok, 133.217 kph.

International Easter races

1st.: Siep de Jong, average: 129,807 kph.; 2nd.: Datsun 100 A; 3rd.: Hans Kok.
Fastest round: Hans Kok, 132.520 kph.

International races

1st.: Siep de Jong, average: 129.255 kph.; 2nd. Datsun 100 A; 3rd. NSU 1000 TTS
Fastest round: Siep de Jong, 131.831 kph.

GP of Zandvoort

1st.: Hans Kok, average 125.626 kph; 2nd. Abarth 1000B; 3rd. Datsun 100 A
Fastest round: Siep de Jong: 131.304 kph.

Trophy of the Dunes

1st.: Hans Kok, average 128.058 kph; 2nd. Datsun 100 A coupé; 3rd. Abarth 1000 Berlina

Final races

1st. Datsun 100 A; 2nd. Datsun 100 A; 3rd. Siep de Jong (Sunbeam Imp)

Toerwagens group 2/4 up to 1150cc

GP of Europe

1st. Simca Ralley; 2nd. Siep de Jong; 3rd. DAF 55 M

Hans Kok became chairman of the the NAV (Dutch Auto racing Assoc.) at the end of 1976. He remained active in races and rallycross.
Nieuwe NAV-voorzitter Hans Kok: Nederlandse autosport uit impasse / door Wim Oude Weernink. - Autorevue 27 (1976); 24 (26 nov.). - p. 912-914

By 1977 Hans Kok had moved to a Ford Escort... (doing well)
When he quit in 1981 he has been Dutch champion five times.
Half a year later, he also quit as chairman for the NAV (Nederlandse Autorensport Vereniging = Dutch Car Racing Association)