1986

Basil Craske and John Lowe shared the honours at the Grand Prix Midgets first meeting of thes season at Northampton on a wintry Bank Holiday Monday. John Lowe winning the Eric Fretten Sheild while Craske won the opening rounds of the Angel Hotel Championship and the 20 lap final.

The Eric Fretten Shield awaited the winner of the first race and with the 1985 winner, Nigel Brake, sidelined in the pits with a water and oil mixture in his car's sump a new name on the shield was guaranteed. Four newcomers, Richard Byrne, Marcus Retchless, Eddie Ricketts and Graham Sinclair were among the 14 starters as the green flag dropped. George Wright took an early lead pursued by John Lowe, Harry Sayell and David Wesbroom. Lowe took the lead on lap five and Wright slipped down the order as Sayell and Wesbroom went by in pursuit of Lowe. As John Lowe extended his lead Harry Lowe and Dermott McGivern passed Wright whilst a misfiring Craske fended off Paul Sinclair and Brian Forrest. John Lowe coming home a comfortable winner ahead of Sayell, Wesbroom, Harry Lowe, McGivern and Paul Sinclair.

A snowstorm drenched the track in time for the Angel Hotel Championship race with Wright the initial leader from Graham Sinclair and John Lowe. Lowe passed Sinclair to go second but all eyes were on Craske who was storming through the field to take the lead on lap eight ahead of Wright and John Lowe. As the race moved into its final stages Paul Sinclair slipped by John Lower and Wright into second place and Craske led him home ahead of Wright, john Lowe, Sayell and McGivern.

The track was still wet for the 20 lap final as Wright once again led the field away with Graham Sinclair and John Lowe in hot pursuit. Craske was rapidly making up places while at the front Sinclair was pressing Wright for the lead. Craske slipped through to second on lap 11 and into the lead a lap later and pulled away while Wright and Sinclair were involved in a battle for second spot. With newcomer Graham Sinclair pipping Wright by a nosecone on the line to take an impressive second place the final order was Craske, Graham Sinclair, Wright, John Lowe, Sayell and McGivern.