An Interview with Charlie Boy 204 Charlie King

Age: 30
Home Town: Burgess Hill
Occupation: Machine driver
Family: Wife Katie and children Ruby, 6, Grace, 5 and George, 2
Racing career: Started Rookie Bangers 10 years ago

Well done on qualifying for this year’s championship, you failed to do so last year so what does it mean to be back in the race this time?
It’s always nice to qualify for a race as big as this one and I think this has now become one of the biggest races of the year, especially because it is now unlimited. It was a shame to miss out last year but it’s one of the harder races to qualify for because most of the qualifying is done by doing well in a big race so it’s pretty tough and I think because of that I wasn’t too disappointed to not qualify last year, because it’s not something you have the greatest amount of control over.

You competed in first unlimited Supreme Championship at Mildenhall in 2012 but your race didn’t last very long, can you tell us about that and how disappointed were you?
I chucked a drive shaft pretty much the second I put my foot down when the race started. I would normally be annoyed if that happened at any meeting because it’s a pretty frustrating thing to happen but for it to happen in a championship race, especially that early on was very annoying and I really was quite disappointed by it. It was made worse by the fact that we quickly repaired it and got out in the next race and the car went really well so I believe I might have had a chance had it not happened in the championship, but again it’s one of those things you have little control over.

Are you looking forward to being back in the race and do you fancy your chances this time around?
I am looking forward to it. I always enjoy it when I have a chance to come and race at Mildenhall as it is a track I seem to enjoy racing at on the occasions I go there and this should be particularly good because I like unlimited racing and it’s a big occasion which should have a lot of top drivers racing and that is a buzz in itself so it should be good and I’m glad I’m in it again. I think I’ve got every much a chance of doing well as the next man. This race is quite unique, especially if there is a lot of drivers in it, that it’s almost impossible to predict a winner. There are so many drivers in the race who are capable of winning but when you have it at a track as unpredictable as Mildenhall it makes it even harder and really at somewhere like Mildenhall anyone who starts could win, you just don’t know what’s going to happen and I think luck is going to play a big part. But I like that, I think that really is how banger racing should be, not knowing who’s going to come out on top and whoever does win will be able to look at themselves and know they deserved it.

You are increasingly experienced when it comes to big races now, does that experience help in a race like this?
Yes, it definitely does. I remember my first Spedeworth World Final which was in my first full year (in National Bangers) in 2009 and I remember being on the grid, looking around at all the top drivers and just thinking I didn’t belong there and was going to get swallowed up the minute the race started. Sometimes believing in yourself is half the battle because if you go into a race with a negative mindset, expecting to do no good, then the chances are that is exactly when is going to happen. Now my confidence has built up and I don’t feel like that when I go into a big race. Now I have the confidence to look at the grid, try and plot my initial moves and go from there and having that self belief is a big thing and makes a huge difference, especially when it comes to a race like this.

Having said that, you are yet to have the success some feel you deserve in a big race environment and the first major win is yet to come your way. Is this a source of frustration or something that doesn’t worry you too much?
It used to be quite an issue with me and a couple of years ago or so if I’m honest it was bothering me a bit but then something just clicked and now it doesn’t worry me so much. I’m not sure why exactly but now as long as I enjoy my racing that is the most important thing. I’ve come close before, I thought the World Final at Taunton last year might have gone my way but it was another one which slipped away from me. In previous years I might have taken that a bit hard but this time I was just happy to get the place that I did.

With that said how much would it mean to win this championship?
Obviously it would mean a huge amount. I doubt there would be anyone in the race who would say anything different and I think it has become one of the races now which drivers want to win, especially being unlimited and having a roof grade and the qualifying system which means you really have to earn a place on the grid. It ticks all the boxes and it would mean an awful lot to win it. I’ve had my share of bad luck so hopefully now I’m overdue some good luck and this might be my turn!

You mentioned the likelihood of the race having a large grid, is that something which suites you?
I think it does. I think at somewhere like Mildenhall is there was a choice between a 30 car race and a 50 car race I would probably have a better chance in the 50 car one. The bigger the grid, means it’s less about speed but more on your ability to pick your way through the pack and stay out of trouble and that would probably benefit me more. Also when you have a big grid, it makes it more about luck as well and because drivers can turn round at Mildenhall you only need one to do that and you could have a complete track blockage. If that happens the best engine or tyres in the world aren’t going to help you very much so it’s more about the driver and I like that.

If we can discuss other things, as a Spedeworth driver much has been said over the last year about the Banger World Series, did you like the series and what do you think of the changes for this year without the contracted drivers but instead more prize money available to all drivers?
If I’m honest I’ve paid very little attention to the series or anything else really over the last few weeks. I decided to have a proper break over the winter and while that was happening I kind of switched off from the racing completely and didn’t pay too much attention. But the series had some good meetings last year and I think it will again this year and I plan to do them all or as many as I can, so I’m sure it will be good.

Have you given much thought to your plans for 2014?
My plans as they stand is to try and do just as much racing as I usually do but I want to try and travel around a bit more, rather than do all my meetings in the same place. I want to try and do as many of the big championship meetings as possible, either in the race if that’s an option or try and qualify on the day, I’m not too worried I just want to do them and I also want to race at Warneton. I’ve never raced over there and it’s just something I would like to try out.

A very recent talking point has been the announcement of the new technical rules for 2014 for the ORCi, are you happy with them?
(laughs) Well I’ve read about half of them and they’ve annoyed me quite a bit so I’ve not read the rest yet! I’m not overly impressed to be honest, my biggest gripe is that I don’t think drivers have been given enough notice of the changes, I think we should have had around three months before the new rules came in, rather the less than a month. The thing is when you race as much as I do you need to be organised and always thinking about a month ahead. I think it is the same for most drivers who race almost every week and because of that I’ve already got three cars built to race and now they are pretty much illegal and I need to do work on them to get them sorted. If we’d had more notice I could have used these cars up and then when I started building the next ones made the changes which were needed. The two biggest problems I have is tyres and new rule about standard drive shafts. I’ve never used a Goodyear Eagle so I’ve no problem with them being banned because I did think they were expensive. But there were cheaper options which I was using but now with the new minimum profile rule these are no good either. National Bangers is no longer a cheap sport so I believe the majority of drivers racing regularly could afford a decent set of tyres, I’m not saying allow the really expensive ones but I think the cheaper alternatives should be allowed. As for the drive shafts, the last time I was in the Supreme was a great example. I broke one the minute the race started because the Frog Eye (Scorpio) drive shafts are pretty rubbish and by changing them just stops you from breaking down so I don’t see why this was changed.

Finally is there anyone you would like to thank or mention?
A big thanks to my dad for all his help and everything he does, I wouldn’t be able to do all this without him, Kate for putting up with me and me never being at home and my mechanics James and Bum. 

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