An Interview with National Banger driver Mad Mark 592 Mark Marchant
(interview published June 17 in the lead up to the 2015 National Banger BBA British Championship on July 18)

Age: 33
Home Town: Rochester
Occupation: Scrapyard worker
Family: Girlfriend Hannah and daughter Dolly
Started racing: Aged 16 in National Bangers at Dover

You have qualified for the National Banger BBA British Championship for the second year in a row, is that something you are pleased about and are you looking forward to the race and the meeting?
I’m really pleased to have qualified again as it was a goal of mine going into this season which is why I’ve tried to do as many of the qualifying rounds as I could. I qualified for the first time last year (via the wildcard places at the British qualifying rounds) but if I’m honest I never set out to qualify last year, I just sort of happened by chance but I really enjoyed the big race, it was a great buzz and that made me want to qualify again this year so I was chuffed to find out I’d made it, in fact I qualified quite comfortably so that was even better.

What is the appeal of this race in particular?
It’s a few things really. It’s always special to be in big raced like this and race against the best drivers around, at the end of the day races like this are what you work really hard to be a part off so it’s nice to just have that chance to be in a race like this again because just being on track with all the sports best drivers is a big buzz in itself, even after racing for so many years (laughs). But I also really like this one because the race is at Mildenhall and on shale and that gives me a much better chance to do well. I finished fifth last year which I was really pleased with and to be honest I think I would struggle to get a result like that in a race like this if it wasn’t on shale. Shale makes for such a much more level playing field and you really get that at Mildenhall where you don’t need the best car or equipment to stand a chance because the difference between the best cars and the not so good cars isn’t that much. On a tarmac track it’s completely different and you really do need all the right kit to stand a reasonable chance and to be honest I hate spending money on bangers (laughs). At Mildenhall it’s more about your luck on the day and that means that anyone could win and I like that because it means going into any race, including this one, you think to yourself that you could do well if things go your way whereas at other places sometimes you don’t have that feeling.

Having finished fifth last year, have you got a target for this year?
I want to try and go for the win. Don’t get me wrong I’m not saying I’m going to win it although again I think if things go my way I could have a chance because again at Mildenhall things are much more even and I think whoever has the luck on the night will be the champion. But I’m definitely going into this one with my racing head on. Sometimes you go into races with the intention of racing, others its crashing and sometimes you just figure it out when you get there but for this race I’m definitely intent on going for it at the start and giving it everything to try and win the race and just going from there. I’ve never won a major championship in the sport so it’d be a fantastic race to win and I’d love to be able to say I’ve won a championship in my career, I think most people would feel the same really and to win a race with a (roof championship grade) would be even better.

With that in mind are you approaching this race any differently to normal with regard your car preparation?
The car is already built which is great because it’s nice to be ahead and I’m just waiting for the signwriter to come and do some work on it so it will be nice to make an extra effort with the car this time. It’s pretty much the same as any other Mondeo I’ve built, I suppose the only thing that’s different is I will spend a little more time just checking everything is right and silly little things like all the bolts are tight and stuff like that because sometimes the little things can make a big difference and you don’t want to be let down by something stupid. The one thing I admit that is a little different for this is I will go out and buy a set of decent tyres for the race as normally I just use tyres which I get from the (scrapyard) where I work. I did the same last year and it made a difference I think and again I think it’s something most drivers will do for the race. The great thing about racing on shale is that firstly the tyres don’t cost too much and second they last a little while. The set I had last year I got a few meetings use from and I’m hoping to do the same this time but I’ve found a company on the internet that do a set of kingpins for £100 so that’s not too bad. You compare that to when I went to Hednesford (in May) for the 2litre World Final and I bought a set of tyres that cost more than double that and I then I punctured one in the big race so that wasn’t the best!

