An Interview with 136 Kyle Taylor

This is the third consecutive time you have qualified for the championship, are you pleased to have qualified again and was it something you set out to achieve at the start of the year?
Yes I'm really pleased, especially because this is the first time I have qualified as a higher graded driver. The last two years I've been on the grid I've been a white top and this year I have had a much better year, I spent a lot of the season as a yellow top and I've just gone up to blue and will be a blue in the championship which I'm pretty chuffed about. I thought I might struggle more form the blues and go back to yellow pretty quick but it's been going well so far and I had some good results at Stoke and Belle Vue from the grade so I'm hopeful now I can stay there. I definitely wanted to try and qualify for the championship again this year. As a shale racer this is our championship, the World Final I think is the one for the tarmac drivers and shale guys go for the world final, it's the only championship I've really been interested in this year and when it was announced that it would only be the top 20 drivers rather than the top 32 I realised I was going to have to work hard to get in.

With that in mind, what do you think of the changes to the series this year?
I think there are good for the championship. Yes fewer drivers from the qualifying rounds are guaranteed a place in the championship now but it also means that the achievement of qualifying is much greater because that's how I felt when I qualified this year. Before it didn't mean as much because it wasn't anywhere near as hard and this year it really means a lot more. Also I like the fact that it's a bit more like a World Final series now except without the Semi Finals, to be honest I wouldn't mind seeing them as well. Again this is like our World Final so the closer it is to the World Final the better I think.

You didn't have the best of starts to the qualifying series failing to score a single race point in the first six rounds but then things turned around at Stoke in May with a great round which jump started your qualifying hopes. What went wrong and had you given up hopes of qualifying in May?
Basically I had a lot of trouble with engines. I blew a new engine up at my first meeting of the year and then I struggled from there. Eventually a friend leant me an engine and I just could not get it to work how I wanted so we took it to a rolling road and he worked wonders and that was the meeting at Stoke where things finally started to happen for me. But then I needed to give the engine back so my dad built me an engine and it's the best engine I've ever had and things are now getting better and better. Yes I had totally given up any hope of qualifying for the championship at that point and it was totally out of my mind even when I had the good night at Stoke, I just figured it was too little too late. It wasn't until I received the invite to the final qualifying round that I knew I was still 20th at which point I figured I needed to go to Mildenhall for the first time and do the last round and try and qualify. The problem was I'd already said to my mum and dad to go away on holiday that weekend and my dad drives me to the meetings so I had no way of getting there but thankfully I was able to sort a lift and race and it was worth it because I qualified.

As you mention the two day event in July was your first visit to Mildenhall, how did you find it?
I loved it, honestly I pretty much fell in love with the place when I first saw it. People had said to me how small it was but I was still surprised but even more surprised at how fast it is despite the size. People said it was but I didn't really believe them when I saw the track so it was a bit of a shock when I first got out there, you are almost sideways the whole way round the track which is pretty cool. I had a great weekend as well and nearly won the final on the Sunday and I enjoyed it so much we went back for the last meeting and I won the consolation. That was my first win from the yellow grade and a huge boost. I felt a win from the yellows had been coming but even so it helped my confidence and made me believe I can win from there which was great.

With some Mildenhall experience under your belt how do you fancy your chances in the big race as you've yet to finish in the top 10 from your last two appearances?
I'm definitely going for the top 10, that is my aim and I would be really pleased if I manage it but I wouldn't be disappointed if I don't. I know it's going to be a really tough race with a lot of very good drivers out there so I'm realistic about my chances but I'm going for the top 10. I think you might see a lot of restarts in the race. My first final at Mildenhall (July 27) I think had more complete restarts to any race I've ever been in and I only lasted the first two! I think this might be the same, especially if it's wet which hopefully it won't be because I just don't get on well in the wet. So my plan is to hang back a little and make sure I survive the start, it's going to be a long race and I want to be there when it's finished.

Who is your pick for the championship?
I think George Turiccki. He has really impressed me on shale this year, he's been pretty fantastic and he goes very well at Mildenhall. 

Is there anyone you would to thank or mention?
My mum, dad and brother who help and support me a great deal both with the car and getting me to the meetings.