WEEKEND WINNERS THE UNUSUAL DAY JOBS OF THE WEEKEND WARRIORS
Chatting to drivers across the UK’S club racing paddocks serves as a reminder that they are just like us enthusiasts – ordinary folk with mostly ordinary day jobs.
Often unseen is the strain that ‘living for racing’ puts on the day job, with limited time to arrive at a circuit ready for scrutineering and then, when all is done, to begin the chore of packing up and heading home to be back at the desk – or on site – the following morning.
The 750 Motor Club’s paddocks are a prime example of the true club competitor. Only in early July had the Silverstone Wing’s pit garages been occupied by Formula 1 royalty. Now, mid-august, their splendour was being enjoyed by those in old 750 Formula machinery and several-thousandpound Toyotas. And why not?
Take 750 Formula returnee, 42-year-old David Watts, who, by day, runs a sofa manufacturing business in Kidderminster, or BMW Car Club Racing points leader Graham Crowhurst, 34 from Beckenham, and a London Underground signal technician. Or Ma7da title contender Jonathan Lisseter, a senior technical director in the construction industry.
A catch-up a week later in the Brands Hatch paddock proved similarly enlightening, starting with Locost title challenger Martin West, a 41-year-old gas engineer from Southampton.
Fellow Locost racer Ryan Garrett only just made it to Brands on time due to a particularly tricky building project (a multi-million-pound house extension). “It was a tight schedule and only on Thursday evening did we dare call up the 750MC and ask for a late entry – we very nearly weren’t here,” he said.
Among the favourites for the Clio Sport title, Andrew Harding is a construction engineer on North Sea oil rigs while Ben Swift, aged 27, is now in his sixth year as an airline pilot for Easyjet.
And then there are those in nuclear. Type R Trophy competitor Ursula Jordan often faces long round trips to circuits since much of her work in marketing is in Cumbria. Finn Groom, racing a Ford Fiesta XR2I in Classic Stock Hatch, is already at 19 years old a maintenance engineer at a nuclear powerplant.
Another is 116 Trophy frontrunner Richard Phillips, a marine engineer who has input into the workings of nuclear submarines. “I probably have more problems with the bends around here than I do under the sea,” he admitted.
By contrast, Brands 116 Trophy winner Jack Godden’s day job is driving vans for Waitrose. Naturally, many in the paddock work in automotive and motorsport, and notable tales that stand out are in the Type R Trophy.
Mark Dicken works on ‘special projects’ for a well-known UK motor manufacturer – this ranges from camouflage liveries for prototype models or building specially armoured vehicles for the military, or royal families and dignitaries around the world.
Points leader Christopher Nylan specialises in vinyl body wraps, with many clients in UK motorsport.
“Mercifully, none are for people I race against – I’d hate to spoil a good piece of work,” he joked.