3rd September 1978, Posterholt, World Championship
Report from Short Circuit, October 1978
The World Grand Prix Midget Championship was held at Posterholt
in Holland on 3rd September and Mick Bonner was attempting
to retain the title he won on this circuit last year. 11 British
drivers made the trip across the channel and again outnumbered
the home drivers. There was only one incident in practice
when Brian Forrest went into the bank very hard badly bending
the front end. Jan van Rengs kindly gave Brian the use of
his workshop to repair his car.
Brian was ready for the big race on the Sunday and lined
up with 18 others to do the public draw for grid positions.
As at Tilburg for the European Championships earlier in the
year the British suffered badly in the draw. Malcolm Goodman
had the best draw on the grid, four. The track was in ideal
condition for the race and the cars set off on their rolling
lap with 20 gruelling laps ahead of them.
The race got off to an explosive start when Goodman was
forced into the bank on the first bend so putting him out
of the race. Brian Harding emerged from all this in the lead
and he started pulling away and was 10 lengths ahead after
5 laps from Henk Hanssen and a flying Bonner. Hanssen proceeded
to close the gap and made a do or die effort on lap 10 to
take Harding, but rode all over the front of Brian resulting,
in both cars spinning. Harding retired but Hanssen was able
to carry on. This incident left Bonner in the lead but he
was now being hassled very closely by van Rengs. Mick was
doing a brilliant job holding the faster car at bay but with
10 laps remaining it looked only a matter of time before van
Rengs would go through. On lap 16 the Dutchman saw his chance
when Bonner slid wide coming out of the bend. The race looked
all over at this point with van Rengs pulling out half a straight
lead when Bonner was held up in traffic. The race was completely
turned upside down in the last 10 laps. First of all Van Rengs
had cruel luck when he got a puncture. This left Bonner in
the lead once again with Basil Craske right behind. It looked
odds on with six laps to go that it would be a British win,
at this point Bonner had a rosejoint break in his suspension
and Craske could not avoid him. Hanssen was handed the lead
with one and a half laps advantage on second place man Jan
Litjeans these two finishing in that order. John Lowe was
the first Briton home driving a steady race into third place
with Brian Forrest fourth, Hal Hendricks fifth and Karl Kiliansk
sixth.
Goodman scored a British win later in the afternoon by winning
one of the supporting races.
World Championship: 1st Henk Hanssen, 2nd Jan Litjeans, 3rd
John Lowe, 4th Brian Forrest, 5th Hal Hendricks, 6th Karl
Kilianski
