An Interview with National Banger driver Ratty 326 Shane Lynn
(interview published October 7 2014 in the lead up to the National Banger meetings at Mildenhall in October 2014)

Age: 25
Home Town: Attleborough
Occupation: Scrapyard worker
Family: Girlfriend Vicki
Racing career: Started raced National Bangers at Mildenhall aged 16

You’ve a busy month in October starting with the Accumulator Championship and White and Yellow Grade Series Final on October 18 where you have qualified for both events, which one are you looking forward to the most?
The Accumulator Championship I think because I think many would consider it to be the bigger of the two races on the night and it has a lot of the top drivers who usually race at Mildenhall so it’s usually a good, hard race and it’s always nice to be in that or any race like it. The White and Yellow Grade Series Final is always a highlight as well though and again it’s usually a top race, I think it’s often better than you expect it to be for some reason. Both races usually have plenty of cars in them which makes a big difference and nine times out of 10 at Mildenhall if there are plenty of cars it will be a good race. I just think the Accumulator edges it a little for me just because there will be all the top names out there as well so when you qualify for a race like that it’s a little extra special. But I’m really pleased to have qualified for them both. It will mean it’ll be a bit of hard work on the night, especially as Dan (Lathan) convinced me to race one of the cars I had built for the meeting at the Old Skool team meeting (laughs) but it should be another good night.

Have you any plans or intentions for either race on October 18 or so you just have to take it as it comes?
You always take it as it comes, you can never plan ahead for things like this but I think the grid positions will make a difference. If when the race starts you think you are in with a chance you are going to go for it and if those chances go away then you probably have a play (laughs) but I think that is the case for any race, well it is with me at least. It was the same in the Accumulator Championship last year, the car was playing up a bit so I decided to have a crash and managed to pull off two follow-ins on Team Green drivers, they just happened to be what was in front of me at the time (laughs). Sometimes it just happens that way!

The Accumulator Championship is one of the original RDC championship events, dating all the way back to our maiden season at Mildenhall in 1993, do you still consider it a major event?
I do, it’s still a big occasion and has things like a parade and trophies for the qualifiers which makes it special for the drivers so it’s always great when you qualify for a race like that and while it might not have the visiting drivers like something like the British (Championship) again it has most of the top drivers from RDC and Mildenhall in it so when you are waiting to go out and you look around at whose in the race you realise it’s a special thing and whenever you do well in something like, racing or crashing it’s pretty cool.

The following weekend you are set to race in the caravan DD at Halloween Havoc, is this the first time you have done this race?
It is and I’m really looking forward to it. Steve (Hayward) was doing it last year and I tried to do it as well but my truck needed some work and that was the priority so I ran out of time and had to give the caravan race a miss but after watching Steve in it last year it made me want to do it even more than ever this season.

What is the appeal of a race like this to you?
It’s just fun and that’s what I race for, I just want to have fun and enjoy myself and novelty events like this are great for that. All it’s about is smashing caravans up and then the other cars and what is there to not love about that (laughs). I know I said I don’t go into races with any aims but I think for that one my aim will be pretty much just to cause as much carnage as I can and I should think I’ll be alone (laughs).

On the subject of novelty events, you have been a regular supporter of the Siamese meeting at Mildenhall since its inception. Is this something you enjoy?
I love it. Again it’s something different and all about having fun which is what racing is all about for me. It is the strangest feeling when you do it because that sense of control is taken away from you. I think it might be worse because I’m in the top car and you feel yourself starting to lean over and you think it’s time to slow down but you have no say and normally the car doesn’t slow down (laughs) so it is a strange experience but one I really enjoy and I’m sure we will do it again next year all being well.

You mentioned your involvement in the Old Skool team championship where you came within a couple of laps of winning the final for Team Motorbitz, did you enjoy the night?
Yes it was a brilliant meeting. It’s a meeting which suites me really because it is all about crashing really and not just about doing laps, the wrecking is probably the most important thing and so I like that, even though I think I did the most laps out of our team for once (laughs). The final was a great race, it really is very exciting being in a race like that, when you get towards the end and you know everyone is gunning for you because you are winning and they need to stop you, that buzz is awesome so I knew it was coming and it was just a shame really because it broke my drive shafts and that was it for me. But fair play to the Gladiators, they did a great job, they knew who they had to stop and did it which is what team racing is all about. I had a rough night really because I lost half my gears in the head to head and only had first, third and reverse. I did all of the heat in first gear but thankfully the car was still quick enough until (285 Sean Dyer) managed to stop me because I had no reverse so I couldn’t back out and I didn’t have the power to push a way through and so I was stuck!

How do you feel your season has gone?
Pretty good I think. I’ve enjoyed it which is the most important thing because if you are not enjoying it then what is the point really. I’ve not done quite as much this year but that was the idea. Last year there was a few times when I felt my car preparation had let me down so I decided this year to do a little less but make more of an effort with the cars, get them right and hopefully get better meetings out of them and while I think that has been the case, it’s been hard because I want to race all the time (laughs) and you can’t have both. There have been times that I have thought about just throwing something together so I can race at the weekend but when you don’t do that there is a greater chance that you won’t have a good night with it.

What have been your highlights of the season so far?
As far as racing goes I would say it was qualifying for the World Final at King’s Lynn and then getting a fifth from the back of the grid. I even found the time to follow someone in! That was a great race for me, one of the best I think and it was nice to get a result like that for a chance, especially because I came from the back and so I had no expectations that I would do any good at all. As for crashing, I’ve had some really good meetings doing that this year and I think it’s a reason why I’ve enjoyed my year so much, possibly the Mondeo wreck I had at (the final British qualifier) was one of the best, that ended the night a proper mess.

Mentioning your TSR World Final result, that looks likely to have earned you a place in the Unlimited BBA Supreme Championship, is that something you would look forward to?
Definitely. I qualified last year, had the car all built and a couple of days before the engine started to rattle. (Ben Hayward) offered me one and we changed it and the same thing happened and we had no more engines I missed it and was pretty gutted because I didn’t think I would qualify again so to possibly get another shot is great and it’s a race I would love to have a go in.

Have you any other plans for 2015?
Not especially, we’ll just take it as it comes I suppose. Me and Steve (Hayward) are doing the Micro meeting but that’s all we are planning to do for the Winter Series and we are hoping that is the weather is ok we’ll spend a few weeks getting cars ready for the season so hopefully if we can make the most of that time it will help us get a few more meetings in when March arrives.

Is there anyone else you would like to thank or mention?
My stepdad Mark for driving the lorry because without him we would really struggle, Ben and Steve for letting me move into their yard a few years back when I lose mind, my misses for her support and putting up with all my late nights and everyone else who lends a hand at the yard and at the track.