Introduction
The Grand National Championship began in 1971 as a way to entice drivers to race in the last race of a meeting. The race after the Grand Final, formally called the Helter Skelter, typically saw low car entries.
Between 1971 and 2012 each Grand National would count towards a points chart and towards the end of the season there would a one off race to determine the Champion with many of the tracks taking it in turns to host this race. From 2013 onwards, this changed into a season long points battle with the winner being determined by the number of points they scored. From 2021, it returned to a race ran either at the end, or the very start of the next season.
The Grand National Championship is run with a multiplier, with lower graded drivers receiving more points. The end of season points usually features a mixture of grades and often the closing parts of the season can see a blue grader fighting with the superstars. This happened in 2019 whereby eventual winner Tom Harris (84/1) and defending champion Frankie Wainman Jnr (515/1) were battling with Charlie Sworder (5) for the win.
How It Works
The Grand National Championship is a points championship based on the scores from the Grand National at each meeting. For 2024, the winner is based on a championship race at the end of the season.
There is a points multiplier based on the grades of each driver. The multipliers are:
Whites x4
Yellows x3
Blues x2
Reds/Superstars x1
Title and Roof Colour
| Title | Grand National Champion |
| Roof Colour | None |
Roll of Honour
| Year | Track | Champion | 2nd | 3rd |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1971 | Northampton | Les Mitchell (238) | Doug Cronshaw (396) | Stuart Smith (391) |
| 1972 | Harringay | Stuart Smith (391) | Tony Allen (348) | Les Mitchell (238) |
| 1973 | Coventry | Stuart Smith (391) | Tony Neal (100) | Mick Noden (306) |
| 1974 | Long Eaton | Tony Allen (348) | George Ansell (375) | Dave Taylor (30) |
| 1975 | Nelson | Doug Cronshaw (396) | Frankie Wainman (212) | Mike Close (199) |
| 1976 | Northampton | Stuart Smith (391) | John Hillam (229) | Frankie Wainman (212) |
| 1977 | Belle Vue | Frankie Wainman (212) | Mike Close (199) | Willie Harrison (2) |
| 1978 | Sheffield | Frankie Wainman (212) | Willie Harrison (2) | Bert Finnikin (55) |
| 1979 | Event Not Held | – | – | – |
| 1980 | Belle Vue | Stuart Smith (391) | Frankie Wainman (212) | Len Wolfenden (190) |
| 1981 | White City | Len Wolfenden (190) | Frankie Wainman (212) | Stuart Smith (1) |
| 1982 | Sheffield | Dave Mellor (304) | Andy Stott (160) | Glyn Pursey (175) |
| 1983 | Bradford | Bert Finnikin (55) | John Lund (53) | Stuart Smith (1) |
| 1984 | Northampton | Mike Close (199) | Len Wolfenden (190) | Mick Noden (306) |
| 1985 | Skegness | Frankie Wainman (212) | Peter Falding (33) | Richard Ainsworth (354) |
| 1986 | Aycliffe | John Lund (53) | Frankie Wainman (212) | Peter Falding (33) |
| 1987 | Scunthorpe | John Lund (53) | Frankie Wainman (212) | Frankie Wainman Jnr (515) |
| 1988 | Sheffield | John Lund (53) | Bert Finnikin (55) | Ray Tyldesley (85) |
| 1989 | Aycliffe | John Lund (53) | Len Wolfenden (190) | Ray Tyldesley (85) |
