An Interview with National Banger driver Mrs Battle 899 Vix Battle
(interview published November 3 2015 ahead of the 1400cc His and Her team challenge)

Age: 33
Home Town: Knodishall
Family: Partner Andy
Occupation: Classic car interior maker
Started Racing: First meeting was the 1400cc Banger His and Her Team Challenge in 2012

You have become something of a regular at the His and Her Team Challenge, is this a meeting you are looking forward to?
(laughs) Well yes and no. The meeting is special to me because it was my first ever meeting (in 2012) and I also had my first ever win at the meeting last year so the meeting means a lot to me as I’ve had a few firsts at it and for that reason I think I would always make a point of doing it if I can but at the same time it’s not one of my favourites because I much prefer to race with the men in usual National Banger meetings. It’s a bit hard to put into words but personally I find the idea of having a formula just for the ladies a little bit sexist because I think it’s like it’s being suggested that the women aren’t good enough to race with the men or something like that so for that reason I’m not so keen on women only formulas or races. It’s different in other sports but in banger racing, it’s banger racing and there is no reason why women can’t be as good as the men so I don’t really see why (women) shouldn’t race with the men because that is what the sport is. That’s nothing against the ladies who do lady bangers because there are some brilliant drivers who do it and I know they all have their own reasons for doing that and maybe not racing with the men, although some do and do really well, I just prefer racing National Bangers in the way I think we should race them if that makes sense. Hopefully this year I’ll get as far as the Accumulator qualifier though because that should be a good race (laughs).

Given you’ve been racing more than ever in 2015, do you think that gives you a better chance of success this season?
(laughs) I doubt it! The trouble that I have is I think that for some reason by only racing with the guys in normal National Banger meetings I think it makes me a bit of a target for some. I think there are a few who think that maybe I think I’m better than them because I race with the men but as I said it’s nothing like that at all, I know I’m no good (laughs), but I just think that if I’m going to race bangers, I should race bangers. But yes, I think it does make me a bit of a target so I’m not expecting to do very well and I suspect (partner) Andy (Battle) will be carrying the team this time. My target is to try and finish my races which is what my target always is. I never have any goals beyond that, if I can finish a race I’m chuffed and my target for next year is to try and finish (a National Banger) Final. I’ve been quite lucky so far and qualified for a few finals now which has been brilliant but I haven’t been able to finish one yet. They are always tough races, being a few more laps and having more top drivers in them than you would normally get in a qualifying race so to finish one would be really cool and that is my goal for next year. I think there is a bit of a jinx with me and finals as the first time I qualified for one was at the 1800cc Suffolk Open last year but after qualifying I couldn’t even do the race as back in the pits then wind blew open the lorry door and hit me in the head and nearly knocked me out. I had to get bandaged up and I couldn’t get my crash helmet on so I could race again and I was absolutely gutted.

Last year you teamed with Darren Fendley for the His and Her Team Challenge, are you looking forward to teaming with partner Andy again for this year’s meeting?
I am. Andy was flat out with work this time last year and didn’t have the time to race and Darren didn’t have a team mate so he said he’d be my team mate but it will be nice to do it with Andy again. The first time I did the meeting I was with Andy and it was quite tough because I genuinely think he is really, really good and I guess I feel that way about some of my best friends in the sport and the people Andy races with so I think that put a lot of pressure on me for my first meeting, because he is so good, I didn’t want to let him down and of course the first year I was dreadful (laughs). This year I would like to think I’m a bit better than the first time so hopefully I won’t be as bad and while I don’t expect to do the greatest, hopefully it will be better than the first time we raced as a team and that will be really good.

You had your first ever race win at this meeting last year, is that a career highlight for you?
It’s definitely up there for me. I think a first win is always special for anyone isn’t it and it was a brilliant think, even though I’m not exactly sure I deserved it. I was doing quite well and then I got passed and the ones who went past me then crashed and I was able to come back past and win so that was rather kind of them to do that for me but I do think the win was more luck than judgement!

