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MIDGET MATTERS Jack Brodie, Short Circuit,
July 1982
VETERAN driver Dan Hornby, who was a star
in midget car racing in the early 1970s under the Midget Auto
Racing Club banner, gets a surprise call-up for this season's
European GP Midget Championships in West Germany.
He squeezes in as the sixth British starter
for the meeting, following the decision of 1981 British champion
Geoff Hughes junior not to reverse a retirement decision to
contest the event.
Former GP World Champions Basil Craske and
Mick Bonner head a competitive group of British drivers. Besides
Hornby, they are backed by Gary Pollard, Geoff Hughes senior
and 1981 National champion Malcolm Goodman. Hornby, who has
just returned from a trip to America to study midget car racing
there, is hoping to get back to the States before the end
of the season to compete in several meetings.
Besides his commitments for the GP Midget
Club, Hornby is also involved with speedway-midget cars running
under the Namicsa banner.
CUT OFF date to qualify for this season's
World GP Midget Car Championship is Monday, August 9 - one
day after the GP Club haul north to Cowdenbeath, for Scotland's
first taste of midget car racing since the mid-1950s.
The hopes of British drivers is boosted by
news from the continent that multi-former world champion Jan
Van Rengs has not raced this year and seems to have retired
from the sport. But his fellow countryman and defending world
champion Hank Hansen will be at SWi1ffham for the meeting.
DON BRAY who has been racing midget cars
for about 12 years recently gained his first trophy in the
sport, when he won a supporting race to the Derek Kisby Memorial
Trophy at Swaffham. The top trophy went to former GP World
Champion Mick Bonner, who took the lead after 10 laps and
led home come-back driver Dave Cox and Geoff Hughes senior.
Malcolm Goodman was involved in a spectacular
pile-up when Hughes broad sided across his path. Goodman could
not avoid a collision and was catapulted into the air. Although
his car was extensively damaged, Goodman escaped with a slight
ankle injury. THE GP MIDGET Club is still in negotiation with
West Australia's top 1981-82 points scorer Graham Jones to
contest September's World GP Midget Car Championship at Swaffham,
which will be televised. They have even offered to provide
Jones with a car if he has problems finding a sponsor to transport
his own car from down under.
But efforts to also feature American woman
driver Maria Alaina Schneider have gone cold. After setting
out the terms, we have heard nothing more from California:
says GP Midget organiser June Cochrane.
NAMICSA
VETERAN West German driver Joe Therstappen
has announced his retirement from speedway-midget car racing
and sold his car to the Smith brothers, John and Pete.
The Smiths are spending the first two weeks
of July in America, mainly visiting midget car meetings to
gain ideas for the further development of Namicsa organisation
and the type of front-engine cars it sanctions. THE speedway-midget
cars have two provisional July dates lined-up. At Hackney
on Friday, July 2, when they plan to run an England versus
'World of Rebels' team match. Then at Eastbourne (Arlington)
on Sunday, July 11, with the Sussex Championship featured.
The Sussex Championship was last run in 1950,
at Brighton & Hove Stadium. Winner was Laurie Robinson (Northampton)
in a 1000cc four-wheel-drive JAP-engined Skirrow speedway-midget.
NAMICSA are trying to persuade former MARC star Martin Robertson
to emerge from retirement and race for them. Robertson showed
some interest during the winter, but has so far delayed a
track return.
With southern meetings suited to his Littlehampton,
Sussex base, Robertson seems likely to be back during this
month.
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