An Interview with National Banger driver 898 Andy Battle
(interview published April 23 2014 in the lead up to the Unlimited Banger EA Team Championship and Mildenhall on May 10)

Age: 30
Home Town: Leiston
Occupation: Training instructor
Family: Partner Vix
Racing career: Started racing at grass tracks aged 14

You played a big part in the Dover Boys winning the unlimited banger EA team championship in 2013, was that a highlight of the season and are you looking forward to this year’s meeting?
It was a big deal for us winning that meeting last year. It’s always great to win a team event but I think that one meant a little extra because it was unlimited and none of us probably fancy ourselves as great drivers in unlimited cars but I think we are all improving, I am definitely getting better and I really enjoy racing them now and hope to race unlimited bangers a bit more this year and in the future which is one of the reasons I’m looking forward to this meeting, it’s not just because we are defending champions or that it’s another team meeting but it’s just another chance to race unlimited bangers at Mildenhall again.

Do you enjoy team racing more than individual meetings?
I wouldn’t say that, I enjoy racing whatever it is but team meetings are different and it’s good to do different things because it stops everything being the same. It’s the same that it’s nice to race an unlimited or rear wheel drive car once in a while rather than Mondeos all the time. One of the things I like the most about team meetings though it the atmosphere off the track, that is completely different. At a normal meeting you are only worried about yourself and you only help someone else if you’re ok and you’ve some spare time but a team meeting is the complete opposite and I love the pits at a team meeting with everyone rushing round like idiots trying to get all the cars fixed and not just your own and the banter than goes with it, it’s fantastic.

This year’s Dover Boys team is very similar to last year’s with Darren Fendley replacing Nat Cohn, given how well you did last year do you think you have a chance of retaining the title?
I suppose we might, I think we got pretty lucky last year. I remember me and John (Reeves) were going round and round and Tom (Waller) was crashing into things and I kept thinking we were going to blow it because (Tom) wasn’t going to score any points (laughs) but it worked out well in the end and we had three of the four finishers so I suppose we were pretty lucky (laughs). Having Darren in the team is definitely good for us. He’s a great driver and good in any car he races, it doesn’t matter what it is, he’s good in it and he’s great off the track as well, a really nice guy and that’s what it’s all about really because when you have guys like that in a team you are going to enjoy yourself no matter what happens.

This year’s unlimited EA team championship line up looks like a pretty lively one on paper, given you won last year in a lively event and the Dover Boys triumphed at the Old Skool team meeting which was livelier still, do you think a lively meeting boosts your chances?
(laughs) Well I guess that depends on whether you are on the wrong end of the hits or not! We never have any real tactics at these meetings, we just go out and take it as it comes and I suspect this will be no different but I think this will be another case where the fastest car won’t necessarily win the races but those who survive will and I think that will favour us because I’m certainly not the quickest but I think all the team is good at getting through pile-ups, surviving and being there at the end. That’s if we don’t get smashed up first!

On a similar subject you raced at the recent Supreme Championship meeting and even qualified for the championship race, did you enjoy that meeting?
Yes I did, except for getting knocked silly in the last race. I really don’t know what happened, I can remember all of the meeting now but I still do not remember getting back to the lorry after that race. I remember driving out of the pit gate, knowing where I had to go but having no idea of how to get there (laughs). Qualifying for the championship was great, I’ve been trying hard to get better in unlimited cars and that was definitely a boost for me, to know that I was on the pace and able to get round as well as anyone so I was really chuffed about that, hopefully I can do the same at this meeting as well.

You’ve been one of the most dedicated drivers at RDC this season, racing at all of the first four Mildenhall meetings of the season and the season opener at Dover, was that the intention this year or has it just happened by accident?
It’s just happened. I think most drivers now say at the start of the year they will cut back a bit and that was my plan but I’ve just been enjoying the racing so much I just want to race. I’ve no intention on doing every meeting (at Mildenhall) but I’m sure I’ll do what I can and I want to try and race a few more unlimited meetings if I can, maybe at King’s Lynn as I really enjoyed the World of Shale there last year. I also want to try and do some new places, I fancy a go at Aldershot and I’d like to visit Grimley but we’ll have to see how we get on.
What is your average week like between working, building cars and socialising?
I work until 4.30pm on most days and can be down the yard by 4.45pm and we are usually there until around 9pm, go home, wash, eat, sleep and do it all again. We do that most nights. If I race on a Sunday, we usually have Monday off and if I’m not racing at the weekend we try and have Friday off but it depends on how busy we are and then try and squeeze in some social stuff when we can, but most of them are racing related anyway!

There has been a lot of talk lately about the new construction rules for National Bangers, have you any thoughts on these?
Well I’d say a scrutineer is the second worst job in the sport behind lap scoring and I wouldn’t want to do either. The new rules haven’t really affected me at all but I’m glad they have changed the tyre rule to allow the lower profile tyres, I think that makes sense. It wasn’t the end of the world with Mondeos, you could find tyres for a Mondeo but I do think it makes a different with unlimited bangers because a lot of modern cars come with the tyres which were banned and this will allow people to race the car with the tyres it came with and I think that makes sense.

What about the recent news of the eventual banning of Toyota Previas?
(laughs). They are junk! They look horrendous, they don’t bend, the engine is in the middle of the car, I hate them (laughs). For me the biggest issue is the height of them, I got hit by one at the Supreme and it bent the door over in a way that’s never happened to me before and when it’s coming at you all you see is bonnet so I don’t think they should be allowed personally but then I’ve never raced or wanted to race one so I probably would say that (laughs).

Is there anyone else you would like to thank or mention?
Vix mainly for all he help and putting up with me and the racing and her mum who helps us store some cars and everyone else whose helped out over the years.