An Interview with National Banger 2014/5 White and Yellow Grade Mildenhall Winter Series winner Foxy 322 Tom Fox
(interview published February 4 2015 in the lead up to the first 2015 National Banger British Qualifier on March 7)

Age: 19
Home Town: Lakenheath
Occupation: Apprentice mechanic
Family: Single
Racing career: First race was in Ministox at Mildenhall aged 11

You were the winningest driver in this year’s National Banger Mildenhall Winter Series, finishing fourth overall and winning the White and Yellow Grade Winter Series, were you pleased with your success in the series?
Very much so although I didn’t actually know I had won the White and Yellow Grade Series until you said (laughs). It was great to have the hat trick of wins at the last round, that was a real highlight for me. I’ve had a couple of heat and final doubles, they were back when I first started in National Bangers so I was really pleased to win the heat and final again as it’s been a while since I have managed to do that but to then win the Accumulator as well was just brilliant because I’ve never had a hat trick at Mildenhall and it’s not something you see very often. It was also cool because the Accumulator was such a tough race to win, they all were really given how wet the track was but the Accumulator had the biggest grid of the meeting and there was a lot going on so it was a hard race to win. I’m really pleased at how well I did in the series all together, it’s the best I have done in the series for a while and had it not been for some problems with the car at the Micro meeting I might have done even better but I’m not worried about that at all, that’s just one of those things, to finish fourth, especially when so many people raced in the series is fantastic.

The Winter Series was again hugely popular with 276 different drivers taking part, you were one of those who raced in all three rounds, despite it’s obvious difficulties with the weather and track conditions we almost come to expect at this time of year, what is the attraction of these meetings to you?
Most of all they are good fun and that is what it’s all about really isn’t it. Yes it can be wet and muddy, I think the last round was some of the worst conditions I’ve ever raced in but it’s still fun and one of the advantages of conditions like that is that it takes away any advantage someone can have with better cars, engines and tyres. At these meetings everyone is on a much more level playing field and that’s always a good thing and I think it is a reason why the meetings are so popular and you see so many different people you don’t see too often at other meetings, because they know they can come out and have a go and possibly do well with what they have. Another thing I really like is that you can race any car at these meetings and you still see some leftovers from the Micro meeting at the remaining rounds and not only that but the cars do pretty well. I got behind a Ka at the (January 3 1400cc) meeting and I really struggled to get past it.

Mentioning the Brian Pfender Memorial meeting which was a record breaker, did you enjoy that day?
I did but it was definitely a long day wasn’t it (laughs). It was weird as we only live 10 minutes away and we were in the pits at about 9.30am but we knew it would be busy and figured it was better to get their early. I qualified in the first heat and I think it was nearly seven hours until I raced again (laughs) but when you have so many cars racing that’s almost to be expected, we still couldn’t get my car running properly even with all that time! On the plus side I got to watch some racing which we don’t usually get to do because we are usually so busy in between races and it was all quite laid back which was nice. It’s always good to be a part of a meeting like that, with so many cars and drivers, that alone brings its own kind of enjoyment and I think it was also really nice that so many people turned out for Brian (Pfender’s) memorial.

Your success in the Winter Series comes after a somewhat disappointing 2014 season for you where you struggled quite often, you suffered an injury at the end of 2013, do you think this was a factor or was it something else and has your form in the Winter Series likely to have a positive effect on the coming season?
I don’t think getting hurt (at the 2013 Mildenhall Team Championship) had anything to do with it, I think it upset mum a lot more than me (laughs). It was just one of those things but what did have a big effect on last year was some other problems we had. First the lorry failed the MOT which meant I missed the Winter meetings which was a shame because after the accident I was keen to get back out as soon as I could but with the lorry we couldn’t so it was quite a while before I raced again. And then we had to move yards which was a big upheaval and threw a bit of a spanner in the works and made last year very difficult. We did what we could but it was always a struggle so I think that was one of the biggest problems we had last year. We are a bit more settled now but where I build the cars doesn’t have electric which isn’t ideal, especially at this time of year so we have been finishing cars on the drive at home which again isn’t ideal but we’ve coped and the results in the Winter Series have helped make it worthwhile. I think it will have a positive effect on the season because when you’re doing well you are more eager to get back out at the next meeting and I can’t wait for March to come now.

