Auguste Mingels

Auguste Mingels was a Belgian professional motocross racer, born on 24 March 1921 in Liège and nicknamed Le Gros. He began racing motorcycles in 1947 and competed in the Motocross World Championships from 1947 to 1957. He is notable for winning two consecutive FIM 500cc European motocross championships in 1953 and 1954, the series that was then regarded as the world championship. Riding a Saroléa he was runner-up in 1952 behind Victor Leloup, then won three Grand Prix on an FN to clinch the 1953 title and defended it in 1954. When the FIM upgraded the series to world championship status in 1957 he finished sixth. He raced for Belgium at the Motocross des Nations, won four Belgian national championships, and was a boyhood hero to six-time world champion Joël Robert. He died on 20 May 1973.