I first started watching at Aycliffe and Hartlepool in the Mid 80’s and then started as a ‘Mechanic’ (In the loosest sense of the word) for Ian Johnston (888), who raced at Aycliffe and Hartlepool.

I decided I wanted to build my own F2…

…For my 21st birthday I got a second hand stick welder, mask & gloves. I cleaned out my parents shed and the day after my 21st birthday I went into the shed. The day after my 22nd birthday I came out of the shed (Not the closet!!) with what I thought was an F2 (I have some pics somewhere I will try and find one!).

My first meeting was at Aycliffe in 1989. I raced ‘on and off’ until about 96 - it was difficult to race much with the arrival of kids, houses, marriage etc. From 89 to 96 I had 3 cars, the one I built, a John Rigg (29) built ‘Don’t forget your postcode’ one and a Higman I bought off Neil Burnett (36). He leant me it for the National at Hartlepool as
he had broke a finger and I had broke my car. I was flying in it when that post coming out of the ‘Museum Bend’ jumped out and grabbed my…err…his back wheel. I bought it off him as a ‘bag of bits’ less engine!

I stopped racing in 96 so that we could move house - I kept the old car with a view to racing again.In 2004 I bought my next car from Geoff Buck (204) and scrapped the one that had been in my mother’s garage for 8 years - sorry mam!

I did half a season in 2004 and full seasons in 05 and 06. My first win was on May 8th 2005 at Buxton (16 years after I started racing). What a day! It was the first meeting Lou and my oldest daughter (Em) had missed in 04 and 05, so when I got home they both came out to meet me with some cheap sparkling wine which we had left over from Christmas and covered me in it - I felt like Damon Hill!

My highest grade is blue which I managed to get to at the end of 05 and started from there in 06.

My best achievements so far have been(In Order):

• Winning a final (At Barford from yellow – but its still a final)
• Qualifying for 2^nd semi (Came 11^th from back of grid at Cowdy)
• Current Average 7.76 in 2008 from 29 meetings
• Winning a race
• Getting to Blue
• Buxton Qualifier 06 (2nd in Heat, 2nd in Final, 1st in Nat) - Passing Barry Goldin (401) going into the last bend for first in the final was a great feeling! Unfortunately he beat me over the line!
• Qualifying for the World Semi 06
• Finishing the World Final 06 in 14th
• Racing in 51 meetings in 06 with over 300 points and staying at Blue all year except 1 month (Excellent!)

2008 Targets: