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Basil Craske (right) and Garry Pollard (left)
get heads together with Geoff Hughes and Mick Bonner
Action at Swaffham
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HANSEN SHAPES UP FOR MIDGET TITLE Jack
Brodie
from Sept Short Circuit
DUTCH lorry driver Hank Hansen bids to be
the first driver to win the world midget car championship
three times at Swaffham, Norfolk, on Sunday, September 12
(1 pm).
Hansen first won the European version of
the sport's top title in 1978, then repeated the feat last
season. Now, the 26-year-old driver wants to add a third title
to his list of achievements.
In the Grand Prix Midget Car Club organised
event, on the 500 yards concrete Swaffham circuit, Hansen
will be in an uncompromising mood.
Forecasts GPMCC organiser June Cochrane,
'Hansen will obviously be the man to beat and the favourite
for the title. If he is to be toppled by a home driver, it
will be either Basil Craske, Mick Bonner or Malcolm Goodman
who stands the best chance of beating him.'
The championship has possibilities for TV
coverage, with both BBC and Anglia TV showing an interest
in the meeting.
Racing is over 40 laps, 10 laps fewer than
a New Zealand version of the world championship, which runs
each year at Western Springs, Auckland. But that will not
detract from the competitiveness of the racing - although
this year's winner at Swaffham is unlikely to get a cash award
approaching the £3,500 top prize paid to American star Ron
'Sleepy' Tripp after he won his third 50-lap crown at Auckland
in February.
England tracks 16 drivers in the meeting,
including first 4Q-lap world winner 43-year-old Mick Bonner,
who won at Posterholt, Holland, in 1977. Another former English
world champion is 36-year-old Norfolkman Basil Craske, who
won the event when it was last raced in England, at Northampton
in 1980.
Also among England's fancied drivers is current
National champion Malcolm Goodman, while 31-year-old West
London dustcart driver Gary Pollard must be rated as one of
the meeting's 'spoilers' for honours. And veteran Geoff Hughes,
a former Wimbledon speedway rider, is unlikely to be overawed
by the class of the Swaffham field either. '
West Germany's main hopes for honours will
rest on 31-yearold Willi Thissen, who has an impressive run
of 'near misses' in the championship. He will be out to make
amends at Swaffham.
A popular name missing from the meeting is
that of now retired Dutch ace Jan Van Rengs, the 1979 world
champion, and five times European champion.
The full line-up at Swaffham is:
ENGLAND - Basil Craske, Geoff Hughes senior, Gary Pollard,
Mick Bonner, Jerry Pinney, Dave Cox, Tony Brewer, Malcolm
Goodman, Brian Forrest, Alan Riley, Don Bray, Harry Sayell,
David Wesbroom, Dave Scott, Roland Parker, Harold Lowe.
HOLLAND - Hank Hansen, Jan Schraets, Jan Litjens, Henny Der
Berkt.
WEST GERMANY - Willi Thissen, Norbert Fluern, Klaus Kilianski,
Ludler Volti.
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