The Interview train rocks up in the Midlands, and with the driver that probably would rank amongst the most unlucky at the mo. We found him under an upside down horseshoe under a ladder, he's Ryan Cattell (904)
NAME: Ryan Cattell
HOMETOWN: Hinckley, Leicestershire
AGE: 23
F2 DEBUT (Year/Track): 2010 Taunton Benevolent Fund Speedweekend
NUMBER: 904
PREVIOUS FORMULAE RACED: None
CURRENT F2: Tarmac RCE, Shale HCD/RCE
HIGHEST GRADE ACHEIVED: Yellow
ACHIEVEMENTS TO DATE: Best white top at the 2011 Birmingham WCQR, 3rd in a final at Arena Essex
SPONSORS: Aquapurge, J.Roberts Painters & Decorators and Dad
NICKNAME(S): Lecatt, Riggsy, Junior
FAVOURITE TRACK: Tarmac Birmingham, Shale Stoke
TRACKS RACED: Arena Essex, Belle Vue, Birmingham, Coventry, Kings Lynn, Northampton, Mildenhall, Skegness, Stoke, Taunton
JH - How did you get involved in racing?
RC - My dad was a mechanic for Rob Cowley and Rob Pearce in the 80’s, so I grew up following F1 stockcars, as a youngster I was pretty quick in a go-kart but only had eyes for Stockcar Racing
JH - What made you want to race?
RC - Watching my favourite stockcar driver Peter Falding (ex F1 driver) as a kid, I always wanted to be a stockcar driver from an early age
JH - Talk us through your first meeting...
RC - Nervewracking! Going down to Taunton, a track that my dad had previously done so well at, with a car I had only just built and never tested, and lining up behind Gordon Moodie (7) in my first ever race, with my novice black cross was just amazing! The only thought going through my mind was “This is what I have dreamt of all my life”. Finished 90% of my races over the weekend with improving lap times, and came away grinning like a Cheshire cat, pretty perfect weekend if I am honest!
JH - Whats been the best bits so far?
RC - Has to be 3rd in the final at Arena Essex, in tricky conditions and James Rygor almost catching me in the closing laps, and probably a close second would be last seasons qualifier final at Birmingham, quoted by Dave Goddard as race of the season at Wheels in 2011, being a part of that was immense, and finishing 9th too with all those top names around me!
JH - Whats been the low points?
RC - The worst would be having my throttle stick wide open as I took 7th
place at last years w/y final at Arena Essex, that hurt! The others
would be this season at Birmingham when I snapped my axle on lap 2, and
the engine blew up also on lap 2 at Northampton the next day!
JH - You were quite vocal last year about race formats, is it something you believe strongly in?
RC - Yes! We all love hard racing, we all love the contact , it’s the reason we race stockcars and not hotrods. I only say this from experiences I’ve had where you go to a meeting and they just slap you in a heat with too many cars in, it’s a bit of a can of worms subject and I'm sure some people would disagree, but as a budget racer, it’s a little frustrating to go to a meeting do 2 laps and then spend the rest of the day putting the car back together just to get in on the trailor, simply because there wasn’t enough space on the track to get round the bend, e.g World Masters last year. Everyone has an opinion and I am sure some will agree and some wont, but it’s the promoters decision and we all have to respect that. If it hadn’t of been chewing on the NIR fence post above the wall! Maybe I would have a different opinion! Haha!
JH -Does a racing dad help or hinder?
RC - Most definitely help! He understands the cars, and as I am still learning he can advise me when I need it, and when I get frustrated I just need to remind myself I couldn’t and wouldn’t want to do it without him!
JH - Who's the better driver?
RC - Me of course! I am sure he would strongly disagree, I am 26 years his junior so that plays a big part of my answer.
JH - Why have you called your shale car "Billy the Bus"?
RC - Ha! After the car came back from RCE with the downbars and new panels fitted it is a lot bigger and bus like than when I raced it on tarmac in 2010 and 2011, and after a random conversation about Rob Speaks “Thomas the tank” we decided that ours would be “Billy the bus”
JH- What is your ambition to achieve in the sport?
RC - I think the same as everyones, to be world champion!, I do set my sights a little lower and give myself targets, and to just improve at every meeting I attend.
JH -Tell us your best racing based story...
RC -That’s a toughy! Probably the first time I raced against my dad at Birmingham in 2010, he was a yellow grade and I was still very new to the sport, glancing in my mirror to see him right on my back bumper, I just knew what was going to happen, then came the hit, took me wide expecting him to come flying past so I could return the favour in the next bend, only he never came past, 2 laps later the same again, and yet he still never came past, it wasn’t until after the race and some piss taking comments directed at him that he confessed that my mums voice was echoing in his head “ Don’t you hurt my boy”! Haha safe to say he has never lived that one down!
JH - Do you have any thank yous?
RC - The biggest thankyou has to be to my dad, he helps fund the racing, he backs me 100%, he drives the van up and down the country whenever we race, and no matter what happens he always has a plan! Other thankyous go to my sponsors Aquapurge and J.Roberts for their continued support in my racing, Alex my mechanic who does a top job week in week out down the workshop and at meetings, and finally my better half, for coming to meetings to support me and putting up with being a stockcar widow! Couldn’t do it without any of these.
