An Interview with 160 Shayn Winsor
(interview published February 25 2014 in the lead up to the 2014 Unlimited Banger BBA Supreme Championship)

Age: 47
Home Town: Norwich
Occupation: Haulage contractor
Family: Girlfriend Emma and a son and daughter
Racing career: Started racing when 18-years-old

You are yet another qualifier for this year’s race with many years of racing experience and countless championship races, do you still look forward to and get excited about races like this one?
I honestly look forward to and get excited every time I race, I wouldn’t be doing it if I didn’t but at the moment I’m in a place where I am really loving my racing, probably as much as I ever have so it’s always great to get out there, whatever the meeting or track. But having said that the big championships are a little more special and I still get a buzz from being in them, especially with all the hype and build up which goes with them, it just makes them a little more unique compared to other meetings and also being unlimited makes it particularly good for me and you usually get more fans turn out for the big unlimited events so that also makes it special.

You’ve competed in both unlimited Supreme Championships held at Mildenhall so far, what are your memories of them both?
(Laughs) They’ve not been the best! I remember in the first one (2012) my transponder wasn’t working and I didn’t get a place even though only around seven cars finished. I’m not one for complaining about results but I knew something was wrong that time! But it all got sorted in the end which was good, I knew I hadn’t won but it was nice to be credited with a place because just finishing that race was tough. I’d been up the front at one point but I just got caught up and that was it for my chances of winning but that is usually the case with these championships, one mistake and that’s the end of it. Last year wasn’t very good either was it really! I don’t get on with wet shale anymore. I’ve been racing on shale all my career, at Mildenhall, King’s Lynn, Boston and others and it was never a problem for me year ago, which is a good job because I think every meeting we raced at Boston back then was wet! But now, I really struggled, I think it’s an age thing and my eyes just cannot cope with it. I lasted about five laps and then just had to give up because I couldn’t see. But I tried and I would always try, I just hope we get better weather this time.

In 2012 you qualified on the night whereas last year and this year you have already secured a place on the grid, is that a better position to be in?
I suppose it is but again I’m enjoying my racing so much that it really wouldn’t bother me if I had to try and qualify on the night. The (last chance) races two years ago, weren’t easy, there was plenty of top drivers in them and they were tough as well.

It’s hopeful that this year’s race will be as well supported as the 2012 event which many felt was a superb race, do you think this could be the case again and what kind of race do you think we will see?
It’s very hard to make a prediction but there is no reason why it shouldn’t be a good race. There are a lot of qualifiers, a lot of good drivers again and at somewhere like Mildenhall where it is always a bit unpredictable it should be a good race. The big thing about Mildenhall is the size of it and because it is quite small, when you have a big field there is a pretty good chance of a pile-up and if that happens it can wipe out anyone. It doesn’t matter who you are, if you are in that pile-up you’re not going to be winning and that blows the whole thing wide open and means everyone out there will fancy their chances. That is the beauty about racing on shale and especially at a small track like Mildenhall. It’s often been said but the shale is a great leveller for drivers and when you have the unpredictability you get from somewhere like Mildenhall then anything can happen and anyone can win. Take for example, Dan Lathan. He’s a great driver but he struggles on tarmac a bit because he’s not got the equipment you need and unfortunately right now, to compete on tarmac you need to spend money and have the gear. I’m lucky because I’m in a position where I can spend the money you need to be in a position to compete but if you don’t, it doesn’t matter how good a driver you are, you will struggle. On shale that isn’t the case so much and when you add that element that a pile-up can wipe anyone out, it just adds to your own chances.

Have you decided what car you will race in the championship?
I think it will be a Mk2 Granada. I know they are not very strong nowadays when compared to the more modern cars and I like racing the Scorpios now but I just love a Mk2 round Mildenhall and I seem to be able to get them to fly round there. I’ve got a set-up which I use and it just works and I’ll be using my trusty V6 engine which I’ve had for years and it just works brilliantly in a Mk2 at Mildenhall. Again that is the thing with shale racing, it’s less about speed and handling but more about reliability and getting through and this engine is very reliable and if the race is a hectic one that will help me because I think one of my strong points is picking my way through gaps and keeping going. I admit that if there is a pile-up or I take a big hit then my race is probably going to be done but at the end of the day it doesn’t matter what car you are in, if you get hit hard enough you’re going to be wrecked.

Who do you feel are the potential favourites for this year’s race?
Everyone has a chance, really they do and everyone should go into the race thinking that, because if you have a bit of luck it could all fall to you. I actually think you might see a surprise this year which is something you don’t often get with races like this at the moment. Usually you can narrow the contender down to less than half the field but I don’t think you can do that with this race, it’s very hard to pick someone and the less obvious picks have also got a great chance and I think someone might surprise you.

Do you think experience will help in a race like this?
It might but there are so many good young drivers out there as well so I don’t think experience is likely to play too big a part, everyone out there is good, I think luck is likely to be a bigger factor.

At this stage of your career, how special would it be to win this race?
It would be wonderful, especially for my family to see me do well now. Some of them weren’t around or don’t remember when I was World Champion, it was a long time ago now (1989)! When I was a youngster I used to look up to the drivers like Waspy (Geoff Roberts), Sean Gallagher and Wilko (Roger Wilkinson) and I would like to think there might be some youngsters today who look at me in the same way so to win the race for them as well would be brilliant.

2013 saw you back to being very committed to the sport and culminated in a podium finish in the Spedeworth World Final, did you enjoy last season?
I absolutely loved it and it was one of my best years ever in the sport, it really was brilliant and it was good enough just to be in the World Final but to finish on the podium was an amazing thing. I must admit I thought the Banger World Series proved to be an excellent idea and produced some fantastic meetings which I also enjoyed a lot and I think the series was a big reason why last year was so good to me. The World Final result though was the highlight and I was grinning like a Cheshire cat for a while afterwards, but I was knackered after the race so I think I need to get more fit this year!

Speaking of the Banger World Series, there have been some changes for this year’s series, how do you feel about them?
The biggest thing for me is making a couple of the rounds 2litre which I don’t agree with. I think the championship is unlimited and therefore the qualifying rounds should be as well, I also think unlimited racing is the best kind at the moment and the format most fans seem to want to see so I personally think they should have kept all the rounds unlimited.

There was some concern for you at the very end of 2013, when you were injured at Champion of Champions at Birmingham, can you explain what happened?
A car span in front of me and I had no option but to hit him and it was a big hit which also shot me onto the rumble strips and on the impact I got this awful pain in my arse. I thought the crash had sent something through my seat so I put my hand down and when I felt there was nothing there I knew something was wrong and it turned out I’d broke my coccyx. It was pretty bad and I was coughing up blood and stuff and for a while it really, really hurt me. I had the winter off and Wimbledon (Banger World Series on February 9) was my first meeting back and while it ached a little it was ok so I think I’m ready to go now for the rest of the year but I’ve raced before with broken hands and my eyes popping out of my head so it wouldn’t have stopped me!

Much has been said recently of the new technical rules for ORCi meetings in 2014, what are your feelings on the changes?
Well I’m a big gutted because I bought four Goodyear Eagles (tyres) for the World Final and they are brilliant! I’ve got about 20 tyres which are now no good but everyone had heard the rumours that changes were coming and I’m not surprised but I just think it won’t be long before someone finds the next new thing and we’ll be back where we started. The water tank changes means I’ve got to do some work on mine but nothing too series, my main gripe is that I think we (drivers) should have just had a bit more notice, one month isn’t really enough.

Is there anyone you would like to thank or mention?
Just my family really for all they do to support me.

Click here to return to One Wild Night page