An Interview with Wild Boyz entertainer 149 Wayne Bailey
(interview published March 1 2016 in the lead up to the 2016 Unlimited Banger BBA Supreme Championship)

Age: 35
Home Town: Doncaster
Occupation: Wife Jaime and two children
Family: Scrapman
Racing career: First meeting was aged 15 in a Ford Capri at Brampton

You are among those making your debut in the Supreme Championship this year, is this a race you are looking forward to?
I am, especially as I don’t get the chance to do big races like this very often. I consider myself much more of a crasher than a racer and guys like me don’t get to qualify for big races that much. The only time I have in the past was for the World Final at King’s Lynn. I think I managed to win a race at one of the qualifying rounds, I’m not actually sure how I managed that to be honest (laughs) but it was nice to do that race and it will be good to do this one, especially as it’s unlimited which is something I enjoy. But at the same time, it is just another race to me. I can’t see myself as having much of a chance of doing that well against some of the drivers in the race so I will take it as just another race and do exactly what I usually do which will hopefully be crash into something, but it will be nice to do in a big championship for a change (laughs).

You weren’t among the first to confirm your place on the grid, was there an element of doubt that you would be able to make it, especially as you are set to be back at Mildenhall six days later for the 1400cc Suffolk Open Team Championship, which is especially impressive as it’s a near 300 mile round trip for you to visit Mildenhall.
I always wanted to do it as soon as I found out that I’d qualified. Again it’s not something a guy like me gets a chance to do very often so when the opportunity came up I always wanted to do the race but I also had to be sure I could do it as I didn’t to just say yes and then be forced to pull out. I’m very busy with work right now which is great in one way because obviously it’s brilliant to be in that position but then it makes it hard to find the time to build and race the cars but obviously work has to come first and to be honest Good Friday was more of a priority for me because I love that meeting and really wanted to do it again. March is really hectic for me as I’m also doing the Micro meeting at Coventry so three meetings in as many weekends which is a lot for me if I’m honest but everything is on track at the moment and it should be fine. Funnily enough the miles aren’t such a problem for me as working in a scrap yard I’m able to use the fuel which comes with the scrap cars. It’s a little time consuming but it saves me a lot of money so it’s well worth the effort because it helps reduce the costs of my racing but the time is the biggest factor, but the more I thought about it the more I realised I had to do the championship as you never know if you will get a chance again so I’ll have to make the time if needed (laughs).

That said have you decided on what car you will use in the race?
It will be a taxi but I’m not sure if it will be the modern taxi I raced at the Civil War which can be fixed to race again or if I’m going to build a fresh one, I’ve got an older one, the FX4 which I quite fancy but I think it will again depend on how the time goes over the next few weeks.

You’ve raced a few taxis recently, clearly you like them?
Yes, they are very strong at the front which is great for crashing but the problem is they are pretty weak at the rear, especially the modern ones which isn’t so good (laughs). But it’s the same with all cars, they all have their weak points and you have to just try and figure out a way to make them better and I’m already learning things with the couple I have raced and I think with a few little tweaks they could be really good. The biggest issue is the rear springs which are crap so I’m already thinking that maybe I could swap them with something from another car to make them better. Again it’s not a money issue, it’s just time consuming. I’m quite lucky with these new taxis because there are a few of them about and the great thing for me is that I can usually export them through work which makes them really cheap bangers for me. It does mean I have to replace the engine but a Pinto fits into them really well and it’s quite easy so they are an ideal car for me and good for a crash.

That said, are we to assume crashing will be the intention in the championship?
No, I’m going to win it (laughs). I don’t know, I guess so as that what usually happens with me if I get the chance but you can never tell and I’m not usually in races like that and I expect this will be more of a race than anything rather than a big crash-fest so I don’t know, we’ll just see how it goes I think. To be honest it would be brilliant to finish a race like this. I’m not sure how possible it will be, but to finish it would be fantastic, especially in something like a taxi but it’s never going to happen I don’t think (laughs)!

What kind of race do you expect?
Well I would have thought it would be a bit of a racey one rather than anything else because the championships usually are and the majority of the people in it are going to be trying to win so that’s what I would have thought. But then I guess being a small track and a big grid, you might get pile-ups and stuff, especially with drivers allowed to turn round but that’s not what I’m expecting myself. I think the championship will be a race and then it might be more wrecking later on but I’d like to be proved wrong (laughs). If there was a track blockage in the championship I’d probably think that all my Christmas’ had come at once (laughs)!

