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3rd September - Peterborough - National
Championship & June Cochrane Trophy text from Sayell Racing
Website
The Grand Prix Midget National Championship
was won by Rob Sayell in a meeting where several cars were
badly damaged. Gary Granger won the opening heat, and Gary
Piper won the June Cochrane Cup event in which only 6 of the
15 starters finished the race.
The first heat was restarted after just one
lap when Peter Dorrell spun in front of a pack of cars and
was collected by Sayell both cars too damaged to continue.
Piper took up the lead chased by Peter Bourn with Granger
making up 10 places to hit the front on lap 8. Mark Hodges
was some way back at the flag with Piper eventually taking
3rd.
Sayell missed the second heat. Piper again
the early leader but the race was stopped after just 3 laps
when Chris Phillips spun resulting in a 5 car pile up. Collins
braked to avoid Phillips, was hit from behind spun and was
collected by Anthony Brewer at the same time Hodges and Neil
Clarke both ploughed into the armco - the race taking on the
appearance of a banger DD! 7 cars made the restart but were
almost instantly reduced to 6 as Steve Piggins lost a back
panel and was excluded. Piper got a run away from the front
with Bourn second and Andrew Bilby winning the battle for
3rd from Granger.
Only 10 cars made the National Championship.
Bourn's early lead was taken away by Sayell on lap 8 of 15.
Granger then hassled Bourn for 7 laps finally getting through
on the inside with one lap to run. . Andrew Bilby finished
4th, Piper 5th and Gordon Pooley 6th.
Rob Sayell still leads the overall series
but with the European Championship in 2 weeks time several
of the top drivers including Collins and Hodges are now in
doubt for the event. Clarke had planned to make the event
and keep his championship hopes alive thanks to the loan of
a car by John Bilby who will be abroad himself, but we have
heard that Neil has broken his leg and will now be in plaster
for 8 weeks.
Heat One: 1st Gary Granger, 2nd 5 Mark Hodges,
3rd 66 Gary Piper, 4th 77 Neil Clarke, 5th 33 Gordon Pooley
, 6th 11 Steve Piggins, 7th 2 Andy Collins, 8th 16 Andrew
Bilby, 9th 48 Tony Brewer, 10th 61 John Bilby, 11th 12 Chris
Phillips, 12th 88 Peter Bourn, 13th 3 Ben Pashley
June Cochrane Trophy: 1st 66 Gary Piper, 2nd
88 Peter Bourn, 3rd 16 Andrew Bilby, 4th 25 Gary Granger,
5th 61 John Bilby, 6th 3 Ben Pashley. No other finishers
National Championship: 1st 10 Rob Sayell,
2nd 25 Gary Granger, 3rd 88 Peter Bourn, 4th 16 Andrew Bilby,
5th 66 Gary Piper, 6th 33 Gordon Pooley, 7th 61 John Bilby,
8th 11 Steve Piggins, 9th 41 John Salter, 10th 3 Ben Pashley
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