An Interview with Ministox heat winner at Mildenhall on March 29 300 Jack Goldsmith
(interview published April 8 2014 in the lead up to rounds six and seven of the Ministox Mildenhall Track Championship on April 18 and 26)

Age: 14
Home Town: Snetterton
Occupation: Studying for GCSE exams
Family: Mum and dad and three older sisters
Racing career: Started racing Ministox in August 2013

Congratulations on your first win in the Ministox at Mildenhall, the win has been something of a long time coming with several near misses in recent weeks, are you pleased with your success?
Yes, it’s fantastic to have finally won one, especially after having a few chances with things going wrong when I had a shot so to finally get a win is really great but I think everyone else was more excited than I was. It was really odd after the race because my family and friends who were there were really excited and I think more so than me but it was nice, it’s a great buzz to get a win and I just want to try and do it again now.

Was it a difficult race to win and how where you feeling towards the end, especially with the bad luck you’ve had in the past when race wins looked like a possibility?
I was ok to be honest and fairly relaxed. Where I’ve been in with a shout of winning only to have something go wrong I think half of me was prepared for something to happen again but the other half of me was extra careful and trying to keep an eye out for any potential problems but it all went really well and just all came together for me this time.

David Shearing gave you a great run towards the end and tried to get you on the last bend, where you aware of how close he came?
No, I had no idea. I don’t use a mirror and I think on this occasion it probably helped me because I was trying really hard not to worry about what was behind me and just keep on going forward. If I’d known he was there and coming for me on the last bend I might have made a mistake, you’ll never know but I’m glad I didn’t know and just kept on trying to do my own thing and this time it worked out for me.

After your race win you failed to score another point for the rest of the evening, was that a disappointment for you or was you more pleased with your success in the first race?
There wasn’t any disappointment (laughs). None at all, I got my first win so it didn’t matter what happened after that, I was over the moon and I don’t think anything could have spoiled my night. It would have been nice to have followed it up with more results but that’s the way it goes but no I wasn’t disappointed at all. To be honest I think my biggest problem was starting at the back of the white grade after having the win as I now think that is quite different, especially on a night like (March 29) when there were so many white grade drivers. You really have to get going in first lap and try and get through the traffic before the rest of the cars get onto you and when the pack is so bunched up at the start that’s really hard. So my next target is to try and yet into the yellow grade because I think it might be easier from the yellows than the back of the white grade but I need to be more consistent to do that so that’s my next target.

Do you think getting your first win will help you achieve that?
I hope so. I was trying not to put too much pressure on myself to get a win, I just hoped it would come in time because I kept coming close, I hoped one race everything would finally go my way which is what happened (on March 29) but having the win has given me a confidence boost and I think that is a big thing with racing, having some self-belief and I’ve got a bit more now which is fantastic.

You won the unluckiest driver trophy at the Anniversary meeting on March 8, was that a trophy you were pleased about, especially after having such a rotten night and how did that compare to your first win on March 29?
It was nice to get that trophy (at the Anniversary meeting) because I really did have some back luck. I thought I might be able to win one of the heats and got taken out by a backmarker with a few laps to go which was a shame but again that’s just how it goes sometimes. Getting that trophy at the end was a nice bonus and it did give me a boost which I think helped at the next meeting where I got my first win but my first win is definitely more special.

Can you explain how you got involved in Ministox and why you choose the Ministox formula from the other junior formulas in the sport?
Getting into the racing came through my friendship with (346) Lauren Nicholls. We’ve been friends for a while as we live near each other and so I’ve been going to watch the racing for quite a while now and my interest in racing myself came from that. Lauren’s father was a big help, he helped us find a car for us to race and it went from there. I like the Ministox for a lot of reasons, I love the contact element of the sport, for me it’s one of the best things about the racing, the fact that you are allowed to hit other cars I think is brilliant but I also like that being a stockcar you don’t have to build a new car every time you want to race like you do with say a Junior Banger.

Although you still have some time left in the Ministox formula, have you given any thoughts to the future when you retire from the formula?
I want to carry on racing after Ministox that’s for sure and I think I might try 1300cc Stockcars. I’m not sure that is the formula I’d like to go into and stay in but I think something like that would be the next logical step for me and then maybe go on from there but we will see.

You’ve stuck largely to racing your Ministox at Mildenhall on shale, do you hope to race elsewhere this season?
Yes, we do, we’ve already got plans to visit Ipswich, Arena Essex and Skegness which are all not too far away from home. I want to have a go at some tarmac tracks as well as racing on the shale and we want to try and keep busy this year and get in as much racing as we can.

One of the talking points in the formula this season is the reintroduction of roof grade carrying championship events and Mildenhall will stage the ORCi Championship in September, is that something you are looking forward too?
Yes, I hope I will be able to take part in that because I think it should be really good. I’m not sure what kind of chance I will have in the race but it will be really good just to race against some different drivers and hopefully the best drivers from around the country, I think it will be a good meeting and I hope to be a part of it.

Obviously as you are still in full education, you are reliant on your family to support your racing but are you able to spend much time on your car and do you have any other hobbies outside of racing?
Most of my spare time is spent racing. Apart from the Ministox I really enjoy motorbike racing and do a little but I also enjoy watching it, mainly at Snetterton. As for my (Ministox) I try and work on the car as much as I can and we’re usually quite busy with it, especially if I damage it on the weekend! I enjoy that a lot, I would much rather be outside getting my hands dirty than be sat inside on a laptop or something.

Is there anyone else you would like to thank or mention?
My mum and dad and everyone else who helps and supports me.