An Interview with National Banger racer 95 Jade Harboard
(interview published March 16 2016 in the lead up to the 1400cc Banger Suffolk Open team championship)

Age: 27
Home Town: Mildenhall
Occupation: Admin assistant
Family: Boyfriend Nat
First race: Aged 18 in Lady Bangers at King’s Lynn (‘My actual first go was aged 16 at Skegness but I really didn’t like it and only did half a lap and didn’t think I’d ever try again so I’ve never counted that as my first meeting)

You are not only set to race on Good Friday in the 1400cc Banger Suffolk Open Team Championship but you have been instrumental in the assembly of the all-female Better Halves team, can you tell us how this all came about.
Well it’s always been a meeting I wanted to do. Vix (Battle) asked me last year for the Dover Girls team which I think was originally meant to have some more girls in but (boyfriend) Nat (Cohn) was away that weekend and he wasn’t keen on me racing without him being there to help and to be honest I would have found it hard without him being there. This year I asked my dad (90 Adrian Harboard) about whether we could put together a (Chicken Edz) team but he wasn’t so keen because he doesn’t really enjoy the smaller cars that much now and I think it was Nat who suggested maybe seeing if any of the other lady drivers fancied it. I asked Vix first and she said yes straight away and then we started thinking about whether it might be possible to get an all ladies team together. I didn’t think we would at first because quite a few of the people we asked weren’t too keen but then we suddenly found people that were and it all came together. In fact I think what helped in the end was that some of the team were more enthusiastic about it being an all-girls team. I think in this team there might be a lot less pressure for us compared to if we was racing in a team with the guys. Take me for example, if I was racing in a team with Nat I’d probably be a bit worried that I would be letting the rest of the team down if I did no good and think there are others in the team that feel a similar way but together there aren’t really expectations at all and I think that’s really good.

That said, have you any goals for the day?
We’ve actually been talking about it a bit and as far as I’m concerned all I want to see if everyone coming off after each race smiling and having had a good time, that’s it. If we score some points in the process then that would be amazing and I think some of the team could, especially someone like Helen (Roberts) who is not only excellent but has done really well at this meeting before, especially when she was racing with the Wonderbras.

Having mentioned Helen Roberts, do you think you’ve a good team for the event?
I think we do, well apart from me (laughs)! No, I think everyone is capable of doing quite well. I think me and Vix (Battle) have both gotten a lot better the last year by racing more and more and I think the more you (race), the better you get, I think my biggest problem is not having enough confidence in myself. My sister (Amber Daniels) is also pretty good with the smaller cars and then you’ve got Tiff (Collins) who just doesn’t care and loves crashing (laughs) and also Sherrie (Martin) who is also getting better and better because she is doing more (National) meetings now. Like I said we’ve no intentions of trying to do well or anything, just to have a fun day which to me is what banger racing is supposed to be all about but hopefully we might do ok, with a bit of luck. Nat reckons we’ve a good chance of winning the entertaining team award but I don’ t think he means by the usual way (laughs).

You mentioned that Good Friday is a meeting you’ve always wanted to do, what is the appeal of the meeting?
I think it’s because it’s one of the biggest meetings of the year but also it’s a meeting that because of the cars that are used I’ve felt for a while I was capable of having a go at. Most of the National Banger meetings I do tend to be the smaller, more domestic meetings and I don’t usually do the bigger and harder meetings because I guess I don’t feel I’m ready for it yet but I’ve often thought that maybe this is one I could do because it’s the smaller cars which I’ve had a bit more experience with. I think it’s the same with the rest of the team really because most of us has done the meeting before and for the rest of us I think this might be our biggest meeting yet so it’s a bit of a step up and a challenge but I’m looking forward to giving it a go.

Does the 1400cc format make the meeting more appealing to you?
It does but it’s funny because for a while I didn’t like the FWD cars because I thought they were faster and they scared me. Most of my first National Banger meetings were just the pre 70 meetings with dad and Amber and it wasn’t until later that I tried the FWD stuff but I’ve found I really enjoy it, especially the Winter Series meetings. Some people might think I’m crazy but I love it when the conditions are wet and boggy and you are just sliding around and doing a lap is an achievement, to me that’s great fun.

We’ve seen all women teams before at the Suffolk Open Team Championship, have these teams been something of an inspiration to you?
I guess so. I remember watching the Wonderbras and then the Banger Wags at the meeting years ago and they both used to do really well and I guess to me personally it was a bit of an inspiration because it was always brilliant to see the ladies out there against the men and doing well and I suppose it might have played a part in my racing because when you see other (ladies) doing well it does help your own confidence a bit. But I don’t think we’ll do as well as they did, the Wonderbras nearly won it a couple of a times and that’s definitely not going to happen with us (laughs)! I’ll be glad to finish a race!

