An Interview with Ministox ORCi and National Champion 329 Will Morphey
(interview published September 3 2014 in the lead up to the latest rounds of the Ministox Mildenhall Championship culminating in the ORCi Championship)

Age: 15
Home Town: Peasenhall
Occupation: School and college
Family: Mum, dad, brother and sister
Racing career: Started Ministox aged 11 at Yarmouth

September 27 will see you defend the Ministox ORCi Championship at Mildenhall, is it a race you are looking forward to?
Yes I am. It will be one of my last meetings in the Ministox and I’m sure it’s going to be a great meeting and a really good race. The racing has been really good at Mildenhall this year and both of the major championships this season so far have been excellent so I can’t see why this will be any different, I should think it’s going to be a hard race as well and I love races like that, really rough ones with everyone using the bumper so I’m looking forward to it.

You’ve had some amazing success in the major events in the last 12 months, winning the ORCi and National Championships and finishing second in the British, were you disappointed at all with your result in the British or pleased to have continued your excellent form?
I hate to say it but I was a little bit disappointed because it would have been absolutely amazing to have done the hat trick but it just wasn’t to be. It wasn’t for want of trying though (laughs) and Ryan (Polley) did really well to win it. I tried to give him the big hit on the final bend but he knew it was coming and went in just as hard and I was on his bumper as we crossed the line but I just couldn’t get past him but it was an excellent race. It was the same at Northampton although I thought that day than Ryan would get me. I qualified on the outside of the front row and knew I needed to make the best start of my lift or I would be left in the fence and I managed to get a good lead before the yellow flags came out and I figured that was my lot. Typically it was my brother who helped cause the stoppage (laughs) but I managed to get away and hold Ryan off to win which was fantastic so it’s been a brilliant final year in the formula but it would have been incredible to have won the British as well.

With your form in these races so far this year and being defending champion does that bring extra pressure for the ORCi Championship?
No I don’t think it does really because everyone knows it’s just another meeting and another race and anything can happen and even more so at Mildenhall because it’s so unpredictable and this race will be especially so with a few more cars and some different drivers out there so you never know, a lot of it will be down to your luck on the day so we will see what happens.

How do you rate your chances?
I think I’ve a pretty good chance. My form at Mildenhall has got a bit better lately since we switched cars for the meetings there and it has been going really well so I think I’ve got a chance but again I think it will be down to luck on the night and whether things go your way and that is something you don’t have any control over.

We’ve seen a remarkable amount of different race winners in the Ministox at Mildenhall this season but you are not one of them, is that a source of any frustration to you and do you think that could be a factor in this meeting?
Well that’s only because the red tops have to start so far behind (laughs). No, it’s not a frustration at all, Mildenhall is one of those places where you usually enjoy your night and that is the most important thing and just getting some good results is good so it’s not all about winning, to be honest I didn’t even realise I’d not won there this year until you said it (laughs). This meeting will be different though, with a closed grid for the final it really is anyone’s as long as you can survive the start of the race. I suspect it will be carnage at the start which can go your way or really go against you and again I think if you can survive that you will have a chance, I think I’m as fast as anyone else round Mildenhall so hopefully I’ll have a bit of luck as well.

Are you pleased to see the major championships return to the formula this year?
Yes, I think it’s been a good move and I think a lot of the drivers have really enjoyed these meetings so far. I know I have and it’s been good to bring all the drivers together a couple of times a year and encourage drivers to visit different tracks and the racing again has been excellent and great to be a part of and I think it will be the same at Mildenhall. Again the racing has been good there this so with a big championship to be won, hopefully a good turnout and some different drivers it should be a good meeting and a really good race.

What is it about the racing at Mildenhall that you enjoy?
I like racing on the shale as most of my racing is on tarmac and I find the shale to be a lot more fun. When I first raced at Mildenhall I really struggled so when I finally got to grips with it that was something I was really pleased about. I don’t know why exactly but I just find the racing at Mildenhall to not be quite as serious and a bit more fun and I enjoy that side of it.

Do you think the Mildenhall regulars will have an edge over the visiting drivers in the ORCi Championship?
I think they probably will. I think regulars at any track will always have some edge over those who’ve not raced there but with Mildenhall being shale I think it will be a factor and it will be interesting to see how the top drivers in the formula who don’t race much on shale get on, I think that’s going to be interesting but when you are good you can usually do well anywhere so I think the visiting drivers are still going to have a good chance.

About a year ago you and your brother featured on the BBC show The Fast and the Fearless, your show in particular received very mixed reviews, what did you think of the experience?
(laughs) It was a little weird really looking back. The TV company got in touch and they offered to pay for us to take our cars to a rolling road in return for being on the show and of course we jumped at the chance. The whole thing where they made out there was a big rivalry between us and Alfie Jones was something they really made up to make the show more interesting, I think there was more needle between us after the show than before it (laughs). But it was good to do, I think it might have given us a little bit of a reputation but it was nothing to worry about.

You are nearing the end of your Ministox career, have you any plans for the future?
I’ve a 1300cc Stockcar nearly built and my first meeting should be the championship date at King’s Lynn in October so that will be a real case of in at the deep end but I’m really looking forward to it now. I did think about having a Saloon Stockcar but all the travelling and the cost that would involve put me off. I have an uncle who has a 1300 and with our two tier trailer we can do meetings together which will help a lot with the costs so that’s the plan for the time being at least but I do still hope to race Saloon Stockcars at some point.

Is there anyone else you would like to thank or mention?
My dad especially for everything he does and the whole family for all their support and to everyone else who helps out.