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Swaffham - East
of England Championship
Report by Bob Burridge from Short Circuit August 1977
A field of 25 cars
collected on the grid for the start of the East of England
Championship made up of 19 English, 3 Dutch and 3 German competitors,
the track appearing somewhat overcrowded in the circumstances.
A 20 lapper, the race
got underway in brilliant sunshine with no hang ups. Henk
Hanssen from Holland made a flying start and managed to hold
onto the lead for the first few laps when Brian Forrest, driving
his very smart Dastle took up the lead hotly pursued by Dennis
Hooper, Wayne Doidge and Alf Boarer. Further down the field
Mick Bonner was making rapid progress through the blues with
Basil Craske and Malcolm Goodman having their own private
battle just behind. A pile up on the top bend involving several
cars took out a few of the middle runners, happily without
serious injury. By the half way mark Mick Bonner had taken
the lead from Brian Forrest and giving it plenty of welly
was rapi idly pulling away from the rest of the field. Goodman
meanwhile got tangled up with Hooper and lost a lap before
rejoining the race. Alf Boarer was grimly holding onto 2nd
spot with Basil Craske contesting every corner, eventually
getting the better of Alf 2 laps from home. The German and
Dutch drivers on a strange track had all sorts of problems
and only Henk Hanssen was holding his own finishing a very
creditable 5th place. Fred Harding came in 4th and a new driver,
number 111 did extremely well to take 6th place. Congratulations
to Mick Bonner who drove a fantastic race to win.
Three excellent support
races were held for the Midgets, won by Basil Craske, Fred
Harding and John Lowe who took the Swaffham Fire Brigade Trophy.
Dutchman Jan Kellenaars placed well with a 3rd place in race
2 but tangled with Bonner in the trophy event.
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