We are seeing more and more women competing against the men and not just in National Bangers, is this something you are pleased to see and do you think there is a reason for it?
I don’t know why it’s happening because there has been this sudden surge of women racing with the men and not just in female only formulas and I think it’s brilliant to see and hopefully the more women you see out there, giving it a go, the more than will be willing to give it a try. The fact is that this sport, and motor racing in general, has always been a male thing and it always will be, it’s just how it is but I guess there are more and more women realizing that we are capable of least being out there and having a go and it just seems that a load of us have realized it at the same time (laughs). Years ago when I first started I was interviewed by TSR and they asked what I would say to any women thinking about racing and I would say the same thing now, which is simply if you want to have a go, go for it, just give it a go. Sure it might not be for you but there is only one way to find out and it seems that more and more of those willing to have a go find they do enjoy it.

Have you any plans for 2016?
Well me and Nat keep saying we need to cut back a little with our racing but whether it happens or not is another thing (laughs). Last year I did the Lady Bangers at TSR and a few National Banger meetings at Mildenhall but this year the plan is to stick more to the National meetings. Unfortunately I’ve found that the lady banger meetings at King’s Lynn are just getting a bit too serious for my liking. It’s probably good for the formula because maybe the racing is better but I found towards the end of last year I wasn’t enjoying it quite as much and I think that was because I wasn’t taking it as seriously as some others so it was harder to be competitive which took a bit of the fun out of it, but at the same time I don’t want to be taking it too seriously either. The thing I have been enjoying the most is racing RWD cars. Like I said my first National meetings were pre 70 meetings and last year I also did the RWD Championship meeting at Mildenhall which was the highlight of my year so I’d like to try and do some more RWD meetings if I can, maybe even an unlimited if a car was available.

Mentioning the pre 70, we’ve previously seen you race alongside your dad and sister at this meeting but this sadly wasn’t the case last year, is it on the cards this year?
Definitely, 100 per cent! Unfortunately last year me and Amber were at a wedding so obviously couldn’t race which was a real shame. The plan was that instead the three of us were going to do the 2litre RWD meeting instead, all in Cortinas, but sadly the one dad had ear marked for me was much more rotten than he thought it was and he actually scrapped it so there was no chance of me trying to race it (laughs). I was pretty gutted and then not long after he came to see me with a Hillman Minx which I think was his way of saying sorry about the Cortina! I can’t wait to do the meeting again because it’s one I absolutely love.

You come from an incredibly racing based family, what is that like?
It’s pretty mental to be honest (laughs). It’s quite funny really because when we get together it will usually be Nat or Bobby (Daniels, Amber’s husband and Jade’s brother-in-law) who will stick a banger racing DVD on and at first you might be, oh not bangers again, but it won’t be long before me and Amber are sitting there going ‘did you see that?’ so we are just as bad. We were raised around the sport, dad was racing F2 Stockcars around the time I was born so racing has always been a part of my life but at the same time we weren’t forced it into and I think that is why me and Amber both love it so much because it was our choice to fall in love with it. It’s the same with Amber and Bobby’s kids, they’ve just fallen in love with bangers on their own. It’s worse now I’m with Nat because racing is an even bigger part of my life than ever which I didn’t think possible (laughs) and we always seem to be doing something with the cars (it’s worth noting that Jade took a break from working on bangers to conduct this interview), even when we are at home, Nat is usually in the shed helping Paul Sparrow with his stockcar! But I think it’s why we ‘work’, because we have that passion in common and it’s makes us a lot stronger and closer.

You mentioned last year’s RWD Championship being a highlight of the year for you, was that solely because you won the DD or was that just a bonus?
Winning the DD was a big part of it but it had been an amazing night before that. The car (Carlton estate) I raced, I was meant to race it the week before in the unlimited lady bangers at King’s Lynn but we never got it finished and at the time I was gutted but in hindsight I was so pleased because it all worked out so well. I think what made it so brilliant was that before the meeting I had so many people come over and say I was crazy for using a Carlton and I think the comments did start to panic me a little so to go out and have such a great meeting made it all the better. Me and Nat are good friends with Tom Filmer and he was one of the people who actually seemed a little concerned with my car choice so driving back past him in the pits after every race and seeing him laughing back at me was just the best feeling. The DD was incredible, I couldn’t believe the car kept on going like it did and the in the end it was me and Bobby. Neither of us were wearing our goggles so I could actually see him smiling the whole time and he said the same about me, it was so funny but so brilliant at the same time.

This year sees a new rule come into effect from the ORCi prohibiting drivers from exiting their race cars while a race is in progress, what are your thoughts?
I think it’s a good idea and I can fully understand why it’s come in because there have been so many close calls lately, it’s a bit scary really. I don’t think it will stop some people (getting out when they shouldn’t), we’ve already seen some people do it but hopefully it will stop most. I’ve always been told to stay in my car no matter what, at the end of the day you might be a little sore if you get hit when the car has stopped but you should be ok whereas if you get hit when you are getting out it could be a lot worse. I think it’s little strange that you have to stay in your car when on the infield, especially somewhere like Mildenhall which has an infield wall but my car got hit on the infield once at King’s Lynn by another car which had lost control so I guess it can happen wherever you are and it’s better to be safe isn’t it.

Is there anyone you would to thank or mention?
Nat obviously for everything he does, especially the cars and helping to prepare them, my dad for getting me into it to start with and everything he did to help me for so many years and Terry for the yard and storing our cars and his mum for putting up with all of us.