An Interview with the Bull
347 Dave Bull
(interview published March 12 2014 in the lead up to the 2014 Unlimited
Banger BBA Supreme Championship)
Age: 29
Home Town: Rainham, Essex
Occupation: Carpenter and recovery driver
Family: Girlfriend Wendy and children Cmeron and Reily
Racing career: Been racing National Bangers for five years
Congratulations on qualifying for the Supreme Championship for the second year running, are you pleased to have qualified again and are you looking forward to this year’s race?
Yes I am but I always look forward to racing unlimiteds on shale because I really enjoy it and it’s something very different to what I do more regularly at Arena. It’s great to have qualified again but I probably would have done the meeting anyway just because again I like racing unlimited bangers on shale and this is a chance to do it. I think I just enjoy the style of racing you get when it’s shale, it’s totally different to racing on tarmac, being sideways and throwing the car round, it’s great fun, I really like it so yes I’m really looking forward to the meeting but honestly being in the championship race itself isn’t essential for me.
You made your debut in the event in last year’s snowstorm hit race, how difficult were the conditions and were you disappointed, especially being your first time in the race?
It was unbelievable wasn’t it, how bad it got on the night but that’s the way it is sometimes, it’s no-ones fault and you just have to do your best. I was always going to race, as long as the meeting was on, I was going to be there and me and (Boxer) Jack did the race after the Supreme as well because we wanted to try and make the most of it, even though it was as horrible as it was. I needed to go back out again anyway because I only managed about five laps in the championship and the car broke down so I needed to try again. I wasn’t disappointed though, it put a bit of a downer on things but I wasn’t disappointed and to be honest I quite enjoyed it, it was still fun, the (Grand) Final was actually quite a good race and I finished third, that was pretty good all things considered.
Given your success in front wheel drive formats, do you think your chances would have been better if the championship was still a National Banger meeting?
Yes, I think that is probably right but even though I think I have less of a chance in an unlimited race I’m much happier that it is unlimited now. I think unlimited racing is much better and even more so when it’s on shale, it’s just so much fun and that’s what it’s meant to be about. I think if it was still a (National) meeting I would probably be taking things a bit more seriously and the whole thing would be a bit more competitive which can take a bit of the fun out, as it is now I’m really looking forward to the meeting because I know it’s going to be a lot of fun and that is mostly because it’s unlimited.
That said, have you decided what car you are going to be racing?
Well I had done (laughs)! I was going to bring the 2 door Mk1 Granada I used at the Spedeworth World Final (in 2012). I thought it’d be good to try it out on shale but looking at the entry list now I don’t think that will be the best car for the job so it will be a Volvo estate now. I’ve raced a few before at Mildenhall and they’ve always been pretty good, I think they are quick enough round (Mildenhall) and more importantly they are quite strong where as a Granada is pretty weak these days, just because of their age. The other great thing about a Volvo is if you get wrecked they are pretty easy to keep fixing and get back out again.
It sounds like you might be expecting a lively meeting?
I think that’s going to be the case especially as we (the Midnight Runners) have quite a few of our regular enemies booked in for the meeting so I think it’s going to get pretty lively during the night but that’s great, that’s what you go racing for and I look forward to meetings like this the most, where you know it’s going to be a good night of racing and crashing.
With 40 plus qualifiers expected in the championship, does that benefit you and increase your chances?
I don’t think you can tell really, it just depends what happens on the night. With that many cars at Mildenhall it’s likely to be hectic and it’s a matter of whether you are in the right place at the right time, it could go either way. But I do think having a big grid like that will make for a better and more exciting race, with that many cars it’s going to chaotic and no one is going to have an easy time and whoever wins will have to do well to win and that’s a good thing if you ask me.
You mentioned the Midnight Runners having some regular enemies in the race, will the welfare of your team mates be a factor in this race?
I think it probably will be for me, especially because I’m not the best at this sort of thing. I don’t really fancy my chances so I’m more likely to be keeping an eye out for our rivals and try and stop one of them before they stop someone else, something like that but again you can never predict what will happen in something like this but yes I think I will probably put the team before myself in a race like this.
Having come close in 2012, you won the PRI points championship in 2013, how big of an achievement was that for you and is trying to defend the title a priority for 2014?
It was a big deal for me, especially so after nearly winning in 2012. I was pretty gutted to miss out that time having come so close but it just fired me up a bit more to try and again last year and winning was pretty special. Points Championships are tough, it’s not like a championship race where you have to beat a lot of top drivers in one race which is probably harder but you have to be consistent and do every meeting and that is what makes winning a points title so hard. I can’t see me going for (the title) again this year. Chasing the points was a real strain and it did take a bit of the fun out of my racing and made things a little more stressful than they need to be so I’m not going into the year with the intention of going for it, enjoying my racing is the priority this season but you never know, if the first couple of months go well I might have another crack at it.
You’ve now been a member of the Midnight Runners for quite a while now, is it an element of the sport you still enjoy?
Yes, very much, they are a great bunch of guys and I really enjoy racing with the team especially when we race together and there is another team or bunch of drivers out there who want to smash us up, that’s one of the best buzzes in the sport I think.
There are several changes to the PRI fixtures this season, in particular the new KIRS (Keep it Real) series, is that something you are looking forward to?
Yes I am and I think it’s good for PRI because I think the fixtures needed some variety added to them. One of my favourite meetings of the year is the (big) vans, again because it’s fun and I think (the KIRS) meetings will be fun as well. I’m looking forward to the all Granada meeting again, just because I love racing Granadas so much but I also think the Non-Ford meeting could be good as well, especially as most of the cars should be slow so I think you will see more people going after entertainer awards which won’t be a bad thing.
A couple of other recent developments at Arena for 2014 is news that the Gladiators are welcome back after being excluded from the final couple of months of 2013 and that attacking on opposite will be allowed again at all meetings, are you pleased about this?
Yes, I am. Whatever your opinion of the Gladiators, they are a great team and one of the best at sticking and working together but I didn’t agree with what they did last year (referring to the team all withdrawing from a race when none of their Cream Team rivals lined up and then, when ordered to race by PRI management, several protested by racing at speeds far below race pace). I just don’t think what they did was on, I’m not saying the punishment was right but I didn’t agree with it but it’ll be good to have them back and yes I’m pleased turning round is allowed again, it spices a race up if you ask me.
What are your thoughts on the new technical rules for 2014 at ORCi meetings?
I’m not too worried, most of it doesn’t bother me but I’m not too happy with what they have done with the tyre rule. Personally I think they should either ban certain tyres or have a profile rule but not both because by bringing both in at the same time it’s made too many illegal too quickly and I feel sorry for anyone whose spent any amount of money on tyres over the winter only to now find they are worthless. The problem as I see it, if they’ve changed the rule now that most people have either gone out and got the tyres or have accepted them and by banning them all that will happen is the people who can afford it will go out and find the next new thing and we will be back to square one. It’s especially frustrating that there are cheaper options out there which are now no good because of the profile rule.
Is there anyone you would like to thank or mention?
My dad, who is a huge help, my girlfriend who puts up with and support me and Terry Shelvey and Boxer who also help me a lot.