World Championship
A fine autumn evening with entertainment from two jazz bands, a firework display, and three exciting warm-up heats set just the right atmosphere for the 1973 World Championship Final.
As the competitors were introduced by Len Porter the cheers rang out for the favourites and following the parade the 22 cars were moved onto the grid with the drivers strapped in, ready to roll.
Late entry Jack Straver of Holland was positioned on the back row, whilst immediately in front of him Frankie Wainman came in to replace Mick Noden. With the absence of Noden, Dave Chisholm became the sole occupant of the front row from where he controlled a very slow rolling lap until almost level with starter's rostrum when, suddenly, with an ear splitting roar, the race was on.
Chisholm was away like bullet thus avoiding the first bend sort out in which Fred Skinner received a puncture and retired. Down the back straight Dick Sworder passed George Ansell. Bert Shipman spun and Stuart Smith was moving through the tail enders.
After three laps Chisholm was well clear of Sworder who, in turn, was beginning to lose Ansell. George was unable to shake off Tony Neal and Doug Cronshaw, Mike Close was hanging on behind them and Smith was already through the pack to battle with Willie Harrison for seventh place.
At this stage Les Suckling tangled with Jack Straver causing the Dutchman to retire and the on the next lap Dennis Driscoll also went missing.
Laps 5, 6, and 7 had the same five men out front but behind them it was Willie versus Stu with Willie getting the best of it until lap eight when Smith forced him wide, to a tremendous roar from the crowd, and moved into sixth spot.
Nine laps gone and Cronshaw's turn to come under pressure from the champion. Behind them was Les Mitchell, who, having stuck close to Smith throughout the early laps, was now battling with Willie.
On the tenth lap Cronshaw got past Neal and on the next lap Smith, Mitchell and Harrison followed suit.
Half-way and the first three - Chisholm, Sworder, and Ansell - were well spread out. George, however, was doing well to resist Cronshaw and Smith.
Ten laps to go and Harrison regained sixth as Mitchell pulled out with two flat tyres. Nine laps left and Cronshaw was still keeping Smith out of fourth place.
For the next four laps, as the crowd screamed advice to the leading group, the only changes were way down the field as the lower places were sorted out. With five to run, Ansell, who had been under pressure in third place from the word go, wavered and Smith seemed to be through the gap before Cronshaw had seen it.
Three laps to go and barring accidents Chisholm was home and dry. but behind him Dick Sworder had a tyre blow out as he entered the pits bend and could only sit and watch as the rest of the pack swept by.
So Chisholm crossed the line a quarter of a lap ahead of Smith with Cronshaw hot in pursuit and Harrison, who had passed Ansell on teh penultimate lap, taking a credible fourth.
The night, however, belonged to just two men - Stu Smith, whose valiant attempt to retain the title surely proved to any who still doubted it, that he really can drive, and of course, Dave Chisholm, who had to justify his position as the hottest favourite for years. He was the coolest man in the pits prior to the meeting and he kept his cool when it mattered on the track.
Salute, then, the new World Champion, Dave Chisholm. The man who led from start to finish while it all happened behind him.
Dave Edwards
| World Finalists | |
|---|---|
| 1. | 252 Dave Chisholm |
| 2. | 375 George Ansell |
| 3. | 100 Tony Neal |
| 4. | 150 Dick Sworder |
| 5. | 199 Mike Close |
| 6. | 132 Les Suckling |
| 7. | 102 Brian Wignall |
| 8. | 163 Roy Goodman |
| 9. | 30 Dave Taylor |
| 10. | 228 Fred Skinner |
| 11. | 396 Doug Cronshaw |
| 12. | 16 Frank Bourne |
| 13. | 36 Rod Falding |
| 14. | 297 Bert Shipman |
| 15. | 365 Graham Spring |
| 16. | 274 Dennis Driscoll |
| 17. | 2 Willie Harrison |
| 18. | 229 John Hillam |
| 19. | 238 Les Mitchell |
| 20. | 391 Stu Smith |
| 21. | 212 Frankie Wainman |
| 22. | H1 Jack Straver |