An Interview with National Banger driver Splat 54 Martin Lawton
(interview published November 11 2015 in the lead up to the Mildenhall Team Championship)

Age: 24
Home Town: Basildon
Family: Single
Occupation: Engineer
Started Racing: July 14 2007 in 2litre Bangers at Mildenhall

We are coming up for the National Banger Mildenhall Team Championship where the Gladiators are expected in force with three teams of you are set to be a part of, is this a meeting you have been looking forward to, especially as the Gladiators are defending champions?
I am but then I always especially look forward to the team meetings with the guys. As we race as a team, team meetings do tend to be the meetings I enjoy more than anything else. I guess it’s because we are always racing as a team and so on the meetings where everyone else is, it just makes things a little more team orientated and I prefer that kind of racing, I suppose others might as well because you do get the odd comments about how we race as a team at (individual) meetings and I guess I can understand why that is, but at the end of the day if there is someone in the back of one us, surely you would expect us to go in (laughs)!

Picking up on that, years ago it was always a special thing when teams would travel to away tracks and often take on the local drivers there and back then people didn’t tend to call that team racing and it was more accepted. It could be argued that in 2015 the Gladiators don’t really have a home track so do you consider yourself maybe as a travelling group who do go from track to track and battle whatever drivers you come across?
I’ve never really thought of it like that but I guess so. You don’t get the team invasions like you used to years ago anymore which I guess is a shame because you still hear stories about those times and the people who were there always say good it was and how much of a buzz it was. I’m not sure the Gladiators have quite the same appeal as teams like the Suicide Squad and Stinkbridge did back when they were doing stuff like that but it is really nice when we go to some places sometimes and you get people talking, hopefully because they know we might help to liven the meeting up or something. We haven’t really had a home track I guess for a couple of years now but I quite like that because I love going to different places and trying different things, I think the variety helps keep things fresh and interesting which is good in this sport (laughs). I suppose the best example I can think of it was when we went to Stoke last year for the BWS round. We’d never been there before and we decided before that we were just going to try and cause as much mayhem as we could and that’s what we did and we were hitting anyone and everyone who wasn’t in our colours. To be fair I don’t recall anyone moaning about team racing that night because it was a visiting team, away from home taking on everyone else. I know we do race a bit more at Mildenhall and I’m RDC registered but I guess as we don’t race there all the time, we would still be seen as visitors so I’m sure there will be a few eager to have a go (laughs).

That said, have you had much of a look at the line up for this meeting and can you give us any idea of what to expect?
Funnily enough I haven’t yet, which isn’t like me as when I have a meeting coming up, I usually do have a look at who is booked in to get an idea of what to expect but I’ve just not got round to it. The thing with the Mildenhall team meetings is that you always have a rough idea of who will be there, there is usually a pretty good turnout and you always get a few teams who are always there and then there are a few different people thrown into the mix but I’m sure I will get my orders on the day (laughs). That’s another reason why I like the team meetings so much, because we are a lot more organised as a team. There is always a discussion before the meeting where we talk things through and discuss our plans and everyone has their role and I love that side of the sport. Having a particular role to do for the team and then going out there and trying to do it, as well as watching out for your team mates. At a normal meeting, especially one where there isn’t many of our usual enemies, I would just go out and do my own thing really and while I enjoy that still, the team environment and having a set job to do has that extra buzz and it’s something I really enjoy.

Presumably, while your on track role might be more structured at a team meeting, it is the same regardless of the meeting in the pits?
Absolutely, we always work together off the track to get everyone back out for the next race and I think it’s possibly one of the things we do the best and it’s a cool thing to be a part off. We are quite fortunate because we have a lot of guys who come to the meetings who never race but come to help and I’ve been a part of that as I’ve often been to meetings where I’ve not been racing but the guys in the team are and I’ve got my hands dirty and helped out as much as I can. It’s one thing for me to do it, because I know at some point the guy I’m helping will do the same for me but the guys who do nothing but help fix our cars are amazing and they are as much of the team as the drivers.

Mentioning meetings where you have not been racing, we’ve not seen the greatest amount of you on track in recent times, can you explain a little about what’s been going on?
I just needed a break really. As I said earlier I like variety and I enjoy different things and for whatever reason things were a little repetitive for me and I just needed a break to recharge I suppose and get my enthusiasm back. I was also having a lot of bad luck with cars and that didn’t help as when you have a bad run of meetings and cars it hits your motivation a lot. It’s definitely worked (having a break) because I’ve really enjoyed the few meetings that I have done, it does help that most of them have been team meetings and I enjoy them usually anyway but the meetings I’ve done lately have really helped get the bug back and now I’m hopeful of doing a bit more racing next season if I can, that’s the plan at the moment anyway (laughs). Again it helps that with the Gladiators, it’s not a team where the drivers are told they must race at certain times or meetings, we’ve never been like that and people just do what they can when they can so it’s great to have that freedom and take a little time off if you need it. I think with the battle with the Cream team fading this year after going on for so long has been good for a lot of the team as there has been a few who’ve been having some time for themselves and it’s important to have that. It’s done me a favour as well because it’s allowed me to do some more meetings. The trouble with team meetings is that only so many of us can do it and sometimes there are more drivers than places but with me getting keen again and others having a little time off, it’s worked out well for me.

A couple of the meetings we’ve seen you at this season were the Kent and Old Skool team championships, were those meetings you enjoyed?
Very much. I really enjoy going to Dover and that was quite cool for us this year because everyone else was having their own battles and it left us pretty much clear to have a bit of a rod for a change. As much as I enjoy the crashing, sometimes it is nice to have a race and have a car at the end of the meeting that will race again and I really enjoyed that one, having the three Gladiator teams battling each other for the win was really cool. The Old Skool meeting is always one I enjoy and I was really chuffed when the team said they needed me to do it. Again it goes back to that idea of having a specific role in the team and a job to do and I get a real buzz from that. I was meant to be a runner that night and try and do the laps but it didn’t work out well but it was still a great night.

You were a part of the Gladiators team who won the Mildenhall Team Championship last season, was that a highlight for you, especially given the conditions and being defending champions, does that affect your game plan this year?
It was great to win it, but then that’s always special although I think Phil (Smith) did all the work for us because he won all four of his races that day and was absolutely brilliant (laughs). It was a wet one but to be honest I think I’ve raced at wetter meetings and I don’t remember it being too bad and being quite surprised at how good the track was given how wet it was. I’ve no idea what our plans will be, I shouldn’t think anyone does yet (laughs). Again with team meetings, it’s a matter of getting to the meeting, seeing who we are up against and going from there.

You tend to stick largely to the National/Mondeo based meetings, is that a format you enjoy?
I enjoy all my racing but I think I do a little better with the Mondeos simply because I know what to do with one. Once you’ve built one, they are pretty straight forward so I know how to build one now and know how to keep it running so you can usually have a good day with one. I do like unlimiteds but they are a lot more work and money and I never seem to have much luck with them so I’ve just found I’m better to stick to the things I’m good at and get more enjoyment from.

Have you any plans for 2016?
A lot of it will depend on what the team are doing but I’m hoping to do a bit more because I’m really enjoying my racing a lot more now, hopefully the team will travel around a bit and we might go to some more new places as that is something I really enjoy doing.

Is there anyone you would like to thank or mention?
All the team, especially my dad who does so much to help me, from driving the lorry to helping build the cars, everything really, Wayne who also helps with the cars, Bazzas Bits who assist me with nuts and bolts and a lot of stuff like that and my mum for being our tea lady and putting up with all of it.