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21st August 1988, Peterborough, World Championship
Report by Dave Cox from October Short Circuit
The British drivers' fears that they would
be overrun at the Verrolec-sponsored World Championship at
Peterborough on August 21 proved largely to be unfounded.
Although West German, Klaus Killianski took the title for
the first time, it was only after mechanical troubles had
sidelined Basil Craske when he looked as though he had the
race well under control.
Overnight rain had left some puddles around
the Alwalton raceway and the track sweeper was out early in
an effort to dry the track for the timed lap trials. Not surprisingly
the quicker drivers were reluctant to venture out until a
dry line appeared. Killianski was the first star man out and
posted a time of 16.95s which was to prove to be the quickest
of the day. Craske secured a front row position with 16.98s
and Basil was one of the drivers who thought he would be blown
into the weeds! European Champion. Henk Hanssen, had to settle
for third spot on 17.24s sharing the second row with Harry
Lowe on 17.74s. John Lowe (17.96) and Willi Thissen (17.96)
were on row three. When all the runs had been completed prospects
for a British win looked a little rosier. One notable absentee
was defending Champion, Jan Schraets. who apparently felt
that spending time with his new girlfriend was more rewarding
than 40 laps of Peterborough in a Midget. Fancy that'
Two warm up laps preceded the clutch start
of this year's Verrolec Grand Prix Midget World Championship
and when the green flag dropped it was Clarke who made the
best start. diving into the pit turn just ahead of Killian
ski. Hansen took the outside line and passed Killianski down
the back straight and at the end of the final lap the order
was Craske. Hanssen. Killianski. Harry Lowe. John Lowe. Harry
Sayell and David Wesbroom. The first three were pulling away
from the fourth place battle and by the end of the second
lap the leaders were already lapping the backmarkers.
The third lap saw the first major incident
when a backmarker spun when exiting the pit bend. Wesbroom
slowed to avoid the spinning car and was punted into the armco
by Thissen Wesbroom's race was over with his chassis damaged
while Tinssen struggled round for another lap before calling
it a day. The repercussions of this incident were not over
yet. When the leaders came round Hanssen was challenging Craske
on the outside line. Henk saw Wesbroom's stranded car and
tried to pull over onto the inside. However. the closely following
Killianski went for the same piece of track launching Hanssen
into the air. Killianski continued in second place with minor
damage but the unfortunate Hanssen was forced to pull off
with his steering awry.
The race settled down for a while as Craske
now had a 30 yard buffer to Killianski while John Lowe had
passed his brother to go third. Sayell was now fifth and running
in close company with Anthony Brewer and Marcus Retchless.
Further down the order there was a fraught struggle going
on between Chris Keltyens and Steve Jobson which came tol
an inevitable conclusion when they tangled and slammed into
the armco. Meanwhile, Harry Lowe's luck once again ran out
when he was forced out with suspected fuel pump failure. The
battle for the lead was hotting up again as Killianski was
now gaining on Craske. John Lowe was still in touch but Sayell,
Brewer and Retchless were in danger of being lapped as the
halfway point approached. The race then took a turn for the
worse as far as the British fans were concerned. Craske's
engine cut out halfway through the pit turn and he spun off
with smoke coming from his engine bay. An electrical short
circuit had finished his chances of a third World title.
Killianski was in front for the first time,
a comfortable distance ahead of John Lowe, and it looked as
though we were in for a procession to the chequered flag.
The drama, however, wasn't over yet as Lowe suddenly started
gaining hand over fist on the leader. Killianski had picked
up a slow puncture in his nearside front tyre - fortunately
for Klaus the one that carries the lightest load on a Midget,
although it was enough of a handicap to slow him in the corners.
John was soon sitting on his tail and had several attempts
to get alongside before he drew level as they crossed the
start/finish line for the 34th time. Lowedidn't have the horsepower
to pull ahead before the pit bend loomed up and they turned
into the corner side-by-side. What happened next is a matter
of conjecture, either accidently due to his soft tyre or as
a deliberate move - and some observers thought it was the
latter - Killianski drifted wide taking Lowe with him. John's
quest rot his first World title disappearing when he clipped
the Keltyens/Jobson wreckage.
The only question left was whether Killianski's
tyre would stay up long enough to get him to the finish. He
was the best part of a lap ahead of new second place man Sayell
and his fan-club had their fingers and everything else crossed,
hoping the leader would tire (sorry!) out, but it wasn't to
be. Harry reduced the deficit by a quarter of a lap in the
closing stages but it was a relieved Killianski who crossed
the line for his first World Championship victory. Harry Sayell
was a very popular runner-up and Anthony Brewer was delighted
to finish third, after burning the midnight oil to complete
a major chassis rebuild literally hours before the event.
Marcus Retchless ran a steady race to finish fourth with Eddy
Ricketts and Gerald Smith completing the top six.
SUPPORTING RACES.
The Alwalton East of England Championship
was sponsored by J.R. Photography over 20 laps. Harry Lowe
took the lead on the second lap with Toni van Krellenken ard
Paul Rodgers in pursuit. Hanssen, Craske and Killianski made
rapid progress through the pack to join Lowe in a tremendous
dice for the lead. Lowe narrowly held the initiative until
the halfway point when Hanssen slipped by although he couldn't
shake Harry off. Lowe retaking the lead when Hanssen found
himself boxed in behind an accident. Killianski also took
advantage to slip by while Craske had hit problems and was
out of the race. Try as he might, Killianski couldn't pass
Lowe and was himself repassed by Hanssen in the closing stages
in a blanket finish, Harry Lowe taking a narrow win from Hanssen.
Killianski. Sayell. Brewer and Ricketts.
Kevin Stanford. Brian Wright and Rodgers
all had brief spells in the lead of the final race before
Craske took up the running with Killianski in hot pursuit.
Klaus was alongside Basil on a number of occasions but he
couldn't make it stick and Craske won by a whisker. his only
finish of the day. Rodgers was a safe third ahead of Sayell.
Phillip Retchless and Nigel Brake.
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