-SG- Once the war was over, it did not take long for motor and motorcycle sport to start up again. S A Sorensen was soon out riding one of his pre-war Excelsiors with considerable success in dirt track events. By 1947 road racing was almost back to pre-war levels and SAS started a run of 17 TTs (see scan of post-war TT entries) as well as numerous European events. His IOM efforts, both Excelsior and Norton mounted, resulted in some good placings - his best being fifth in the 1949 Lightweight.
He appears to have discarded his pre-war Nortons and initially moved on to a 350cc garden-gate Manx which he bought new in 1949, and then, in the early fifties, he acquired a 500 Featherbed Manx as well. He fitted one of his Excelsior engines into this from time to time.
In 1949 he had the misfortune to have a serious crash in Holland which put him out of action for a while but not that long! He had to wear plaster from his waist up to his ears! However, he was soon back in the saddle, and did not actually stop racing until 1954.
He died in 1980 and will long be remembered for his outstanding and lengthy career.
A 1949 shot of Sorensen with his Manx, and a younger friend on Sorensen's 1939 Excelsior Manxman.
The start of a dirt race at Charlottenlund in 1948. Charlottenlund was the best known trotting course north of Copenhagen.
S.A.S with his Excelsior receives the winner's wreath - another trotting course event, this being at Armaget.
The 350cc Garden-gate Manx bought by S.A.S in 1949 survives - now owned by a collector in Scotland. Here's a shot of it dismantled prior to a full re-build.
And here's a further shot of the Manx after the rebuild was completed.
A couple of mystery holes in the lower frame rail of the re-built Manx - apparently they stemmed from 1952 when SAS fitted a new Featherbed Manx engine into the earlier frame for an event at Hedemora, Sweden.
A 1947 shot of Sorensen crashing at Hem Odde's dirt-track course. Miraculously he was unhurt. A couple of years later he crashed at the Groote Prijs van Nederlande event and broke his neck - necessitating a plaster cast from waist to ears for several weeks.
SAS on his then new Garden-gate 350 in the 1949 Junior TT. He finished 24th.
SAS and Allan - then aged seven - pictured at Hedemora, Sweden in 1950.
Another shot at Hedemora in 1950 on his 500 Manx. He won!
Another Hedemora shot of SAS on his 500. The race numbers were the same for 350 and 500 classes but a different colour.
SAS at the 1952 Lightweight TT - with an Excelsior engine in his Manx frame.
A close-up of the Excelsior/Manx readied for the TT.
SAS in action in the 1952 Junior TT. He finished 27th.
Back at Hedemora in 1952 - in practise he hit a fist-sized stone and bumped his nose painfully on the tank!
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