1991

Front 5 rows:

As with Formula 1 Grand Prix Racing, Midget Grand Prix racing is never predictable and after saying that the VW looked set to dominate in the July issue, 1 was promptly proven wrong

At Ringwood on June 15 the VW's were nowhere to be seen in the results and it was David Shreeve who dominated in his BMC powered Arrow, so much so that he lapped Harry Sayell not just once but in two of the three races!  David took the hatrick with ease and bagged the Cliff Davis Memorial Trophy along the way.  It was David's brother Peter who won the trophy last year so maybe they are planning to make it part of the family silver.  Peter was runner up in heats 1 and 2 but was unable to make it three in a row with Flymo Key Stanford coming home second in the main event and newcomer Tony Haynes taking third place just to prove to his son Stuart that he could match his results in the previous month's Graham Hill Final.  Harry Sayell's problems were put down to one of grip or, to be precise, the lack of it on the oily tarmac surface, whilst David Shreeve's secret was a set of tyres bought at a bargain price that acted on the lines of an intermediate and put him clearly in a class above the rest.

One week later saw the staging of the European Championship at Peterborough sadly plagued by what the Continentals now refer to as 'typical English weather', ironically the only wet meeting since the World Championship event last year.  Time trials took place in the dry however, with Klaus Kilianski pipping Sayell to pole position with times of 17.10 and 17.14 seconds respectively.  Willie Thissen took third position with his new 'Formel Toyota' 1 6 valve with a time of 17.20 and Shreeve completing the second row of the grid with a time of 17.44.

The rain was failing heavily as Sayell - 1300cc Beetle -was first off the line and into the first corner but was already on just 3 cylinders!  He then led for the next 22 of the 40 laps despite the misfire with Kilianski clearly second but not in a position to challenge and Thissen well back in third place.  Lap 23 left Sayell on only 2 cylinders allowing Kilianski to catch and pass him and lap 26 saw Sayell's retirement from the race.  Klaus went on to win the race without being challenged with Thissen, whilst clinging on to second, also clearly unable to match the 1600cc VW Scirroco, even though Sayell's 1300 cc had been able to do so.  A revival of enthusiasm was brought about for the British fans however in the closing stages with John Calladine driving a blinding race to finish third in his first ever European Championship and Gordon Pooley finished a very pleasing fourth after Stanford retired on the very last bend.  Duncan Long who looked set to miss the race altogether when a manifold snapped during time trials, came home fifth and Hans Janssens Toyota came in 6th.

Race 2 of the day was for the European Championship with the actual title going to the first British driver across the line.  Going from graded order with the 1 600 cc cars eventually starting at the back, the 25 lap event was won by Willie Thissen.  Willie has a habit of making good in the supporting races at the International meetings and is so often the bridesmaid but never the bride!  Duncan Long pipped Gordon Pooley for second place to become the East of England Champion with Kilianski fourth.

The final race of the day for the Best in Europe Challenge was almost abandoned with the weather becoming ever more wet and visibility at a minimum.  But it was a case of anything you can do I can do better' and it was Stuart Haynes who won the event, thus setting up another challenge for his dad to match.  Janssen soldiered on to take a second place trophy back to Germany and Pooley who kept up his family honour to take third and Sayell finished his first race of the day to take 4th.

The Ringwood meeting planned for July 6 was cancelled due to economic reasons with the Southern Championship being postponed until September.  A brand new Cup was introduced for the meeting staged instead at Peterborough on July 7. Trafalgar Bearings of Bookham Surrey, manufacturers of steel balls and suppliers to most Formula 1 Grand Prix teams (including Williams); presented the Midget Formula with the Trafalgar Challenge Cup to be raced for annually into the foreseeable future.

With the disappointment of the European Championship behind him, Sayell duly claimed the new prize with his second hatrick of the season.  The Pooley brothers continued and expanded on their E/C meeting results with Gordon holding onto second place from John Calladine after a sizzling battle over 1 4 laps when the two drivers came so close to the armco that some swore it moved outwards to let them by!  Shreeve worried away at Sayell in heat two just to remind him that the BMC's are still putting up a fig . ht . and Roger Pooley took third place gaining himself valuable points in the battle for supremacy amongst the front engined cars.  Gordon returned in the Trafalgar Cup Final taking the lead early and holding Sayell out for some nine laps before in turn defending second place from a still storming Peter Shreeve.  Rumour has it that David Shreeve was saving it all for the National Championship.

The Kent Cams/George Polley Motorsport Championship is now mid distance and Sayell has extended his lead to 67 points but the rest of the placings have closed right up with Calladine now only 6 points ahead of Peter Shreeve; Flymo Stanford holds on to fourth despite sheering a diff in heat 1 at Peterborough but is only 7 points ahead of Duncan Long.  Elliott and the two Pooleys then cover 6th to 8th places with just 5, points between the three places.

The National Championship at Eastbourne on July 21 is likely to be fiercely contested with 260 pounds on the final which could prove a bit of a dilemma for those going to Tilburg for the World Championship just two weeks later. The end of August then sees the British Championship at Northampton (26th) also worth 260 pounds on the main event, as well as another leg in the Angel Hotel Series at the circuit. Harry Sayell, defender of all three titles, will certainly have plenty to do if he is to be successful in a formula that is becoming more competitive by the meeting!