2005

The GP Midget's British Championship event was well supported at Swaffham with a grid of 18 cars a large proportion of which were non-qualifiers starting behind those who had put in enough meetings to start in the front half of the grid. Both sets of drivers started in graded order within their section. Alan Buckland, Rob Sayell, and Gary Bonner amongst those qualified whilst the non-qualifiers included former European Champion Daz Rycroft's VW, new boys Martin Lamb and Jonathan Pooley and recent returnee former champion Harry Sayell. So the race promised to be fast with plenty of overtaking.

Cliff Bunn led the race for the first ten laps before fourth generation racer Ben Pashley, now in his 6th season, showed continued improvement and an example of what a difference the right car can make by not only taking the lead but maintaining it in the 25 lap main event. Gary Bonner and Rob Sayell made short work of the other qualified drivers moving into second and third respectively by lap three, Alan Buckland in fourth at that stage dropped out of the race a lap later leaving Rob Sayell to concentrate on Bonner. Sayell managed to take second around one third distance but an attempt to dislodge Pashley by going round him came to nothing as Sayell found a greasy patch drifted wide and Bonner added insult to injury stealing up his inside to re-take second passing Pashley for the lead a lap later. Rob Sayell did eventually make good his pass on Pashley a couple of laps later moving back to second and ironically after all his hard work Pashley retired from the race shortly afterwards. Andrew Smith to fourth who having been passed earlier by Gordon Pooley and Harry Sayell had then found the less than grippy conditions to his car's liking and was one of the few cars on track seemingly able to overtake. As the laps came down Rob Sayell managed to close the gap to Bonner and around the same time his father Harry managed to haul in and pass Gordon Pooley. Despite Rob's every effort over the next ten laps making exciting watching, R Sayell was not able to pass Gary Bonner who ultimately took the flag and British Championship just inches ahead. Andrew Smith came home third just under half a lap adrift with Harry Sayell fourth only just ahead of Bunn's Fireball in fifth, Jonathan Pooley demoting his father Gordon but closing the gap to the front runners just too late in 5th.

The two supporting heats that followed saw a return to normal grading with Rob Sayell coming through from the very back to win heat one ahead of Mark Hodges and Pooley Junior. Heat two saw Pooley Senior win, a good clear run from the yellows making him un-catchable, Gordon finishing ahead of Rob Sayell with Jonathan Pooley scoring more international qualifying points in third.

At Yarmouth a week later the GP Midget racing saw a continuation of Pooley team success with father and son sharing the chequered flag - Gordon winning heat one from pole with Jonathan harassing him over the line in second ahead of Neil Clarke who despite claiming his hatred for wire and post tracks always does well at Caister. Jonathan Pooley took the flag in heat 2 his father gallantly not holding up his progress seeing that returnee Andy Collins was on a charge. The ex Chairman finished second in the ex Steve Piggins Peugeot, Gordon holding on to third. This moved Jonathan Pooley into fourth overall and must surely bode star status and a red fin for the ex Alwalton Junior and Stock Rod champion.