SS: So when was your actual first meeting?
SB: It was at Wisbech in March 1986
SS: How did you do?
SB: I lined up in the whites next to John Mickel (It was his first meeting too), John won the race and i was second, so not too bad i suppose.
SS: And the rest of the meeting?
SB: I Cant remember so i couldn't have done much good! all i really remember was getting lots of damage for quite a few meetings after that, leaving my poor Dad to repair the car whilst i went to work.
SS: I suppose your Dad was a great help to you then?
SB: Yes most definitely back in them days, Nowadays its Kevin Bee who is providing all the help and support, if it wasn't for either of these i would definitely not have been racing for 25 years!
SS: So beck to when you started, which drivers were the ones you were looking up to then?
SB: Howard Cole was a great inspiration as was Howard White who was always really helpful, then there was Robin Randall, a really good laugh, Martyn Brand, a dry old soap and we also got alot of help from Alan Mickel.
SS: What about the drivers now?
SB: The all time one has to be Sparkie, a real hard driver, pretty fair nowadays but never used to be, i used to crap my pants if i had to pass him!
SS: So talk us through the cars you have had
SB: The first car was an ex-Howard Cole car which we bought off Robin Moore, i kept that for about a year then bought a new Higman which i ran up until 1991. The Higman was replaced with a new HCD and i kept that for about 4 years. I then had the green HCD which i hated, never could seem to get it to go so in 1996 i had another HCD (the red one) which was much better. I later sold that to Mark Eaton when i thought i would try out National Hot Rods, however that didn't last long and i bought the ex-Gary Lambert car which i raced for the first time at speedeweekend, it was crap that meeting but looked stunning! I revamped that car and raced it for a while until i got another new HCD which i later got banned in after the British Championship.
SS: Why banned?
SB: The engine had drilled oil ways in the crank, it was news to me, i never touch the engines, but just one of those things i suppose, i won my first race back though at Swaffham speedewekend so that felt pretty good! After these cars i then started racing with Kevin and Julie Bee from Bees Motors and used Rob Perrys older Higman to start off. Then we had a new Higman which i won the World Championship in and then replaced that with the Higman i have now.
SS: Out of these cars which one would you say has been your favourite
SB: I would have to say the ex-Lambert one, just because it looked so good
SS: So that's the cars, what about the racing? can you think of your best race?
SB: I think i would have to say my first race win as World Champion, i didn't enjoy the World itself and think you always have that fear that you wont win a race all year, so that felt the best.
SS: What about a worst ever race?
SB: Any of the races at the recent Coventry, getting bashed about by all the lower grades! wasn't for me.
SS: Who would you say you have had some of the best races with?
SB: That would have to be Jason Cooper, we had a really good race for the final at Rockingham, swapping the lead every lap and we also had a great final race at Yarmouth last year when we crossed the line together.
SS: Can you win another World Title?
SB: Who can say? If the luck is with me on the day then definitely yes, but its just one race at the end of the day and anything can happen.
SS: How long do you intend to carry on racing?
SB: The day i feel that I'm not competitive anymore will be the time to call it a day.
Interesting thoughts there from Shaun, hes not the oldest driver out there, and a couple have been racing even longer than him, but he has always been at the top end of our sport since starting back in 1986, so for that, we salute you.
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Shaun's first Superstox     |