An Interview with National Banger driver 303 Wayne Linsdell
(interview published April 1 2014 in the lead up to the 1400cc Banger Suffolk Open team championship at Mildenhall on April 18)

Age: 38
Home Town: Guyan
Occupation: Gravestone fitter
Family: Partner Helen
Racing career: Started racing bangers at Henham, aged 25

Bits and Bobs were one the first teams to book in for this year’s 1400cc Banger Suffolk Open team championship on Good Friday, April 18, what is it that attracts you to this meeting?
It’s a day off work! (laughs) Good Friday is especially good in that sense because normally when you race at Mildenhall it’s a day off and then you have another day off after but at this one you have three days off after which is excellent. Any day away from work is a good one (laughs). No, it’s a great meeting, we’ve always enjoyed it. I did it for a few years with the Motley Krew recently which was nice but I prefer being in our own team again, there’s just a special and different buzz about that. Usually this is a really good, fun meeting and it’s always great being at a meeting with that many cars and drivers racing and normally the racing is really good as well. Me and Helen (Roberts #127) both like the 1400cc meetings as well so that’s cool, so yes it should be a good day and I’m looking forward to it again.

How are things going with the team because you’ve had a few changes?
Yeah it’s not been the easiest (laughs). First we had Karly (#133 Karl Day) and Chimp (#726 Kalin Dawe) but Karly broke his hand at Standlake so that took both of them out. It wouldn’t have been so bad but Karly shouldn’t have even been racing but the guy he took a car for didn’t want to race again so he took it out and hurt himself. Just our luck that is! Then there was a bit of confusion with Dean (Quinsee #837). We thought he was racing with us but he’d already committed to racing with (#837) Martin Wesby which was a shame, especially after he was with us when we won the Mildenhall Team Championship in November. We’ve got (#511) Jack Licquorice in now which I think is good because he is really coming on well lately and is especially good in the small car meetings and I’m working on getting (#572) Paul Scully to do it as well, the only trouble is I can see that costing me a fortune in fish and chips before the meeting and Jack Daniels after to get him to agree (laughs).

You guys were victorious at the Mildenhall Team Championship in November, does that rank as a career highlight for you, especially as you won the final?
Yeah, definitely, it was a brilliant day and to win was completely unexpected and something we’re all still really pleased about. We weren’t really in contention (to win) going into the final but then just everything went our way and I guess the other teams in front of us just didn’t have the luck. That’s the great thing about racing, especially team meetings, you really never know what’s going to happen and if you can get into the final then you have a chance. It was a hard race to win and I had a great race with (#338) Terry Garrod to win it and when you have a race like that, where you’ve really had to battle it does make it a lot more satisfying to come out on top so winning that race alone was a great buzz and when we found out we’d won the title that was just amazing. But it was a real team effort, Sid (Cooper #517) and Dean were both in the places as well and I think if all three of us hadn’t have been there we wouldn’t have done it. Helen was also going well until later in the race when her head gasket went and she had to retire which was a shame but the rest of us got lucky and it went our way. The only shame was Dean had no idea we’d won and drove back to the pits and we couldn’t get hold of him so he missed out on the presentations, he was too busy trying to get back out for the DD!

With your success in November, do you think you have a chance of similar success on Good Friday?
I don’t know. Again I think luck will play a big part, it always does but when there is that many cars and teams it’s even more important. You never go into a meeting like this expecting anything to happen, let alone expecting to do well or even win, you just go in wanting to try and do your best, that’s all you can do. It would be brilliant to qualify for the final, I think that is always a target when we go into any team meeting but it’s not the end of the world if that doesn’t happen, as long as everyone enjoys their day. We made the final last year which was really good but then we didn’t have much luck. Helen finished in fifth which I think is an achievement in itself at a meeting like this one, especially seeing as (son) Jack hit her head-on when she span out. Again that’s the sort of thing that could only happen to us! (laughs).

Bits and Bobs have also booked in for the unlimited EA team meeting in May, is that something you are looking forward to?
Yes, it’ll be nice to do that one. I really enjoy racing unlimited or rear wheel drive cars but I don’t get a chance very often because those kind of cars don’t often come my way. I was hoping to do the Supreme Championship but we ran out of time and Sid had an (unlimited) car so we decided to get a team together and do this instead. I really enjoy team meetings so doing an unlimited one should be great, I’m looking forward to it now. I had a win in an Omega last year at the rear wheel drive meeting which was a special one for me because it was a rear wheel drive car and getting a second in my Triumph 2000 at the pre 70 was a highlight as well so I’d like to try and do more meetings like this if I can.

You also made a great start to the British Championship qualifying series with a third in the final at the first round on March 8, is qualifying for the British something you are chasing this year?
I think it’s something I try to do every year but again it’s not an easy task. I’ve been in the race a few times but I’ve qualified more times via the last chance race that I have via the qualifying rounds. I think this is the best start I have ever had at the qualifying rounds so we’ll see what happens. I’ll be giving it a good shot and doing my best but again you can’t do more than that really. The British Championship meeting is another of my favourite meetings of the year. I think it’s because I like racing my Mondeos and this is one of the biggest Mondeo based meetings of the year at Mildenhall so it’s one of my favourites regardless of whether I’m in the race or not but it would be fantastic to qualify ahead of the meeting this time.

Is there anyone else you would like to thank or mention?
My mum and dad who do so much to help me with my racing, Helen as well for all her support and help and everyone else who lends a hand and helps.