2013-12-09 09:17:19.2
Eddie has been reflecting on his time in the sprint championship. In a recent exclusive interview with Web4Sport, Eddie revealed his opinions on his time in the sprints and elaborated on his reasons for pulling out.
W4S:
Firstly, looking back on your time in the sprints, how do you view it?
EH:
Largely with good memories. There have been some high points and there have been more than a fair share of low points, but all in all I have enjoyed the last four and a bit years and appreciate the fact that I learned a lot from racing in the sprints. I've also met some nice people and made some good friends.
W4S:
How did you fare in your first season compared to how you thought you would?
EH:
Well I came into 2002 knowing that it would be a tough challenge. I knew it would be a lot more competitive than anything else I had done before, but I thought I would be nearer the front than I was. I had always been there or there abouts in the other small championships I had competed in and I came into my first race on the back of three very successful tests, where I was always one of the fastest if not the fastest guys there.
I knew a race would be a lot harder but I never expected to be as far back as I was in my first few races. I just couldn’t believe how quick the top guys were. I was totally blown away and it did dent my confidence quite a lot.
W4S:
You came into the series at the beginning of 2002 with quite a bit of hype surrounding you. How did that affect you in your first season?
EH:
Yeah the website. I received a lot of attention in that first year – some good and some bad. I don’t think it affected me on the track but obviously it made my learning curve that much harder because everyone was watching me so closely and I think some people expected more from me, which made it quite tough.
W4S:
Do you regret the attention that having the website caused?
EH:
Not at all. It has always only ever been a bit of fun but it has served its purpose. It got me noticed, most people know who I am – even if I don’t always know who they are – and I think it’s helped me get to where I am today.
The only really negative point was in the first year there were a small number of people who took it seriously, I guess because they take themselves seriously. It took me a long time to establish that it was only going for a laugh. I wasn’t helped in the first year by someone, or several someone’s, logging on as me on the old, very insecure, Forum and posting offensive messages. That made me look like a bit of a twat, but I can’t be held responsible for other people not having a life can I?
W4S:
You mentioned ups and downs earlier. You have often said that 2002 was a great year but 2003 was, by comparison, a disaster. Explain that.
EH:
Well it’s quite simple. 2002 was my first year back for nearly three years. It was my first season in, what I perceive to be, a “proper” championship. I went from being a mid field C finalist to a front end C finalist to a mid field B finalist to a constant B final front runner and ended the season making an A final. I saw that as great progress and I expected that progress to continue into 2003.
That season started OK, again I was knocking on the door of the A final for the opening couple of races but luck wasn’t with me. After Bayford I think the season just went to rat-shit! I developed this amazing knack of being in the prime target for other drivers’ stupid lunges, which I’m convinced, was because some people just wanted a mention on the website. There were also various other problems off the track, which I won’t go into, so on the whole it was a shit year.
It wasn’t a total washout. I think I had become accepted by most of the front runners by then and of course I had attracted the attention of endurance teams, firstly Racing Imperative and of course Steve’s IMSD Racing squad, but apart from that it was a year I would rather forget.
W4S:
But of course for 2004 you moved to the Heavyweights and that is where the luck changed isn’t it?
EH:
Totally. I started the season in the lightweights and the first two races I struggled, not only with the twats taking me out, but also with my weight. I was right on the limit. I decided to put on a couple of extra pounds and move. Of course being one of the lightest drivers and racing in a series where, in my opinion, the overall standard of driver is so much better, I made an A final first time out and have been a regular A finalist ever since.
W4S:
Which begs the question… why quit now?
EH:
Quit while you’re ahead that’s what I say! No seriously, it is a shame to be leaving now just as the results seem to be coming my way but this is a decision that has been boiling under the surface since the end of 2003.
At the end of that year I was so close to packing it in because I was so frustrated with being taken out all the time and I felt I had underachieved a bit. That is a feeling that has become less and less in recent years but now it is more a question of money and value for money. I’m doing so much better in the endurance championship and I personally prefer that type of racing – it suits me better. I personally don’t get enough out of the sprints. Even to make an A final is an achievement in Club100 and to be e regular A finalist is pretty impressive but it’s just not where I want to be. I want to be challenging for wins and championships and I just can’t do that in the sprints and I can’t really justify spending that sort of money for barely half an hours worth of track time for such little reward.
W4S:
You mentioned that you have learned a lot in the sprints.
EH:
Oh yes the sprints have taught me so much. Firstly they have taught me how to cope with disappointment. I was also very much put in my place in my first year, so they have taught me not to be arrogant and cocky. I have learned race craft, controlled aggression, starts, accident avoidance, how spinning can fuck your day completely… Basically invaluable skills and things that certainly were major contributors to our winning the Inters championship last year. When I look at where I am today compared to where I was just over four years ago, you can’t even compare. I mean try and compare the arrogant little rookie who spun off trying to catch local rival and [then] reigning champion, James Winslow, to the current reigning Inters Champion and two times Clubman winner of Spa, who has recently been barred from taking part in a Pro kart race because he is too good… how’s that for arrogant?
W4S:
Finally, will you be back?
EH:
I don’t know. For the foreseeable future no, but maybe someday I might.
