The Big Interview - 105 Ross Rowe

So first interview of 2012, and we return the glamourous surrounds of Redruth. Well do one brother and well you got to do the other. Fresh from his latest galavant round the world, its Cornish racer Ross Rowe (105)....

NAME: Ross Rowe
HOMETOWN: Redruth, Cornwall
AGE: 26
F2 DEBUT: 2005 (St Day)
NUMBER: 105
PREVIOUS FORMULAE RACED: None
CURRENT F2: Higman with my own extras
HIGHEST GRADE ACHIEVED : Star (red)
ACHIEVEMENTS TO DATE: Plymouth Driver of the Year 2005, Benevolent Fund Trophy 2007, Ladies Trophy 2008, St Day Track Champion 2009
SPONSORS: Jeffers and Stock, Cardew MOT Centre, Gav Signs
NICKNAMES: Rossy
FAVOURITE TRACK: St Day
TRACKS RACED AT: Birmingham, Barford, Arena, St Columb, St Day, Taunton, Bristol, Ringwood, Northampton.

Jho - So how did it all begin....
Ross - Used to watch it with Liam and the rest of the family when I was younger. I loved cars, and loved the racing and decided to buy and went crazy and bought one never looked back!

Jho- What made you get the fast side of the track
Ross - Thinking it was easy and anyone could do it. How wrong can you be!

Jho - Talk us through your first meeting...what happened?
Ross - That's a good one. Bent the chassis. It was Gav Pikes (ex752) car and I crashed into Mick Weber(ex855) who had Roy Goodmans car. I crashed into him and split the fuel tank, and chassis. He got out unscathed damage wise. I remember it took us 2 to the 3 hours to take the engine out! Now, its a lot quicker!

The Green Machine (No longer!)

Jho -You've been a Higman man thoroughout, Why?
Ross - If it wasn't for Colin, we wouldnt be were we were today. When we went to his workshops, he said "These boys have no idea and will never get anywhere in a F2". He still wanted to give us a go, but now realises he if he can teach me he can teach anyone!
When I first started I was looking for a complete setup, and it came in the form of Gavin Pikes (752) Higman. Then the ex Derek Sillifant (607) car which Ian Jefferies (992) has now, and an ex Bradbury car, whih to be fair was the best car i ever had, should never had sold it.
I currently have a car that is a Higgy chassis, which I put the cage and suspension on with from Mike Lampshire, haven't had the same success with it

On top of the world.....

Jho - Why do think that this car hasn't had the success?
Ross- Lack of interest really. I wanted to travel. I went to Australia at the tail end of 2010 for 6 months, came back and still wanted to be away from home. I had gone to Africa and climed Kilamanjaro in 2006, and late last year went to South Africa and worked my way up to Kenya. I worked a lot of time on creating the ar, and it can be tiring, when it only lasts one corner. Plus I haven't had a full season with it yet.

Jho- What has been your low points in the sport?
Ross - Getting chassis bent and knocked out after being followed in at Taunton.

On rails in the wet

Jho - High points?
Ross -Winning my first final from red - the Ladies Trophy, at Taunton, a track I don't really like.

Jho- You a magic wand - what stox based wish do you grant yourself?
Ross - Another track in the South West, maybe the ability to pull more of a crowd. It would be great to have a crowd. And to tell all the haters, those who complain about noise etc to shut up. Bloody emmets!

Jho- What ambitions do you have left in the sport?
Ross - Finish a few races for a start, I want to get my red roof back. Maybe a world final too, got close but rolled on last lap of semi!

Racing hard at Skeg.......

Jho- You are probably Brisca's most active southerly driver (by a couple of meters) what geographical problems does this pose?

Ross - Lack of meetings and lack of tracks close by, and the expense of travelling. We like going to Skeg, but not necessarily for the racing!!! Bristol is a local track, but it would cost us £250 exluding damage, and we seem to get a lot of there! We have 90 minutes more to travel than the majority of the other top drivers in the region.

Giving it some welly - at Chris Cuming's stag do!

But beyond all else you have to enjoy it. If your not enjoying it then you shouldnt be doing it!

Jho - Do you have some people to thank.....

Ross - Firstly Higgy for being tight and driving us mad. Liam, see Higgy. Dad for making the car look pretty. Mum for keeping us fed and watered and acting as security! And Lawrence Beckenham and James Chalk plus all other friends for support.

Ross Rowe was talking to the Stox Blog's Jonny Hoare