An Interview with Wreckfest Champion Big T 82 Tom Foster
(interview published February 18 2015 in the lead up to the 2015 Unlimited Banger BBA Supreme Championship)

Age: 16
Home Town: Worskop
Occupation: At college studying vehicle mechanics
Family: Single
Racing career: First race was aged 10 in the Novice formula at Trent racing a Micra

You are set to make your Supreme Championship debut this year, are you looking forward to it?
I am, but then I look forward to every meeting I do. I’m really loving my racing at the moment, I guess because it’s still quite new to me so every weekend I race is a good one and I look forward to all the meetings equally but this should be a good one, it’s good to qualify for a race like this.

You are likely to one of the youngest drivers to ever qualify for the race, is that something you are pleased about and were you surprised to qualify in your first year?
I’ve not really given it too much thought, I just think of myself as another driver really and try not to compare myself to anyone and just keep trying to find my own way but it is cool to qualify for a race like this. I’ve been in a few big races now, they’ve all surprised me to be honest because I never expected this to happen quite so quick so it’s been nice and it will be good to do another new race for the first time.

You’ve yet to race an unlimited banger at Mildenhall but have done a handful of unlimited meetings at King’s Lynn, do you think that will help you or do you consider the lack of unlimited experience at Mildenhall will be an issue?
I don’t think you will know how much of an issue it will be until the race starts. I’ve obviously raced at Mildenhall before and know the track pretty well but I’ve never had an unlimited round there. But I have had an unlimited on shale and got on pretty well but King’s Lynn is very different to racing at Mildenhall, it’s more different than people think so I don’t know how simple it will be to take what I’ve learnt at Lynn and apply it at Mildenhall. Hopefully it will be ok. It helps having plenty of people round me who know what they are doing and talking about and they give me great advice and help and that is a massive help when you don’t have the experience yourself. Either way I’m sure I will enjoy the meeting and the race and hopefully learn a bit more.

You started very much at the deep end in your National Banger career, qualifying for the TSR World Final on your debut meeting via the last chance race, did that success take you by surprise and do you think it has helped you handle the pressure of the big events you have been in since?
I never expected to qualify for the World Final that night, that’s for sure. I did the meeting simply because it was the first one after my 16th birthday and to be honest by that point I was itching to race National Bangers as I’d pretty much had enough of the junior formulas. I did enjoy them but I was ready to move on and it wouldn’t have mattered what the first meeting was after my birthday I would have done it and it happened to be that one so I never did the meeting with the intention of getting in the World Final but to do it was just brilliant. I guess it might have helped with the pressure of the big races I’ve been in since, being introduced to it from the beginning but I personally think it is more to do with the fact that I’m quite realistic about my chances and therefore don’t put too much pressure on myself, if they go well that’s great but if they don’t it’s not the end of the world, it’s just another race for me and that’s how I try to look at it.

On the subject of big races you qualified for the Spedeworth World Final in October, how was that?
It was good. Again I tried to look at it as just another race, albeit one with a lot more people watching! But it was really good to be in that race and a great experience and I hope to qualify for it again in the future.

How do you rate your chances in the Supreme Championship?
I don’t know, I think so much of it is down to your luck on the night and you can’t predict that, it’s such an unpredictable race and you’ve no idea what’s going to happen but then that’s good as well because it makes things more exciting.

You’re in good company with brother Chubby (382 Jack Foster Jnr) and further team mate 807 Chris Murfin set to compete, does that change how you go into the race in any way?
Not really. Of course you will always have your eye out for your team mates when you are racing together but usually you are too busy looking after yourself and I think that’s going to be the case here.

Have you given any thought to the car you will use in the Supreme Championship?
I should think it will be a Lexus, probably a GS300 simply because we have plenty of them and they are what I tend to use for all unlimited meetings rather than for a more specific reason. I think they are good cars to be honest, they are pretty fast and strong so everything you need really and I think it will be fine for this race.

Does the fact the Supreme Championship is an unlimited event, does that make it more appealing to you?
Not really to be honest. Like I said I’m just loving my racing right now and I honestly don’t care what the cars are, I enjoy all of it but the big unlimited meetings are usually good ones.

Mentioning the team element, you debuted in the colours of Team Grey and Black which no doubt carried with it several on track rivalries, was there ever a question of you racing in those colours and do you enjoy the team element of the sport?
I was always going to race in Grey and Black. Yes that does bring with it rivalries but the fact is I would have probably had those rivalries regardless of what colours I was in and I’ve always wanted to race alongside my brother (Jack Foster Jnr) and to be honest a lot of the time it has been just me and him at meetings on our own. Team racing is good, again I enjoy it all but the team meetings are different and it makes a change.

You enjoyed some team racing success recently as Team Grey and Black won the 1500cc Icebreaker in February, was that something you were pleased about and do you think that boosts your chances in the 1400cc Suffolk Open team championship at Mildenhall on Good Friday?
It was good, winning an event like that is always going to be good, just with so many cars and teams, it’s tough winning something like that so to take the title was pretty special. It would nice if we could do the same on Good Friday, but again I think so much of that day is down to luck, especially with such a big entry of teams and drivers, it’s all about your luck on the day.

Have you any plans for 2015?
Not really. I want to race as much as I can but to be honest we tend to take it one weekend at a time and don’t usually think too far ahead so nothing has been set in stone really but I just hope to get in as many meetings as possible so it should be a busy one.

Is there anyone else you would like to thank or mention?
My dad, Chubby and Richard for everything they do to help me.

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