An Interview with 13 Andy Ford

This is set to be your 15th appearance in the World of Shale Championship, which makes you the most experienced driver of this race than any of the other qualifiers, after all these years is it still a race which you look forward to?
It is the only race which is important to me year after year. I'm not interested in the World Championship, I might do a semi final meeting if it was on shale but I just don't have the interest in that which means the World of Shale is the race of the year for me and every year it is the one which I set my sights on. I always promise myself that I will concentrate on the series and make sure I get myself the best possible grid position so I start with a chance of doing well in the championship. I managed to do all but one of the qualifying rounds this year which was pretty good going because I've a new job which means I have to work some Saturdays now. I've had to get used to that because Saturday always used to be race day but not anymore but I was fortunate that I was able to do most of the rounds. However I think I tried a little too hard to do all the other shale meetings I wanted to do and because of that it meant that at a couple of the rounds the car wasn't as good as it should or could have been and that hurt me a little but I've been enjoying the season a lot so I couldn't help it!

Having said that are you happy with your grid position?
Yes, I am in the end. The last round was very important because I knew I needed to try and get in front of that second row of overseas drivers and I just barely managed to do that and I think it could make a big difference. I finished eighth in the end which in years gone by would have meant row four but now it means row five and had I finished ninth it would have been row seven behind the second row of overseas drivers and I think that would have been just too far back. As it stands it is going to be hard but I think from the fifth row I stand a chance if luck is on my side on the night. 

As a veteran of this championship, what do you think of the changes to the series?
I do like them but I wasn't too keen when they introduced the Dutch drivers at the last minute last year because it was all a bit too last minute and people didn't know it was going to happen so I felt a little bit put out because of it. But this year we all knew exactly where we stood when things started so that's been better. Don't get me wrong I think it is great having the overseas drivers included in the race, especially the Dutch because not only are there some great drivers out there now who are capable of challenging for the win but they are great people to have at a race meeting as well so having them has given the championship a boost and I think having overseas drivers in it also gives the race a bit more class as well so I think it is good. The introduction of attendance points has been interesting as well. When it was announced I think there was some who thought they could just do all the rounds and qualify like that but that wasn't enough and it's not enough to just do well at two or three rounds anymore, you have to do the rounds and do well at them so it's made the whole thing an even greater challenge. 

You are a two time winner of the event, how special would it be for you to win the race for a third time?
It truly would mean the world and again it is the thing I set my mind on when a season starts, it is my main target in racing at the moment. It would be particularly special to win it again in 2013 because I think the standard of the racing has improved a lot in the last few seasons. It wasn't easy to win in 2002 and 2006 but I think it is even harder to win now because while the drivers are as good as they were a few years ago there are a lot more good drivers racing on shale now. I think years ago the shale meetings has less of the star names because they raced more on tarmac but with the way costs are now you are seeing more and more top drivers racing more and more on shale, either because they have a shale track close by or because it's not as expensive to be competitive and so in turn it's becoming harder and harder to win races. I've spent all year trying to win a final to get rid of this blue roof but I just can't get one. I would settle for having the twin gold stripes again though if I can't get a red roof!

With that in mind who do you think the leading contenders are going to be?
I don't know if Rob Speak will be there, he's not been to Mildenhall this year and only tends to race shale when it's local but he is still as good as he has ever been and should he be there he is going to be one to watch for sure. Chris Bradbury is brilliant at the moment, he is just so masterful and he's not just quick when he races but his reactions to incidents is incredible and that will be key here. George Turiccki is having a great year and even though he's not had his best results you can never count out Andy Palmer and I think the Dutch will be a threat too because they are getting better and better and whenever they race in the UK they are as good as the rest of us on shale now. 

Is there anyone you would to thank or mention?
Rob Mitchell for the car, East Lincs for the engine sponsorship as without them there would be no racing, my dad who has promised me two new tyres for the championship and anyone who helps by getting out of my way in the championship, although that probably won't be very many!