Wallace ready to motor at the highest level

SOUTHPORT’S Ben Wallace is about to embark on his first full season at the highest level of national sportscar racing - The British GT Championship.

Ben is already a seasoned driver, having finished third in the 2017 VAG Trophy and is highly regarded by his team, Team HARD, based in Rochester, Kent.

Here, Ben answers a series of questions about his career so far and hopes for the future. 2017 was a very busy year. What were the highlights for you, Ben?

Well, certainly Brands Hatch where I had to race in the VAG Trophy and the British GT Championship. As much as it was a highlight, it was also a bit of a task going from front-wheel drive and then quickly jumping over to rear-wheel drive. Not many people have done that on the same weekend so that was a bit of a highlight. It was successful as well!

Spa in British GT Championship was a highlight. I made my Championship debut there and my race result was tenth which, as it was a very strong grid, I was really happy with.

I missed out on the VAG Trophy due to a few crashes but it was a highlight because I got a race win at Snetterton and I got a couple of podiums. All round 2017 was a good year for me. What were the points that you took away from the season?

For 2018 the main learning point is trying to keep my nose clean. I’ve developed being more aware and thinking ahead now but I’ve learned over this past year that it’s not all won in the first corner. You also have to keep the car in a shape where it’s still drivable for the next driver. That was definitely something for me to learn driving in British GT. How did the British GT drives come about?

Tony (Gilham – Team Principle) gave me the opportunities and I took them because that was what I want to continue working on. Team HARD has helped me to develop me tremendously as a driver and the fantastic opportunity to drive in Spa was recognition of the effort I had put in. Going to Spa to drive the Ginetta G55 GT4 must have been quite a moment for you, wasn’t it?

“That track is unreal. I’d been there the previous year with the Golfs and I’d made my debut with the Golfs there the year before. So I’ve only been there twice but this time going there with the GTs was an unreal feeling. You can’t even describe the feeling.

Going up Eau Rouge and out to the back of the track you do really need courage. It’s a great track and I really do enjoy it every time I go there. You clearly enjoy a great relationship with Team HARD. How has that developed?

Team HARD is quite a family team and I like the family atmosphere. It’s very welcoming.

They also took the time, especially Tony, to help me at certain points with my driving that I’ve worked on so that obviously really attracted me .

Hopefully I can carry on with them as it is an amazing team to be around. What goals have you set for yourself for the forthcoming season?

That’s a good question. I really want to gain as much experience as I can do, obviously, to do well.

I don’t want to sound too arrogant but I hope to be somewhere in the top 5 or top 10.

It’s always difficult to say and we’ll have to see where we are, pace-wise, after the first race.”