You are set to make a small piece of history in the race as the first member of the Wild Boyz to be in the race, is that something you are pleased about?
I had no idea about that, I assumed that Nick or Chris (Bull) would have done it or even Bish (43 Nicky Bishop). I came down to the meeting several years ago (2006) when a few of the team raced, it was the night Young Bully had his Granada destroyed (by 455 Rick Finney) and I honestly thought one of us was in the race that night. But that is really cool to know I’m the first, it’s great to get the team colours into things like this and I think it shows we’re not doing a bad job with the team these days.

Mentioning the Bull’s, when they retired the team faded away a little and many feared it may disappear from the sport but it is goings strong in 2016 and you are a big reason for that, is this something you are pleased about?
Yes, it means a lot to me because the team means a lot to me so to keep it alive and hopefully doing well does mean a lot. Bish has played a massive part in it as well but so have all the drivers who have raced in the team and we’ve got a few newcomers coming in now which will hopefully keep things going strong. My brother Glenn is racing with us now and he is also doing really well and starting to get the hang of it, the only trouble now is that with him racing we have to build twice as many cars (laughs)!

Again on the subject of the Bull’s, are you in contact with them and do you think we may see them on track again, something no doubt many would like to see?
I am and I think it might happen. They do talk about it every now and again but they are just so busy which is why they stopped in the first place but I think they still have the interest in racing so I think if the right meeting came up I could definitely see it happening and it would be great to race with them again because they were excellent drivers and did a lot to get the team name out these in the first place.

Sticking with team racing, the Wild Boyz are again set to visit Mildenhall for the Suffolk Open team championship on Good Friday, is this something you are looking forward to?
Very much, I love this meeting because I love the smaller cars, I have a real thing for Almeras and just thing they are excellent bangers and I suppose this is the biggest meeting of the year for cars like this so it’s always good to be a part of it and the meeting is almost always a real bit of me because so many people are just there to have a good crash and get stuck in which makes a really good atmosphere on and off the track and that is something I enjoy. I also enjoy doing the big meetings, there is a real buzz from going to a meeting knowing there is going to be loads of cars and loads of top drivers and getting there and seeing everyone roll in or waiting for you, it’s a great feeling.

Are there are plans for Good Friday?
We’re going to win that as well (laughs). No, I suspect it will be just the usual, crashing into things (laughs)! It’s what we enjoy and hopefully what we are good at hopefully we’ll give a good account of ourselves but either way I’m sure we will enjoy it, that’s the most important thing really.

You had a great meeting at the 1500cc Icebreaker in February at King’s Lynn, was that something you enjoyed?
Absolutely, I had an amazing day, it was just one of those days where everything went your way and the hits just kept on coming and coming but even better the car kept on going and I didn’t have to fix anything all day, just pull it straight after each race and go back out which is incredible really. I think I managed to win the entertainers league for the team all by myself (laughs) so, yeah it was a brilliant day and day’s like that help a lot because they fire you up to the next meeting and the one after and so on, the trouble is day’s like that make you want to race more and then you have to find the time to build the cars!

Have you any plans for 2016?
Not really. Everything for me is based around work so I just take it all as it comes and see what happens but I would like to go and race overseas at some point because so many people go on about how good it is over there. I don’t even know the track, just that everyone says it’s great!

A big talking point this year has been the new rule from the ORCi saying drivers cannot exit their cars while a race is in progress, is this something you agree with?
Yes, very much and I think it is great that the promoters have brought it in because as much as I think it’s a great rule and it is something that should have happened a long time ago I never thought it would happen but I’m pleased it has. We’ve had so many close calls lately and hopefully this will stop all that and keep everyone safe because the safest place is always inside your car. We’ve a guy in the team who has a habit of jumping out a bit quick and we’ve been giving him loads of stick about the new rule but I think he is a good example of why the rule is needed because he has taken too many chances I think. The only problem is I guess races will be stopped more often now but it’s a small price to pay in my opinion.

Is there anyone you would like to thank or mention?
My wife for all her support and putting up with me and my brother for his help.