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This scorpion, born in 1961 has been obsessed with engines all his life. At the age of 9, his dad had to drag him out of a car, and when he was 10 his parents had to order a large scrap container to move all the motorbikes he had collected.
Michel had a serious accident with a motorcross bike, at which point his parents said STOP. After leaving school (IVA, Driebergen) things started to get serious. Together with two friends he build a modified pulling tractor, named the Grasshopper.
His activities have lasted over a period of 20 years. The name Miss Liberty still is a legend and his personal creations are well renowned in the sport of tractor pulling. He personally introduced the ‘Two Wheel Drive’ class in Europe and has been 5 times national champion in Holland.
Michel: “It was a great time, I can tell you that! I have gained a lot of experience over the years, running a motor sport organisation, being an official, announcer, and spokesman, etc. I was also a presenter on Eurosport for 3 years, as well as European manager for SFI/NHRA; the list is too long.”
At the end of his tractor-pulling career Michel started to develop a turbine system for fast interceptor boats. Imagine doing 90 miles per hour with a 38ft. boat driven by a Rolls Royce jet engine. Currently the turbine business is the core of his company, Liberty Gasturbine Holland. Part of this business is running Team Pyromaniac, as well as his homebuild jet-quad, the famous “Pyromaniac”.
Plans for the future?
Michel: “Sometimes I lie awake till the early hours of the morning. My mind goes nuts because of all the ideas I have to develop. I see a vertical water bike, a super dragster, something that hasn’t been done yet. Sometimes my own ideas drive me crazy. Recently I made a calculation, that I will be at least 436 years old by the time I have achieved all of my ideas”.
Michel had a serious accident with a motorcross bike, at which point his parents said STOP. After leaving school (IVA, Driebergen) things started to get serious. Together with two friends he build a modified pulling tractor, named the Grasshopper.
His activities have lasted over a period of 20 years. The name Miss Liberty still is a legend and his personal creations are well renowned in the sport of tractor pulling. He personally introduced the ‘Two Wheel Drive’ class in Europe and has been 5 times national champion in Holland.
Michel: “It was a great time, I can tell you that! I have gained a lot of experience over the years, running a motor sport organisation, being an official, announcer, and spokesman, etc. I was also a presenter on Eurosport for 3 years, as well as European manager for SFI/NHRA; the list is too long.”
At the end of his tractor-pulling career Michel started to develop a turbine system for fast interceptor boats. Imagine doing 90 miles per hour with a 38ft. boat driven by a Rolls Royce jet engine. Currently the turbine business is the core of his company, Liberty Gasturbine Holland. Part of this business is running Team Pyromaniac, as well as his homebuild jet-quad, the famous “Pyromaniac”.
Plans for the future?
Michel: “Sometimes I lie awake till the early hours of the morning. My mind goes nuts because of all the ideas I have to develop. I see a vertical water bike, a super dragster, something that hasn’t been done yet. Sometimes my own ideas drive me crazy. Recently I made a calculation, that I will be at least 436 years old by the time I have achieved all of my ideas”.