An Interview with Chiefy 17
Kyle Overy
(interview published March 12 2014 in the lead up to the 2014 Unlimited
Banger BBA Supreme Championship)
Age: 20
Home Town: Mildenhall
Occupation: Scrapyard worker
Family: Single
Racing career: Started racing Ministox in 2004 and National Bangers aged 16
Congratulations on qualifying for the championship for the second year running, are you looking forward to the meeting and the race?
Yes, I always look forward to big races like this and a chance to race against the best drivers in the sport. It’s nice to get into races like this so you always try and make the best of them and this one is especially good because it is unlimited and on shale and racing rear wheel cars on shale is one of the things I enjoy the most in racing and I don’t get to do it that often, especially in a big race like this one, throwing and unlimited round on shale is proper cool.
You finished fourth in last year’s event in the snowstorm, were you pleased with the result or did the awful conditions spoil the achievement?
No, not at all. I actually enjoyed last year’s race even with the weather as bad as it was. I don’t mind racing in the rain sometimes, quite often I get good results in those conditions like I did last year. The way I see it, it’s just part of racing, sometimes the weather isn’t going to be good but you just have to do your best with it. I was over the moon to finish fourth last year, especially because I had no idea I had done so well. I got spun out quite early on and decided to just get going again and keep going because I figured most people were going to do that at some stage and it paid off because I got a fourth which was excellent.
Given how much racing you did in 2013, what is it about big championship races you enjoy?
I think it’s just the buzz of being out there with all the top drivers, it’s a great feeling especially because a lot of them are the drivers I looked up to when I was younger and racing Ministox so to be able to compete in the same race as them is a brilliant thing for me and when I get a good result like I did last year it’s amazing. Whatever happens I’ll be smiling just because I’m in the race.
Have you decided what car you will be using in the race?
I think I’m going to use a Volvo again. That is what I had last year and it went well so I think it makes sense to do one again. There are about three or four good cars for unlimited racing right now and on shale I think a Volvo is one of them, they are definitely better on shale than they are on tarmac. The Volvo is a good, strong car and on shale I think it can be as quick as anything else because handling isn’t quite as important.
With a large field expected in this year’s championship, many are predicting a rough race, would that make a strong car more important than a fast one?
I think so, but you still need to be quick because if you’re not you’re going to get smashed to bits, regardless of what car you are racing. I think if there are over 40 cars out there, it’s going to be rough, even if it’s not a bit pile-up, it’s going to be rough and you are going to get knocked about so you need a car that can take that and a Volvo is one of the best for that, it’s a physically tough kind of car and can take a lot of whacks and the kind of hits you are guaranteed to take when there is a lot of cars, especially at a small track like Mildenhall. It will still be important to try and avoid taking a big hit but that’s the same for any car. Also if there is a pile-up and you need to push a way through, that’s another thing Volvos are often good at, they are definitely a great banger.
Given you have enjoyed much success in 2litre type events, do you think you have better chance of success now the meeting is unlimited or would your chances have been greater if it was still a National meeting?
I’m quite happy with it being unlimited but I do like racing Mondeos, I know there are some who don’t but I think they are good bangers myself but being unlimited makes it more of an old school like event and it’s much more like the racing I grew up watching with everyone in Granadas or other rear wheel drive cars and I like that, especially on the shale again, it’s a great fit, unlimited cars and shale and I think a lot of drivers are fans like it as well so I think it is better being unlimited just for that reason. As for my chances, I don’t think it matters if it is unlimited or (National), it’s all down to your luck on the night.
Does a bigger field of cars help your chances or reduce them?
I’ve no idea, it all depends on how the race goes. It can work for or against you but a big field will make a better race I think. I don’t think there are many things better than a big field of unlimited cars racing in a championship and I think whoever wins will appreciate it more if there is a bigger field but again I think luck is going to play a big part in this, you need to be in the right place at the right time and no-one has complete control over that.
Having finished fourth last year, have you a target in mind for this year?
