An Interview with Saloon Stockcar driver 600 Barry Russell
(interview published August 12 2015 in the lead up to the 2015 Championship at Mildenhall on August 29)

Age: 25
Home Town: Breechan
Occupation: Mechanic
Family: Single
Racing career: Started racing in Ministox at Cowdenbeath aged 11.

Congratulations on qualifying for the World Final for the sixth time in as many years, are you looking forward to the big night?
I am, it’s always brilliant to qualify for this race because once you’ve been in a World Final and got a taste for it, it’s something you want to experience every year and it is always your goal to qualify. My first World Final was the last one at Mildenhall (in 2010) and it’s been fantastic to keep qualifying every year and stay in the top 24 in the World Rankings. That’s remained a goal of mine ever since I first got into the World Final. The experience of being in the World Final is unlike anything else in the entire season, it’s a brilliant buzz so I’m pleased that I get to do it again and the great thing about it this year is that I truly believe it is anyone’s race because that is how the formula is at the moment. Every race can be won by pretty much anyone. Look at the National Championship, Carl Waterfield looked like he had the race under control and Dave Aldous came from nowhere to beat him and I think if something like that can happen at King’s Lynn it can definitely happen at Mildenhall as well.

That said, how do you feel about your chances?
I don’t know really. It’s hard to say because it’s been so long since I have raced at Mildenhall. It’s a shame really because most of the time I really enjoy racing on shale, I think the racing you get can quite often be better than what you get on tarmac, there is often more cars and the racing is just livelier and more exciting but obviously living in Scotland there aren’t any shale tracks nearby and I’ve not been in a position to travel down as much as I would have liked and I think that will probably be an issue for me because there is nothing like having experience of a track, especially in a race like this, it’s a massive help so I’m hoping to make the most of practise on the day. But then last year I went to King’s Lynn the week before the World Final and won the final and the car was going absolutely brilliantly and I left it exactly the same for the World and I think I got taken out twice in the first lap (laughs). So you just don’t know. All the experience in the world won’t help if you get taken out at the start. The car went well at the National Championship though so that’s encouraging. I had two good results in the heats but not in my third heat and that could have made a difference because I got taken out early in the championship and maybe if I’d had a better grid position that might not have happened but you can never tell and it’s the same with this one. On the plus side the car was going well at the National weekend. It’s not quite there, I’d like the handling to be a little bit better but hopefully we can make some tweaks before the World and it will make a difference.

You are set to start the race on the outside of row eight, how do you feel about your grid position and can you take anything from last year’s race and the more recent National Championship and apply it to this one?
I must admit I would have preferred to have been starting on the inside row but it is what it is. What I’ve learned from those races is the importance of not getting taken out at the very start because if you do there is probably no coming back from that so you need to try and get through the first few laps in one piece and still on the same lap as the leader which of course is easier said than done at Mildenhall, in fact it’s easier said than done on shale because I always feel that I’m a little more vulnerable to being taken out on shale. I don’t know if it’s because I don’t race on the surface as much as I would like or if my car set up isn’t quite there so just getting through those first few laps is going to be really important. If I can do that and the car is going well then I think I could do ok, a top 10 finish would be fantastic, especially as I’ve not had too much luck in my World Finals, I’ve only been in the top 10 once so I’d love to do it again.

You mentioned practise and a practise session is scheduled depending on the weather conditions, do you think that could prove important for your chances?
Yes very much and I also think that if there is some practise it will also help make the race a lot better because it will help guys like myself who don’t race at Mildenhall or on shale very often a chance to try and make ourselves more competitive and if everyone in the race is competitive then the race should be even better. At the last Mildenhall World Final the difference for myself between the first and second race was incredible. I struggled in the World a lot, it was my first time at Mildenhall and I hadn’t done much on shale at all prior to that so the big race was difficult but after it we made some changes and it was so much better for the next race and then better again for the one after. Had there been practise then maybe I would have been those couple of steps forward in time for the big race and I might have stood a better chance so that’s what I’m hoping for this time, to be able to go out and see how the car goes and maybe try and a couple of different things to see if we can get it going a little better and I would imagine all the visiting drivers will be looking to do the exact same and if we can all make improvements then that should help make for a better race for everyone watching. I think practise also helps someone like me with their confidence going into a race like this. Something as big as the World Final is always going to be a bit nerve racking and if you are unsure of the track then it can definitely effect your confidence but if you’ve been going well in practise and got some laps under your belt it can change all that so I’m hoping that will be the case.