| 1990 | Crewe | John Lund (53) | Dave Berresford (260) | Paul Harrison (22) |
| 1991 | Hednesford | John Lund (53) | Chris Elwell (501) | Nigel Whorton (422) |
| 1992 | Scunthorpe | Kev Smith (64) | John Lund (53) | Frankie Wainman Jnr (515) |
| 1993 | Boston | Steve Hodgson (172) | Peter Falding (33) | Wilf Warnes (91) |
| 1994 | Northampton | John Lund (53) | Peter Falding (33) | Steve Hodgson (172) |
| 1995 | Long Eaton | Frankie Wainman Jnr (515) | Peter Falding (33) | John Lund (53) |
| 1996 | Stoke | Peter Falding (33) | Paul Harrison (2) | Murray Harrison (97) |
| 1997 | Long Eaton | Frankie Wainman Jnr (515) | John Lund (53) | Murray Harrison (97) |
| 1998 | Coventry | John Lund (53) | Frankie Wainman Jnr (515) | Paul Harrison (2) |
| 1999 | Northampton | Rob Perry (217) | John Lund (53) | Murray Harrison (97) |
| 2000 | Northampton | Frankie Wainman Jnr (515) | Paul Harrison (2) | Murray Harrison (97) |
| 2001 | Sheffield | Frankie Wainman Jnr (515) | Andy Smith (391) | Mark Gilbank (21) |
| 2002 | Northampton | Frankie Wainman Jnr (515) | Andy Smith (391) | Mark Gilbank (21) |
| 2003 | King’s Lynn | Frankie Wainman Jnr (515) | Mark Woodhull (335) | Murray Harrison (97) |
| 2004 | Northampton | Frankie Wainman Jnr (515) | John Lund (53) | Peter Falding (1) |
| 2005 | King’s Lynn | Frankie Wainman Jnr (515) | Andy Smith (391) | Paul Harrison (2) |
| 2006 | Coventry | Andy Smith (391) | Lee Robinson (107) | Paul Harrison (2) |
| 2007 | Birmingham | Andy Smith (391) | Paul Harrison (2) | Lenny Smith (185) |
| 2008 | Belle Vue | Stuart Smith Jnr (390) | Frankie Wainman Jnr (515) | Paul Harrison (2) |
| 2009 | Birmingham | Chris Cowley (37) | Paul Harrison (2) | Danny Wainman (212) |
| 2010 | Birmingham | Mat Newson (16) | James Neachell (322) | Scott Davids (462) |
| 2011 | Coventry | Frankie Wainman Jnr (515) | Mat Newson (16) | Craig Finnikin (55) |
| 2012 | Belle Vue | Tom Harris (84) | Mick Sworder (150) | John Lund (53) |
| 2013 | (Points Based) | Danny Wainman (212) | Tom Harris (84) | Lee Fairhurst (217) |
| 2014 | (Points Based) | Frankie Wainman Jnr (515) | Mat Newson (16) | Rob Speak (318) |
| 2015 | (Points Based) | Lee Fairhurst (217) | Mat Newson (16) | Dylan Williams-Maynard (51) |
| 2016 | (Points Based) | Frankie Wainman Jnr (515) | Mat Newson (16) | Rob Speak (318) |
| 2017 | (Points Based) | Stuart Smith Jnr (390) | Nigel Green (445) | Frankie Wainman Jnr (515) |
| 2018 | (Points Based) | Frankie Wainman Jnr (515) | Mat Newson (16) | Stuart Smith Jnr (390) |
| 2019 | (Points Based) | Tom Harris (1) | Frankie Wainman Jnr (515) | Charlie Sworder (5) |
| 2020 | Series not held | – | – | – |
| 2021 | King’s Lynn | Frankie Wainman Jnr (515) | Ryan Harrison (197) | Tom Harris (1) |
| 2022 | King’s Lynn | Tom Harris (84) | Mat Newson (16) | Craig Finnikin (55) |
| 2023 | Bradford | Tom Harris (1) | Frankie Wainman Jnr (515) | Lee Fairhurst (217) |
| 2024 | Bradford | Tom Harris (1) | Dave Polley (138) | Joe Booth (446) |
For more in-depth historical information in relation to the BriSCA F1 Grand National Championship please follow the link below:
https://www.briscaf1stox.uk/website/champs_choices.php?champ=6