An Interview with April 6 2015 Bangerstox Final winner 33 John Butcher
(interview published May 20 2015 in the lead up to the Bangerstox Souffolk Championship on May 30 and 31)

Age: 34
Home Town: Hastings
Occupation: HGV mechanic and lorry driver
Family: Single with four children
Started racing: Aged 17 at Layhams Farm in nudge and spin class

You enjoyed a great start to your season in the Bangerstox at Dover, winning the final at the season opener on Easter Monday, how do you feel the year has gone so far?
It’s been a bit of a mixed season so far I think. The first meeting (April 6) was absolutely brilliant and I was totally delighted to have such a good meeting and to win the final was just the perfect start and it meant a lot to me to get that result, it was a great boost to launch the year with. It’s not been as good since though (laughs) but I suppose it was never going to be. I went up to the blue grade for the (April 19) meeting and I scored a few points which was ok. I was pretty disappointed at the time but I think looking back it was a bit silly to be too disappointed with that meeting. I was starting in the blue grade and it’s surprising how much harder that is starting that bit further back, I guess I was just hoping to do as well as I did at the first meeting and when I didn’t I was disappointed but in hindsight that was probably a bit daft and in actual fact it was pretty good to score in double figures again because truth be told if I could do that at every meeting I wouldn’t be complaining at all. Unfortunately the last meeting (May 4) was even worse because I only managed one race which I didn’t finish and damaged my car quite badly. It was pretty much my fault, I made a mistake and was heading head-on for the fence so I pulled the hand brake to try and spin it out of the fence and instead cracked the wall with the back of the car which damaged the rear axle quite badly and so that was the end of my afternoon which was a real shame. Thankfully the repair work is going well, I’ve another car for spares and we’ve already started doing the work which needs to be done but because the next meeting (May 25) is an pretty important one with the Southern Championship and then it’s Mildenhall (for the Suffolk Championship on May 30 and 31) the following weekend I want to make sure that all the work is done as good as it can be for these two weekends.

How important was having that success on Easter Monday and winning the final?
I think it was really important because having a bit of luck and some good results at the start of the season can make a huge difference, especially to your motivation and I’m still feeling the benefits of it now. After the (April 6) meeting I couldn’t wait until the second meeting and then again for the last one and even though I suffered the damage that I did I’m still buzzing for the racing and I think a lot of that is down to how well I did at the first meeting. Had I not had that final win there is a good chance I wouldn’t have been quite so keen to get the car fixed for the next meeting so having a big result early in the year does make a difference I think, it’s certainly helped me. The (April 6) final was a great race for me. I started a few rows back and after the first bend I was already right up the front, the pack just seemed to open in front of me and I was able to drive through the middle and get to the front really quickly and that made a massive difference for me so I was so pleased to have such a good race. It was tough leading the race for most of it though, I’ve never been the best at this, I find it a lot easier to chase the leaders rather than being the leader and so that is one advantage of starting in the blue grade because you have more a of target, you can see the cars in front and know you have to try and get in front of them.

Did you have any targets heading into the season and have these changes at all following the first couple of meetings?
A couple of seasons ago I finished around the top 10 in the points championship so coming into this year my goal was to try and finish at least in the top 10 but having had such a good start I’m now aiming for the top five. I know it will be hard, especially because there are so many good drivers in the formula right now. I honestly think that the quality of drivers in the Bangerstox has really improved in the last few years as well as the number of drivers which I think is fantastic and makes for better and more enjoyable racing but at the same time it makes it harder to have good results. That’s why the final win meant so much to me and again I know it won’t be easy at all to finish that high in the points but sometimes you have to push yourself a little harder to try and get better and that’s what I hope to do this year. Also with the (April 6) meeting being the first Masters Championship qualifier, that is definitely now more of a priority for me than it was before. I had a good result in last year’s championship and that came from starting near the back of the grid, had I qualified better then who knows, maybe I would have had a better result. Even though last year’s race suggested differently I think a good starting place is important for the Masters and after such a good first round I’m definitely going to try and make a little extra effort at the remaining rounds to try and not only qualify, but hopefully qualify near the front as well.

Speaking of championships, we have the Southern Championship on May 25 which you have qualified for, how do you feel about your hopes for that race?
I’m looking forward to it. Again, despite the problems I had at the last meeting (May 4) the car has otherwise been going pretty well. I’m using a Zetec engine for the first time this year and it’s been going well and I’m really pleased with the car, it’s just a matter of trying to get everything else in line at the same time now. The rest of the guys in Team Elite, we’re really hoping to do well in the Southern Championship as well because since we started working together on our cars none of us have had a big race win yet and it’s something we are all very eager to see each other doing. While we all work closely together in the pits and away from the track, on track it’s very much every man for himself but we all bounce off each other when it comes to working on the cars and I think that makes a difference, it has certainly helped me and I think my car is a lot better from working with the other guys and so it would mean a great deal to win the Southern but equally it would mean just as much to see one of the others win as well, it would be great because we’ve honestly put a lot of work into this. It’s hard to know what to expect with this race because the grid is done by a draw so you’ve no idea what to expect. You won’t know where you are until just before the race starts so it’s matter of hoping for a bit of luck and then just doing your best from wherever you start.

The next weekend we have the Suffolk Championship at Mildenhall, again is this an event you are looking forward to?
Very much so, it’s honestly one of the highlights of the year for me and I love the whole weekend, being away with your mates, having a drink, not having to worry about driving home after the meeting and the racing, it’s just a great weekend. I had a good run at the meeting a couple of years ago and qualified for the final on pole and then it all went wrong in the race. A car span and re-joined in front of me and it just messed me up and I lost it and it all turned into a bit of a disaster (laughs). To be honest it still bothers me a bit and I’m really eager to try and make up for it again this year, it would mean a lot to have a good weekend and try and finally put that year behind me. The only trouble is it’s my brothers stag do the night before so I’ve got that on the Friday and then I’ve got to drive up to Mildenhall on the Saturday so hopefully I won’t be in too sorry a state (laughs).

What is the appeal of the Bangerstox formula for you?
The biggest thing for me is the people in the formula. Everyone is so friendly and helpful. I’ve been in other classes over the years and I’ve never known a formula where so many of the drivers get on so well off the track and are so willing to help each other out and offer advice and tips if they can, it’s amazing really. The racing itself is great, like I said I think there are some excellent drivers in the formula right now and so some of the races are brilliant to be a part of but it’s the way everyone is in the pits which I think makes it so enjoyable for me.

The sport as a whole has been reeling from the tragic news concerning the accident which claimed the life of Keir Millar, as a racer how has the news affected you?
It’s absolutely heart breaking and I would like to say that everyone in Team Elite would like to pass on our best to the family of Keir and let them know we are thinking about them and we’ve already sorted some gold paint so we can paint our bumpers in tribute to him which I know a lot of people are doing and I hope that lots more around the country do the same, I’m sure they will because at times like this everyone sort of pulls together and we will all want to show the Millar family that we are thinking of them and supporting them as best we can. As a racer, news like this does hit you hard, you never try to think of the risks you take, I think if you do that too much then you shouldn’t be racing but at times like this it does bring it all home. Again it’s just heart breaking.

Is there anyone else you would like to thank or mention?
Jay Powell especially for everything he has done to help me which is so much, Lewis who is our team bitch (laughs), he’s brilliant, he really is and does a great deal to help all of us, my brother Sam Dawson who helped me get my car for this year and everyone in Team Elite for their help and support.