An Interview with National Banger driver Scottie Dog 313 Scott Elden
(interview published July 30 2014 in the lead up to the Unlimited Banger Suffolk Open and Steamer Memorial Trophy meeting at Mildenhall on August 9)

Age: 24
Home Town : North Walsham
Occupation: Chef
Family: Girlfriend Kayleigh
Racing career: Started racing aged 16 at Yarmouth in Rookie Bangers

You were one of the first drivers to book in for the unlimited Suffolk Open and Steamer Memorial Trophy meeting, is this a meeting you are looking forward to?
Yes, very much. It’s only my second unlimited National meeting, my first was the Supreme Championship which was a bit of a case of starting at the deep end and even though I didn’t do quite as well as I had hoped it was still a fantastic night and I really enjoyed it so I‘ve been looking forward to this one even more, especially with the car I have for the meeting.

Can you tell us about the car you have for the meeting?
I’ve got a Chevy Caprice. It’s the first American car I’ve ever had to race so I’m quite excited about it and it’s probably one of the best cars I’ve ever had so it should be good. I’ve not started work on the car yet (this interview was conducted on July 24) but I’ve booked all of next week off work to spend pretty much the whole week on the car. That is all I have planned for next week so I would imagine it’s going to be a lot of early mornings and late nights to get it ready to race but I’m also looking forward to that side of the car as well which will be a new experience for me, building something like this.

Is it safe to say with a car like that you are unlikely to be challenging for the Suffolk Open title?
(laughs) Yeah I think you could say that. I don’t think it’s a car made for winning races somehow but hopefully I’ll be able to have a good crash or two with it, that’s the intention anyway, like I said it’s not a race car, it’s definitely a crashing car so we’ll see how it goes and do our best with it and hopefully have a good night.

Is trying to win the Steamer Memorial trophy as the night’s best entertainer a target?
It would certainly be fantastic to win that, a real honour but I don’t know how possible it is. I suppose I might have a good car to try and have a go at winning it but on the other hand it could be the worst car for it because I might just be a big target and get wrecked straight away so you never know but it would be a really cool trophy to win.

This season has been your first as an RDC registered driver, how has the year been going so far?
Really well. It couldn’t have started any better really because at my first meeting I won a race and then won an entertainer award so that was a pretty great way to get started and it’s been going well ever since. Unfortunately my job means I can’t race quite as much as I would like to but all the meetings I’ve done so far have been good.

If we can talk about some of them, starting with the Winter Series, you were a keen supporter of the series this year, what is the appeal of these meetings, especially with the fact that they are often held in difficult conditions?
To be honest, the conditions is part of the fun. The winter meetings are just a lot of fun which is what the racing is all about. I like the fact that because it’s a little wet it’s rarely about how good your car is, it’s more about the driver and who has a bit of luck on the day and again the meetings are just a lot of fun so that’s why I enjoy them so much. It’s also fun in the pits as well because quite often you come off the track after a race and you and car is covered in shale and mud and it’s all hands on deck to try and get ready for the next race which is a challenge in itself and something I get a buzz from.

You’ve already mentioned the Supreme Championship in March, several have commented about the atmosphere at the stadium that night, was that something you noticed?
Definitely, there was such a buzz that night and you could feel it on the track. He racing was brilliant that night as well I thought and you could hear how much the crowd were enjoying it and as a driver it’s certainly something you pick up on so it was a great night.

More recently you made a mark at the unlimited van meeting with your Transit camper, was that something you enjoyed?
Absolutely, it was a fantastic night and I loved it. I’d raced a camper van before and it was just rubbish so I was a little worried this one would be the same but thankfully it was much better and I had a brilliant night with it. When the first heat I was in got stopped I thought I had a chance to do something a little cool. With something like (a camper van) you’re not there to race with it, you’re there just to destroy it so I thought I’d try backing into the traffic and see what happened and it was so great that Shaky (380 Trevor Wright) was the first one there to hit me. To have the one of the biggest vans wreck mine was an awesome buzz and I absolutely loved it but I couldn’t believe it didn’t do more damage to be honest. I assumed it would have taken the whole body off but the camper actually took it fairly well and I was able to come back out and wreck it some more in the final which was great. The van meeting was a really good one I thought and I really hope to do it again next year. To be honest I’d like to do the van meeting every year but it’s just a matter of finding something. With my job I think I’m at a little disadvantage to some drivers, especially those involved in the car trade who maybe come across cars a little easier than I do as I really have to just take what I can when I can so sometimes it’s not ideal.

Have you any plans for the rest of the season?
I hope to do as many meetings at Mildenhall as I can and work allows. October will certainly be good as I’ve qualified for the Accumulator championship. I qualified when I won the entertainer award in the Winter Series and I’ve been looking forward to that ever since, I’ve not had the chance to race in many races like that so that should be cool and I’m also hoping to qualify for the white and yellow grade series final that night as well so that’d be a great night if I can get in both races and then there is the Halloween meeting. That is always one of my favourite meetings of the year, we’ve a few Mondeos to use and I’ve got a caravan as well so hopefully that will be a good meeting as well, I love the novelty stuff, it’s always a lot of fun and for me that is the most important thing about racing. I’m also hoping to do a few meetings elsewhere, I’ve a Jaguar for the all Jaguar meeting at King’s Lynn in August which I’m looking forward to as well and my hope is to try and win an entertainer award because I would really like to do the (Heninegone, Peewee testimonial) meeting last season and winning one of those awards would get me a booking.

Is there anyone else you would like to thank or mention?
My mum and dad who do a great amount for my racing including driving the lorry, my girlfriend for putting up with it all, especially having all the cars on the drive (laughs), Gibbo, Stavross and the Fish and Chip Company in Ratkey for their sponsorship.