You’ve been a winner at Mildenhall this season already, does this give you a confidence boost heading into the race?
A bit I guess. It was nice to go up (for Dirty Weekend) and have a win. Obviously that was a (National Banger) meeting just like the British will be and although I know the British will be a tougher race than that was but having a win and knowing you are capable does give you a bit of a boost. It was nice to know I was quick enough to win so that definitely helps in a big race, knowing ahead that you are at least quick enough to win races, then it’s just down to the luck on the night again.

What memories do you have from last year?
I remember the butterflies (laughs). I still get them before every race, I think anyone who says they don’t is lying really. It’s not necessarily nerves but more excitement and wanting to get out there and get on with it and I had that feeling big time last year but when it’s over you look back and realise it’s part of the enjoyment in a way so I’m sure I will feel like that again. The thing I remember the most about the race was the finish, coming round the final bend and being met with a massive pile-up. I had no idea what went on in the blockage, I really didn’t but I do know I got smashed about by everyone. I think I took more hits in that quarter of a lap than I had in the entire race up to that point (laughs). I went into the pile-up forwards and came out backwards, I guess that’s a sign of a good race when it ends like that (laughs). I was so busy trying to get going again and get out of the blockage that I didn’t even know at first that the race had ended and I had absolutely no clue what had happened, who’d won or where I’d finished but it was a great feeling to finish in fifth. Again that shows the luck you need as had things been a little different, those in front of me could have been held up a little longer and I might have got out (of the pile-up) a little quicker and I could have finished even better.

Looking to 2015 in season, it’s safe to say you are enjoying one of your best seasons to date, are you enjoying your racing and what do you put the improved form down to?
I am really enjoying my year and I think it is in part down to the fact that things are going well because obviously you are going to enjoy yourself more when things are going well. It changed a couple of years ago when I was away from racing and my family and to be honest when I came back I’d lost quite a lot of interest in racing and just wanted to spend more time with my family. When the interest in racing came back it wasn’t the same as before. When I was younger I would spend every night and every minute building cars, especially when I was smashing them up every week but back then I didn’t care because that’s what I loved doing. After the time away I didn’t want to do that anymore because I wanted to spend more time at home so I had to change my balance in life and I changed my driving style to suite that a lot. I stopped crashing as much and started racing a bit more to try and get a bit more from my cars and I found that I enjoyed that side of the sport just as much as the crashing and with time I got better and better and more competitive and that’s just as enjoyable as a big hit.

This season has already seen you represent RDC in the 2Litre World Final at Hednesford, did you enjoy that meeting?
I did although I didn’t have too much luck in the big race with the puncture but I came back and got a good place in the next race which was good because again there was a lot of top drivers there that day. I don’t think the meeting was quite as good as the times I’d been before, I’m not sure why but it was still a good day and I would very much like to get into some more races like that this year although I know that’s not going to be easy, it’d be great to get into some more World Finals this season because again those races are so special to be a part of, the buzz is brilliant.

You predominately race Mondeos, a car which has mixed opinions in the sport, what is the attraction for you?
They are just so much easier. I enjoy unlimited bangers but they don’t tend to come my way very often whereas Mondeos are much easier for me get and I get most of them from work, I rarely struggle to find one so they are easy and cheap to come across and they are very easy to build, if left alone I think I could probably build one in a day start to finish.

On the subject of unlimited bangers, you did race at the Supreme Championship at Mildenhall in March, was that a meeting you enjoyed?
Yes, it was a good one. Admittedly I didn’t get the hit I wanted but I took the car home well snapped so it must have been a good night. If the car is broke and you’re ok, that usually means it’s been a good night (laughs).

Have you any plans for the rest of the season?
I’ve a few things pencilled in but the rest I’ll figure out when the time comes. We’re in the process of putting together a team for the Dover team meeting which is usually a good one and we’ve (TMT) done pretty well at that one in the past so hopefully we will again. Then there is the British, in August we are doing the head to head team meeting at Arena which I’m looking forward to. That will be a proper hard meeting but I’m looking forward to doing it, there’s the Masters at Dover which is a good race and that’d be nice to win and I’m sure there will be a good few in-between.