An Interview with former BriSCA F2 Stockcar young gun 537 Tom Alsop
(interview published July 30 2014 in the lead up to White Grade Appreciation Night at Mildenhall on August 9)

Age: 22
Home Town: Ely
Occupation: Mechanic
Family: Single
Racing career: First race at Mildenhall aged 17 in bangers

You scored your first points of the season at Mildenhall on the Sunday of One Wild Weekend, were you pleased with that success and how the season has gone even though this was your first points score of the season at the raceway?
I am really, I’ve been enjoying my racing this season and that for me is the most important thing. I consider myself very much a budget a racer. I don’t have the greatest of funds to spend on my racing and for me it is only a hobby so I’m not going to make myself broke for the sake of racing and because of that enjoying the racing is the most important thing to me. I only race at Mildenhall and King’s Lynn and that is enough for me in a year really but I do tend to go better at Mildenhall as I think the track suites me and my budget. King’s Lynn is obviously much bigger and I think that can favour those with faster race cars and while I’m not sure the racing at Lynn is much faster than Mildenhall the speeds between the cars does seem to be a bit more closer and so I feel a bit more competitive. I think I showed that on (July 27) when I got my third and I nearly won. The car was going really well but I made a few mistakes at the end, I thought the red top behind me was second and not a lap down and so I pushed a bit harder than I needed to and slipped up but I was really pleased to get a third place which is obviously my best of the year and the first time I have qualified for a final at Mildenhall and that really was something else. I couldn’t believe the difference between the heat and the final, it really is a step up and the buzz was just incredible. You have to concentrate so hard because with all those top drivers there is no room for error. I absolutely loved it and now I really want to try and qualify for more finals.

Usually on shale the main concern with track conditions is for rain but during One Wild Weekend we had the opposite problems with the boiling temperatures making for very slick conditions, how did you cope with that?
(laughs) I’m not sure I did! I get a lot of help from George Turiccki and I was talking to him about what was happening and what the car was doing and even he had to admit in the end that there is only so much you can do with the car and sometimes you just have to try and do the best with what you have. It was difficult but it was the same for everyone and you can’t do much about the weather, at least it was nice (laughs).

The next meeting at Mildenhall is our White Grade Appreciation Night, is that something you are looking forward to?
Yes, very much. I think it’s always good to do things for lower graded drivers as I suspect many of them are like me and racing for fun and on a budget and sometimes a little help can go a long way. Last year I did the (Mick Kemp tribute) meeting and won a trophy and it was a huge boost for me, it gave me a big lift and I suspect it would be the same for a lot of white grade drivers and this year we’ve more prizes to race for, even picking up a new tyre would be a huge help because I don’t have the budget to have new tyres every meeting like some are able to so it all helps and I hope I can have a good meeting again and come away with something, that would be pretty nice.

This season has seen the prize money reduced in BriSCA F2 Stockcars with no prize money now for the minor places in races, as a lower graded driver who may have benefitted more from that than others, how do you feel about this?
I think it was wrong of BriSCA to do what they did. It might only be a fiver or tenner here and there but that can make a difference, especially with a driver like myself. It doesn’t help that other formulas, like National Bangers and Saloon Stockcars seem to be racing for more money than ever with start money for Saloons and a lot of banger meetings having start money too while we get less so I do think it was a bad move myself. Having said that the buzz I get from racing my F2 is worth it. I did consider trying something else this year and had a go in a Saloon Stockcar but it just didn’t give me anywhere near the same thrill. Going back to the Final (on July 27), to have all those cars round you, inches apart, two and three abreast, it’s just awesome.

You’ve had a big crash already this season at Mildenhall with a rollover earlier this year, did you suffer much damage in the crash and with that in mind do you support the practice of red flags being used to stop races, as it was when you rolled, or do you think only yellow flags should be used?
The damage wasn’t too bad. Obviously it wrecked the aerofoil and I damaged a shock absorber and a front corner but it was ok considering. It was just one of those things, I made a small mistake and the car was flipped over, it happened so quick. I absolutely believe red flags should be used in cases like that or any time a driver might be in danger. At the end of the day, racing is just a hobby and the most important thing is everyone staying safe and sometimes you just need to stop the cars as quickly as possible. I’m as guilty as anyone for not slowing down for waved yellow flags as quick as I should. Sometimes you see one and you don’t react as quick as you should but I know I react quicker to red flags and I think a lot of drivers do and driver safety is the most important thing.

Looking beyond August 9, you currently have a 100 per cent attendance record at Mildenhall and so are on course to receive a support heat booking for the World Championship Semi Final meeting on August 23, is that something you are looking forward to?
Definitely. I’d love to qualify for a World Semi Final but I’m not at that stage yet, maybe one day (laughs). But it will be brilliant to race at that meeting with all those top drivers in attendance and again I would love to qualify for the final that night because that is going to be a fantastic race as well because it should have 20 World Championship finalists in it so that would be amazing to get to race against them.

After that we have our final meeting which features the White and Yellow Grade Series Final on September 27, you are currently on course to qualify for that, is that something you are looking forward to?
Yes I am. Again I’ve had a lot of help this year, especially from George Turiccki and with his help I feel the car is so much better than this time last year and I’m better because of it and I really think if I can keep going the race I am I will have a chance to do well in that race, it’s probably the race I’ve been looking forward to the most this season and I am looking to give it a good go.

Is there anyone else you would like to thank or mention?
My mum and dad who do so much to help with my racing, TA Psizaklea for their sponsorship and George and all at GT Motorsport for their help.