An Interview with National Banger driver Gavo 562 Gavin Barnes
(interview published October 27 2014 in the lead up to the 1400cc Banger His and Her Team Challenge)

Age: 34
Home Town: Ashill
Occupation: Welder
Family: Son Cory
Racing career: Started racing Bangers at Swaffham aged 17

Before we discuss racing you are currently recovering from an injury, can you tell us what happened and how you are doing?
I’ve cracked a couple of ribs. It started at the RWD Championship meeting at Mildenhall where I took a T-bone and really felt the hit afterwards. I went to King’s Lynn the next afternoon and all my friends were saying that I didn’t look well and that I should go and see a doctor but me being me I didn’t listen and thought I would be ok in time and that it was nothing to worry about. So I went to work like normal on Monday despite feeling pretty rough and just my luck that week I fell over and that pretty much finished me off. I had to go to the doctors then which was when they said I’d cracked my ribs but they aren’t sure if it was the racing or falling over at work but it was probably a combination of the two. Unfortunately there isn’t much they can do for an injury like that, just pain killers and taking it easy which is what I have been doing so I scrapped any plans to race after that meeting until the His and Her meeting and I’m pretty sure I will be ok for that one.

You raced at the His and Her Team Challenge last year, was it a meeting you enjoyed and have you been looking forward to this year’s meeting?
I did enjoy it but I do enjoy any kind of team event to be fair. Racing is always fun and enjoyable but team meetings have that extra something in the pits when you are working as a team, trying to get your cars fixed and back out for the next race and I think you even enjoy watching the other races more because you are watching your team mates and hoping they do well so there is something extra enjoyable about team meetings and this one is no different and because it gets the girls out there racing it makes it a bit different as well and I think (the ladies) enjoy it a lot, especially because it’s their only meeting at Mildenhall.

Lady Banger racing is growing in popularity, do you support the idea or would you like to see more ladies try their hand at National Bangers?
It’s a bit of both really. I totally see the sense in ladies races and can see why it’s popular but I would like to see more bite the bullet and go out there with the men, there are some ladies out there who are more than good enough to do that and I think they might even surprise themselves at how well they could do and of course there are others that already race against the men on occasion and do well.

One such driver is your team mate Laura Quadling, who as well as racing in National Bangers at RDC is a regular in the lady bangers at TSR. Do you think this has helped her improve since last year and does that boost your chances for this year’s event?
Laura has definitely got a lot better in the last year and she had her first win in the ladies at the weekend where she also finished well in the Gold Roof Final so it is definitely all coming together and I think that might give us a good chance to do well this year but it’s like a lot of things in racing, it will come down to the day but if we are both doing well I think we might do ok. It’s one of those meetings where I think both drivers need to be on it and scoring well to have a chance of winning overall, I’m not sure one driver can do it on their own, it needs to be a team effort so we’ll see how it goes, hopefully we’ll both have a good day and pick up some decent points as we go along.

You are something of a regular in our 1400cc Banger meetings, this will be the first time the His and Her event has been held under the new 1400cc Banger rules which allow larger engines providing the car is available as a 1400cc meaning that while larger engines are allowed, the cars being used are the same as before, do you like this new rule?
I think it is better simply because a lot of people were trying their luck using engines over 1400cc in the small cars because it can be quite difficult to know the difference unless you really know what you are looking for so I think this just opens it up a bit more and allows everyone to use the same engines but there isn’t the greatest amount of difference, especially around Mildenhall. It probably does help people find cars a bit more easier but I’ve always been quite lucky with cars for these types of meetings. I never have the biggest of stock piles of cars but I do usually keep one or two small cars for a meeting like this so I’m usually ok which is good.

On the subject of 1400cc and team meetings, you’ve been a regular at the Suffolk Open team championship on Good Friday now for some time, is that a meeting you particular enjoy?
Yes it certainly is. I did for the first time quite a few years back with the Allstars and now Davey (Cox) usually has a One Shot or Crunchers team and I race with them. It’s always a brilliant meeting, one of my favourites of the year with so many cars and people and being a part of a meeting like that is always a tremendous buzz so it’s one I always look forward to and enjoy, again I love team meetings and that one is one of the best because there is a really big group of you working together in the pits in between your races.

Another meeting you are a regular at is the unlimited van meeting at Mildenhall, is that another favourite?
I cannot explain it but I just love racing van bangers. I think it helps that I’ve had a bit of success in them, I’ve probably won more races in a van than anything else but they are just so much fun. And because there is only one a year you can build it and smash it up on the night because you don’t need another one until next year. This year’s meeting was brilliant and I hope that helps make next year’s meeting even better because I’m already looking forward to it and I hope there will be a few more who enjoyed it as well doing the same. The hit I took off Victor (188 John Reeves) was pretty special in the DD. He got hold of me and I honestly thought the van would eventually steer (out of the follow-in) but then I thought ‘this is going to hurt’ and boy he really stuck me in. It was a great hit but my van just fired up and carried on which was brilliant.

Do you enjoy the RWD meetings in general?
I do because when I first started all the cars were rear wheel drive but of course as time went on it switched to front wheel drive and you had to go that way to compete but I do like a rear wheel drive meeting every now and then, for me it’s just a matter of when the cars come my way because I do just take what I can get.

Have you enjoyed your 2014 season overall and any thoughts or plans for 2015?
It’s been a pretty good year I think. I have cut back which helps in one way but you always want to race as much as you can and usually I want to do more than I can which can be frustrating but doing less does take a lot of the pressure off and picking and choosing the meetings you know you will enjoy makes a massive difference so I think I will probably do something similar next year all being well.

You’ve been a supporter of the Winter Series meetings in the past, are you hoping to do these meetings again?
I am hopefully. I like these meetings because the cars we race and the kind I like racing and building them gives you something to do over Christmas and New Year and it keeps you busy. And it doesn’t matter to me if it’s wet, so what if you get soaked, it’s just part of the fun and you usually have fun at these meetings, there is a bit of a different atmosphere at the track I think and everyone does seem a bit more laid back which is good.

Is there anyone else you would like to thank or mention?
My dad especially as without him most of my racing would have never happened and my mum for putting up with all the cars in the garden, my granddad (Horry) for getting me into racing in the first place and all the banger builders down the yard for all their help.