Before we talk about March, while 2014 wasn’t your best season, there were highlights which included winning the Odd Job Memorial trophy at the pre 70 meeting, was that a highlight for you?
Absolutely, that was a brilliant night. I love old cars and I’ve always wanted to do the pre 70 meeting, I’ve even got an A55 as a road car. We put a lot of work into the Wolseley (1500) and there was a track day at Mildenhall the week before the meeting so we took it there, I figured I would only get a few laps from it at the meeting and it was great to have a day driving it before racing it. It was a shame the meeting was such a wash out although the conditions I think suited me and I had a great time, although it was a little daunting when I started racing against the bigger cars, I couldn’t believe it kept going like it did in the DD and to win the (Odd Job Memorial) trophy was fantastic. I’ve got a Rover (P6) for this year’s meeting and I’m really looking forward to it again.

Continuing on the theme of the season coming up and up first is the first British Qualifier on March 7. You qualified for the British Championship in your first National Banger season in 2012 and again in 2013 but failed to make the race in 2014, is getting back onto the grid a target for this year?
It certainly is. I was amazed to qualify in my first year and was about as young as you could be to be in that race and that is still something which is really special for me and something I’m very proud off and then to do it again (in 2013) was fantastic because I think it proved it wasn’t a fluke or anything. It was a shame to not qualify last year but you know how tough it is to get into it so you never take it for granted or anything but I would love to get in it again and am getting ready for the first round and will go from there, doing the qualifying rounds at Mildenhall is certainly something I plan on doing and if I can do as well as I did in the Winter Series then who knows.

Also in March you are set for action in the last chance race at the unlimited Supreme Championship, despite this race not being too kind to you the last two years and often having rotten luck at RWD type events at Mildenhall, you were one of the first to provisionally book in, are you looking forward to this one?
I am. One of the big reasons is I have my Mk2 Granada from the Granada meeting in September and I cannot wait to race it again. They are probably the best bangers there have ever been and it was brilliant to finally race one last year and I had a great time with it. The day after the meeting there was a track day at Mildenhall and we decided to go down for the day with the Granada and I had a really good day and by the end of the day I was going pretty well which gave me a big confidence boost because RWD cars is something I have really struggled with so far. I’ve just got to hope I remember what I did that day because to qualify for the Supreme Championship would be an awesome thing.

Have you made any other plans for the forthcoming season?
Just to try and do as much as I can really. I’ve got a pre 70 car again, if the Supreme goes ok I would like to try and find a way to race at the unlimited (EA) team meeting because I would like to do more unlimited and RWD meetings as trying to improve at these meetings is something I really want to do this year. I’ve got my Cortina from Swaffham for the RWD meeting and I’m hoping very much to find a Granada for the Granada meeting and a van (for the unlimited van meeting) as well if I can. I’d also like to maybe do a few meetings away from Mildenhall, if I can stay up in the points and the chance of doing a championship somewhere came up I think I would give that a go and I’m hoping to the Spedeworth World Final meeting this year. That’s the big one of the year and it would be good to experience it finally from the other side of the fence.

You have also qualified already for the Accumulator Championship and are well on your way to qualifying for the White and Yellow Grade Series Final, is that something you are pleased about?
If I’m honest I’m more pleased about the Accumulator Championship which is purely because I’ve already won the White and Yellow Grade Series Final but that is still always a good race to be in but qualifying for the Accumulator Championship so early in the season is a big bonus, especially because I don’t often do the last race and even less DDs simply because we try and get as many meetings from the cars as we can as we don’t have the means to build more so if a car survives a meeting it means I get to race again when otherwise I wouldn’t. This sometimes limits your chances of qualifying for the Accumulator Championship so it’s good to be in it again, all the championship races at Mildenhall are good ones to be a part of.

Is there anyone else you would like to thank or mention?
My mum and dad mostly for all their endless help , Phillip who is a massive help, especially with stripping the cars, the Vincent crew especially Maurice and Dave who have always done so much to help me, the Wilko and Lewis lot who are always willing to help and make the racing so much more fun and everyone else who has ever helped.