Can you tell me a bit more about your background, how you got into being a mechanic, and how you became a race technician with NAPA Racing UK?
I left school and went to work at a local garage. I was into cars, motorbikes, and go-karting when I was at school. I did my apprenticeship at a local garage, then moved on to a Ford dealership for a few years. From there, I moved to another independent garage, which I eventually ended up taking over in March 2000. They were moving out of the area, and I didn’t want to go, so one day they were gone, and I was on my own. I literally started my own business at 23 or 24 years old. Nearly 25 years later, we’re still going strong.
A lot of our readers are mechanics and garage owners. I’m sure many would love to be in your shoes. What was the journey from local garage to race garage?
I was doing a lot of track days and car racing myself. I started with track days and then got into something called Time Attack, where you modify a road-going car to achieve the fastest lap. That got me into motorsport for about four or five years, and I won in a couple of different classes. Through that, my eldest son Charlie got involved as well. He expressed an interest in racing, so I got him some work experience with a team in the Touring Cars. They loved him, and he was taken on the following year. I ended up helping out, and before I knew it, I was fully involved. The team I was with then merged with the previous owners of this team, and apparently, I’m quite good at it, so I ended up looking after Ash.
How long have you been with the team?
I’ve been with NAPA since they started. This is our third year. I was with motorbikes for a year before that, and two years prior to that with AMD, so about six or seven years in total.
Can you tell us a bit more about the car itself, how it’s built, and the role you play in that?
Fortunately, the cars are ready to race when they arrive at the circuit, so I don’t get involved in the building part. I’m what’s commonly known as a “weekend warrior.” I turn up and get the glory. The real hard work is done by the engineers and the team at the Alliance Racing workshop. The cars start as road car shells and are built according to the Touring Car regulations, so not much is recognisable under the exterior shell.
You work closely with Ash. Could you tell me more about your responsibilities and how you ensure his car performs at its best during the weekend?
There are three mechanics on each car. The number one mechanic builds it in the factory, so he knows every nut, bolt, and screw. My role is to work with him and our engineer, Antonio Carrozza (Tony), to make any repairs. Ash is pretty good at knocking bumpers off, so we often change the floor or make setup changes like adjusting the ride height or camber. We might even change things on the fly during a session.
What are the biggest challenges you face during the season, and how do you overcome them?
We’re lucky that the cars are well-prepared. The biggest challenge is when we have to make repairs between sessions. Ash is pretty handy, so we’ve been lucky, but we’ve had some situations where we had to work quickly. If we only have an hour or two between races, that’s the toughest part—getting repairs done and then making any setup changes as needed.
How do you keep up with the latest equipment and tools? How do sponsors like NAPA and Carlyle Tools support you, and what tools do you use the most?
I’ve got my own Milwaukee Tools, which are very good. They’ve quickly taken over in our workshop from brands like Snap-on and Mac Tools. They’re cheaper and, in my opinion, much better. The team has been supplied with really nice NAPA toolboxes and some hand tools from Carlyle Tools by NAPA.
Can you share an instance where you had to make a quick decision under pressure, and how that impacted a race or a weekend?
Fortunately, I don’t make the big decisions—that’s one of the things I like about these race weekends. I run a garage with six mechanics, so I have to do all the thinking there. But here, I just ensure Ash’s car goes out and hopefully wins a race. The decisions on how to repair or adjust the car are made by the engineer or Ash. Sometimes, we have to quickly decide how best to carry out those repairs, but the main decision-making is above my pay grade.
Just to wrap up, how do you keep yourself motivated to come back every year? Do you see yourself doing this long-term, and what are your goals as a race technician?
Yes, I can see myself continuing. I’d like to be more involved in the off-season, with testing or development, because that side of it interests me more now. Antonio, our engineer, is brilliant, and there’s a lot to learn from him. I’d like to get more involved in that side of the race team, but finding the time is always the challenge.