Last year’s His and Her team challenge was by far the most competitive to date and this year’s looks likely to be just as much, if not more so, is that something you would agree with?
Absolutely, I was looking at the list of drivers doing it the other day and there are some brilliant drivers set to race, most of the top drivers who do lady bangers locally are doing the meeting and then there are plenty of others who don’t do those meetings who are really good as well so I think the racing should be really fast and pretty tough, you can’t take anything away from these drivers, they really are very good but that goes back to what I was saying about women being just as good at racing as the men.

Last year’s meeting was something of a catalyst for seeing more women in the National Bangers than ever before in 2015 at Mildenhall, is that something you were pleased to see?
Very much, again I think it is brilliant to see the girls out there with the men. Again for me it’s National Bangers and personally I don’t see the need for a women only formula, I think we are more than good enough to race with the men, well maybe I’m not (laughs)! We have seen more and more having a go, admittedly it’s usually in the smaller types of cars which is probably because our men won’t let us have a Mondeo (laughs), or maybe that’s just Andy with me. And it’s been great because not only are more and more women having a go but they are doing well and that’s in formulas other than bangers, hopefully the more of us that have a go at it will encourage more to do the same so hopefully we’ll continue to see more and more out there with the guys, I think it’s great.

With that in mind, the His and Her meeting is again set to feature an Accumulator qualifier and DD which is open to all the drivers at the meeting, do you think that is a good idea?
I do and I think it was a reason why so many women drivers did the 1400cc meeting in January at Mildenhall. I was meant to do that one but our yard was flooded so we couldn’t! The Accumulator race at last year’s meeting had nearly as many girls as blokes and when it got to the end there was nearly as many women running as men and again I think it shows that (women) are more than good enough to race with the men and I think that race went a long way for more women doing National (Banger) meetings this year so hopefully more will have a go at it this year.

As we mentioned you have had a pretty busy season, have you enjoyed your year and has there been a highlight?
It’s been fantastic, I’ve absolutely loved it but the highlight was definitely qualifying for the RWD Championship in September. Honestly, it was the best day of my life (laughs). It wasn’t just qualifying which made it so special but it was the fact that I actually did so well. It was cool enough to race a rear wheel drive car for the first time and to race a Granada even if it was a Mk3 (laughs) and I enjoyed the Granada meeting and it was good to race again at the RWD championship and I don’t know why but in the last chance race, it was just going so well and I loved it. After the race, Jack Turner was the first to come over and say I was going really well and was quick and that meant a lot and then Andy said the same and that meant the world because he’s always telling me I need to go faster so to qualify for the championship and to get those comments were just amazing, I was buzzing for a week after that!

As detailed elsewhere, you and Andy have a very unique relationship as you do so much of your racing and the work that goes into it together, how tough has it been this season with you racing more and Andy racing just as much as ever?
It has been hard but we do literally live, eat and sleep racing and it’s all we do and all we live for so we’ve nothing else and I guess we probably spend as much time down the yard on the cars as we do at home but at least we do it together (laughs). It has been difficult this year with all the cars and work, it’s funny though because in the past I’ve had to take some days off work to finish cars for Andy and this year it’s been him taking days off to finish mine!

Have you any plans for next year?
We will have to see how it goes, we don’t really plan very much ahead at all but I do hope to race as much as I can because I absolutely love it and I would really like to do some more rear wheel drive meetings if I can because racing the Granada in September was just brilliant and I’ve always wanted to do the pre 70. I’ve a soft spot for classic cars as I work with them in my day job, making interior for them so it would be brilliant to race one. We are also planning an all girls team for (the 1400cc Suffolk Open team championship) on Good Friday so that should be good. I actually think we’ve a pretty good team for it so I’m looking forward to that one, it can’t be any worse than last year when I did it with the Dover Girls. I got spun out and there was a Motley Krew car coming towards me and there’s always been a battle between our teams so I thought I would make Victor (188 John Reeves) really proud of me and try and do him head-on but it didn’t work and my car pretty much fell apart so hopefully I will do a little better than that.

Is there anyone you would like to thank or mention?
Andy especially for everything he does for me, my mum who stores some of our cars and helps me with the cost of the racing when she can, Doris and Victor who are such great friends and help, especially Doris for the ‘girls’ advice she gives me instead of the men and also James who helps a lot now and Sian and Pippa.