As you mentioned your World Final debut was the last one at Mildenhall in 2010, what do you remember about that night?
I remember how excited and nervous I was. It was such a different buzz and atmosphere to anything I’d done before that but it was a brilliant thing to be a part of and despite all the nerves I still really enjoyed it. But it was also a massive eye opener for me, it was like, ‘wow, so this is what the best is like’, (laughs) you know. That night I really saw how good the best drivers were and that I really wasn’t quite at that level at the point but being in that race really makes you want to be that good. Like I said, once you’ve been in the top 24 (in the World Rankings) and been in a World Final it makes you want to be in it every year, because you want to be out there with the best and see how you fare with them. So far I’ve not done too well but again it pushes you to try harder next time and qualify again and have another go.

Having now raced in World Finals at all the modern era World Final venues, how does a Mildenhall World Final compare to others?
I think the big difference is simply that at Mildenhall it’s a one day event. You do hear some drivers and fans say they aren’t going to go because of that which I don’t fully understand because at the end of the day you go for the World Final race and the rest of it isn’t really as important but I admit it would be lovely to have had a meeting somewhere on the way home but it doesn’t work that way sometimes does it (laughs). But I think being one day changes the atmosphere a little looking back. Being one day, all the energy goes into that one night, rather than being a little more spread out. It’s hard to explain but because there is two days of racing it’s like everyone saves a little energy for the second day but when it’s one day everything goes into that one day of racing and I think it just makes the atmosphere a little more intense because I suppose there is no second day to make up for anything, it’s a bit more all or nothing and so everyone goes for it just a little more, if that’s even possible (laughs).

You’ve yet to win a major title in the sport, is that a big goal for you?
Absolutely and I think it’s the same with everyone in the formula, especially those who are racing regularly and putting in the time and effort like we are. Again the formula is so good right now, and every race is anyone’s so that pushes everyone to try that little extra because you never know when it could be your day. Winning a major title would be a massive thing for me, I’d love to win one of them, anyone would do (laughs), the big thing is that by winning one you become a part of the sport’s history. Saloons has an amazing history I think with so many amazing drivers over the years and most of them have won a big title at some stage and have their name someone on one of those trophies so to have mine there with them would be brilliant.

This year has seen the introduction of Zetec engines into the formula, what are your thoughts on those?
I’m still using a Pinto at the moment but I think that after the World Final I will probably start making the change to a Zetec as in the long run I think they are the way to go but (Zetec engines) aren’t as easy to find (in Scotland) as they are down South and we’ve struggled to find one although several English drivers who can find them easily have offered to help. My Pinto has been fine although I think on some tracks and in some races the Zetec is a little better. I think on a bigger track with no traffic the Zetec is the better engine but on a smaller track with more cars, the Pinto has the edge still so I’m hoping that might help me in the World Final. But I think once the World Final is done it will be time to bite the bullet and start working with a Zetec and making that work for me. I think the important thing is that the current rules with these engines are kept and are enforced so people don’t start spending money on them and they don’t get any faster, if we keep them how they are I think they will be good.

As you are probably aware, at Mildenhall, red flags are used much more frequently than other Saloon Stockcar venues, are you happy for them to be used in certain situations and are you pleased with the changes to lap sheet order restarts where back markers stay in position among the cars on the lead lap regardless of whether a red or yellow flag is used?
I don’t mind red flags being used. My only issue is that sometimes when red flags are shown drivers are allowed to work on their cars and this rule seems to be different from track to track so it’s important drivers know where they stand on this so there is no confusion and I agree with the restarts now, that is how it should have always been and I think it’s fairer for everyone. In the National (Championship) there was a driver who on the first stoppage was a lap down and he managed to un-lap himself and come back for a decent result in the end, if he’d been moved to the back then he would have been out of it and I don’t think that is fair myself.

Another talking point this season has been the number of incidents resulting in driver injuries, do you use any personal kind of safety equipment and if there anything you would like to see changed to help make the sport even safer?
I really don’t know about that myself. I’ve tried one of these full containment seats recently and I really didn’t like it and I took it back out and put my old one in. I’ve also looked at these Hans devices and again I’m not sure if it’s for. I think that is the most important thing really, that it’s the driver’s choice and that they have the freedom to make their own decision as to what works for them. I’ve also used a big ‘horse shoe’ type neck brace and that works really well for me and I’ve also used a rib protector since I hurt my ribs. I’m not sure how much of a difference these things make really, when my sister was doing a bit of racing, one night she used my rib protector and I raced without it and I didn’t notice a different so I think sometimes using this safety equipment is more of a mental thing and it just helps put your mind a little more at rest and so that’s why I think it’s important for it to be left to the driver to decide.

Is there anyone else you would like to thank or mention?
Wow, there is so many. I don’t think I could name everyone, but just all my sponsors and everybody who helps and supports me, they all know who they are and I’m very grateful to them all.