An Interview with National Banger driver 913 Brett Osborne
(interview published May 6 2014 in the lead up to the pre 70 banger Tony Osborne Memorial at Mildenhall on May 24)

Age: 25
Home Town: Kentford
Occupation: Refuse Collector
Family: Single
Racing career: First banger meeting was a 1400cc meeting at Mildenhall in 2009

This year’s pre 70 meeting is a big night for you and your family being a memorial event for your father who sadly passed away in January. You will be joined by your brothers Craig and Scott in action at the meeting which is at the time of this interest about three weeks away, how are your preparations going?
It’s not too bad, I’d like us to be a little further ahead than we are but we are far from worried just yet. We’ve done a few bits on all three cars now but we’ve been kept busy with the other cars we’ve been building, mostly Craig’s as he is doing another full season at Mildenhall this year so that has kept us really busy. Both of us have a week off work after the unlimited team meeting and so we’ll be flat out on the cars during that week and Craig has also booked the following week off as well just to be safe. The signwriters are already booked because we want the cars to look as good as we can and so obviously the cars need to be ready in time for that and we’ve had a few offers of help if we need it so I’m sure we will be ok. The only problem we’ve got is Scott has just got a house with his girlfriend so he’s spending far too much time with her when he should be down here helping us with the cars (laughs). Craig is racing the car which we had at dad’s funeral so it’s fully stripped and painted at least, now we just have to build it (laughs) and mine is about half stripped but it doesn’t run and is an automatic, so we need to change the engines, I’m hoping to get the one in the car running so we can take it as a spare.

You and Craig have always supported the pre 70 meeting, which do you enjoy this meeting so much?
It’s just the cars, that’s what makes it so fantastic. I love the old cars and dad always looked forward to this one a lot because it was the kind of cars he raced when he was racing and I think a lot of that has rubbed off on us. We always loved doing this meeting, it’s one of the highlights of the year for us and now it’s going to be even more special.

Is this going to be the first time you, Craig and Scott have raced together and if so, is that something you are looking forward to?
It will be the first time we have all raced together so that will be pretty cool to do that, I suppose it’s been a long time coming the three of us doing the same meeting but it’s definitely going to be hard work as well. Building the car alone is going to be pretty tough in itself, especially because we have all the other meetings going on and we need to get cars ready for that as well. Another reason it is going to be tough is that we are without Simon, who drives our lorry as he is on holiday for the meeting. It’s a shame anyway because he is gutted to be missing the meeting anyway but it’s going to make our night even harder I think because we have one more car to keep going than normal and one less person to help us and not only is Scott not helping us build the cars, but he’s not too good at fixing them at the meetings either (laughs). But me and Craig have talked about it a lot, we know what we are going to have to do, we know it’s going to be really busy and we are ready for it and I think that is half of it. Again there have been a good few people offer to help out if we need it on the night so it all should be alright.

The three of you are all planning to race Triumph 2000s, a car your father had a real soft spot for. What is it about them that you like?
For me, it’s the sound they make. I think they are one of the few cars which can sound just brilliant without needing loads of work done to them. Dad always used to talk about a Triumph he had once and Clive Manvers (former banger racer 69) of Manvers Triumphs came and helped him with the engine and he could set it up without any fancy equipment he just did it by touch and listening and he was always amazed by that and the Triumph is one of the few cars where you can really do that if you know what they are doing. I think when the engines are running right there are few that sound any better than a Triumph 2000. The final heat on the pre 70 meeting is always a good one to be in because you usually have all the Triumphs and just the noise on the track alone is incredible.

One of the main talking points about this year’s meeting is the conformation of seven members of the Boogiemen from Mainland Europe making the trip, are you pleased to see those guys on the entry list?
Absolutely. We don’t get to see much of them over here and it will be brilliant to have them at the meeting, I think they will be great for the meeting and it will be fantastic to race against them, that they are coming over for our dad’s memorial meeting is really nice.

This year’s pre 70 meeting sees turning round outlawed until the last race of the meeting, is that something you are in favour off?
Yes, I think it will be better really. These cars are harder and harder to find and build and I think it’s better if drivers can get a bit more racing out of them before they smash them up and the change in the rules will encourage that so I think it’s better for the meeting.

Have you many more racing plans for the rest of the season?
I have a car for the all Granada meeting which I’m looking forward to doing again as I enjoyed the meeting last year and I’ve a Capri for the all Cortina, Capri and Sierra meeting at Swaffham. I had a great time at that meeting (in 2013) and it was probably the best I have done on tarmac so far so I’m hoping to try and improve on that this time and have another good meeting if I can.

Aside for your own racing you spend an incredible amount of time supporting your brother Craig’s racing career, have you enjoyed that side of the season?
Yes, very much and we are both making the most if because he’s going to be a dad soon and we both know it will change things a bit. Hopefully it won’t slow us down too much but obviously with a baby he knows he needs to spend some more time with them so things will change a bit so we’re enjoying ourselves a lot right now and trying to keep a little bit ahead to help us out later in the season.

Is there anyone else you would like to thank or mention?
Craig for everything he does and letting me use all his gear and equipment, Simon for driving the lorry, dad for everything he did when he was with us, Stu, Jordan, Mark, Luke and my mum for all her support.