Ryan Cattell was talking with Jonny Hoare
 |
| As seen at a track near you, if your lucky! The RCE which has had numerous bad luck this season |
NAME: Ryan Cattell
HOMETOWN: Hinckley, Leicestershire
AGE: 23
F2 DEBUT (Year/Track): 2010 Taunton Benevolent Fund Speedweekend
NUMBER: 904
PREVIOUS FORMULAE RACED: None
CURRENT F2: Tarmac RCE, Shale HCD/RCE
HIGHEST GRADE ACHEIVED: Yellow
ACHIEVEMENTS TO DATE: Best white top at the 2011 Birmingham WCQR, 3rd in a final at Arena Essex
SPONSORS: Aquapurge, J.Roberts Painters & Decorators and Dad
NICKNAME(S): Lecatt, Riggsy, Junior
FAVOURITE TRACK: Tarmac Birmingham, Shale Stoke
TRACKS RACED: Arena Essex, Belle Vue, Birmingham, Coventry, Kings Lynn, Northampton, Mildenhall, Skegness, Stoke, Taunton
JH - How did you get involved in racing?
RC - My dad was a mechanic for Rob Cowley and Rob Pearce in the 80’s, so I grew up following F1 stockcars, as a youngster I was pretty quick in a go-kart but only had eyes for Stockcar Racing
JH - What made you want to race?
RC - Watching my favourite stockcar driver Peter Falding (ex F1 driver) as a kid, I always wanted to be a stockcar driver from an early age
JH - Talk us through your first meeting...
RC - Nervewracking! Going down to Taunton, a track that my dad had previously done so well at, with a car I had only just built and never tested, and lining up behind Gordon Moodie (7) in my first ever race, with my novice black cross was just amazing! The only thought going through my mind was “This is what I have dreamt of all my life”. Finished 90% of my races over the weekend with improving lap times, and came away grinning like a Cheshire cat, pretty perfect weekend if I am honest!
JH - Whats been the best bits so far?
RC - Has to be 3rd in the final at Arena Essex, in tricky conditions and James Rygor almost catching me in the closing laps, and probably a close second would be last seasons qualifier final at Birmingham, quoted by Dave Goddard as race of the season at Wheels in 2011, being a part of that was immense, and finishing 9th too with all those top names around me!
JH - Whats been the low points?
 |
| Billy the Bus in actions at a Muddy Cov |
JH - You were quite vocal last year about race formats, is it something you believe strongly in?
RC - Yes! We all love hard racing, we all love the contact , it’s the reason we race stockcars and not hotrods. I only say this from experiences I’ve had where you go to a meeting and they just slap you in a heat with too many cars in, it’s a bit of a can of worms subject and I'm sure some people would disagree, but as a budget racer, it’s a little frustrating to go to a meeting do 2 laps and then spend the rest of the day putting the car back together just to get in on the trailor, simply because there wasn’t enough space on the track to get round the bend, e.g World Masters last year. Everyone has an opinion and I am sure some will agree and some wont, but it’s the promoters decision and we all have to respect that. If it hadn’t of been chewing on the NIR fence post above the wall! Maybe I would have a different opinion! Haha!
 |
| Dad gets the better of Ryan on this occasion |
JH -Does a racing dad help or hinder?
RC - Most definitely help! He understands the cars, and as I am still learning he can advise me when I need it, and when I get frustrated I just need to remind myself I couldn’t and wouldn’t want to do it without him!
JH - Who's the better driver?
RC - Me of course! I am sure he would strongly disagree, I am 26 years his junior so that plays a big part of my answer.
JH - Why have you called your shale car "Billy the Bus"?
RC - Ha! After the car came back from RCE with the downbars and new panels fitted it is a lot bigger and bus like than when I raced it on tarmac in 2010 and 2011, and after a random conversation about Rob Speaks “Thomas the tank” we decided that ours would be “Billy the bus”
JH- What is your ambition to achieve in the sport?
RC - I think the same as everyones, to be world champion!, I do set my sights a little lower and give myself targets, and to just improve at every meeting I attend.
JH -Tell us your best racing based story...
RC -That’s a toughy! Probably the first time I raced against my dad at Birmingham in 2010, he was a yellow grade and I was still very new to the sport, glancing in my mirror to see him right on my back bumper, I just knew what was going to happen, then came the hit, took me wide expecting him to come flying past so I could return the favour in the next bend, only he never came past, 2 laps later the same again, and yet he still never came past, it wasn’t until after the race and some piss taking comments directed at him that he confessed that my mums voice was echoing in his head “ Don’t you hurt my boy”! Haha safe to say he has never lived that one down!
JH - Do you have any thank yous?
RC - The biggest thankyou has to be to my dad, he helps fund the racing, he backs me 100%, he drives the van up and down the country whenever we race, and no matter what happens he always has a plan! Other thankyous go to my sponsors Aquapurge and J.Roberts for their continued support in my racing, Alex my mechanic who does a top job week in week out down the workshop and at meetings, and finally my better half, for coming to meetings to support me and putting up with being a stockcar widow! Couldn’t do it without any of these.
Ryan Cattell was talking with Jonny Hoare
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