No, not really, I don’t think you can go into a race like this with any expectations. I was shocked to finished fourth last year and to do something similar again this year would be incredible but I think I’ll just be trying to finish and if I can I’ll be happy with that because I don’t think that is going to be easy but I’ll enjoy it whatever happens.
In 2013 you were one of the most dedicated drivers in the sport, have you any idea how many meetings you did in the end?
We did count and I think I did 76 ORCi meetings but a good number of them were Rookie type meetings because I raced them when there wasn’t a National meeting on. I don’t have a proper record of the non ORCi meetings I did but I think I must have done 80 in all, if it wasn’t 80 it was really close.
Are you hoping to be just as busy this year or are you planning on taking it a little easier?
I think I will probably be as busy but we’ll see how it goes. At the moment, things are a little quieter because it’s not until March or April when all the tracks really get going so I’ll see how I feel when that comes and there is more racing on. I just love my racing though, that’s why I do so much because I enjoy it so much and I think doing so many meetings helps a lot, my brother Jack always told me, the more time you spend in the (driving) seat, the better you get and he was right because I think I improved a lot last season and that was down to how much I raced. I don’t think it necessarily makes you a better driver but it definitely helps your mind and makes you think and react better. You’re always learning and then putting that to use at the next meeting and the more racing you do the better you think and that makes a massive difference.
When you first started in National Bangers you did so to much fanfare but a nasty arm injury at King’s Lynn, followed by an accident away from the track seemed to shake your confidence. Would you agree with that and do you feel you’re back to top form now?
I’m not sure it was a confidence thing, I think it was just not being out there racing. When I broke my arm I wasn’t racing for three months and in that time it was almost like I forgot everything I had learned when I first started racing bangers and had to start again from the beginning. Then I had the accident at the yard (Kyle accidentally sat in a wasp nest and suffered terrible stings) and that stopped me from racing again, just when I was started to get going again so I think that was the problem, just not racing but last year went a massive way towards getting over that.
An interesting feature of your 2013 was you racing with a lack of team mates in Team Black. Up to 2012 the team was looking quite strong but then a number of factors resulted in you being one of the few drivers to remain in Team Black colours on a regular basis in 2013, what was that like?
It was a bit weird but I think it was just a lot of things happening at the same time and it didn’t really make much of a difference to me or my racing. For me one of the biggest buzzes I get from racing is being out there with my brother (Jack) and us racing in the same colours. I think it’s a family thing and a few people I’ve spoken to say they enjoy racing with their family. It’s just a mega feeling for me when we are out there together.
Despite not being one of the contracted drivers, you still attending every round of the Banger World Series in 2013, this year sees several changes to the series with no more contracted drivers but more prize money available to all and also some 2litre rounds, what do you think of the changes?
I think having more prize money available for everyone is much better, especially having the awards for things like the furthest travelled drivers, best cars and entertainers because it gives everyone something to go for and I think that is important. I don’t mind having the 2litre rounds because again I quite enjoy racing Mondeos and I think having some 2litre rounds will give some different drivers a chance to try and qualify for the World Final.
You qualified for the Spedeworth World Final for the first time last year, how special was that and is trying to qualify again this year a target?
Yeah, it was pretty brilliant. Ever since I was a young kid I went to Wimbledon to watch it and it was also a race I’d dreamed of racing in and now it’s moved to Ipswich it’s still something I’d always wanted to do and so to finally qualify last year was really great and I had a brilliant night and I hope to qualify again this year and have another go.
The 2014 ORCi technical rules have been a talking point since they were announced a few weeks ago, have you any thoughts on them?
I’m not too fussed really, I don’t tend to worry too much about stuff like that and tend to stay out of the discussions but I think what they have done will help some people out which is good but it’s not made too much difference to me, I’m ready to go for the year.
Is there anyone you would like to thank or mention?
My mum and dad, my mechanic Lee who does a lot, my brother and all the family and everyone else who helps.