An Interview with BriSCA F2 Stockcar World Championship Semi Finalist 615 Josh Coleman
(interview published August 6 2014 in the lead up to the World Championship Semi-Finals at Mildenhall on August 23)

Age: 22
Home Town : Rochdale
Occupation: Runs taxi company with father
Family: Single
Racing career: Started racing aged 13 in National Ministox at Buxton

Congratulations on qualifying for this years World Semi Final, was this a target for this season and are you pleased to be on the grid?
Yes I am looking forward to it because it was something I set out to try and do this season and I’m really pleased to qualify but I’m now wondering if maybe I should have made more of an effort to have try and qualified a little better because I will be starting quite close to the back of the grid. I do think a top 10 is possible from there but I know it’s not going to be easy but obviously I’m more of a shale racer and we don’t exactly know how the tarmac drivers will do but also Mildenhall is a track where I usually go pretty well so that is giving me some confidence that a top 10 place is possible and I can qualify. To be honest work has been really busy recently and that’s been a big reason why I couldn’t do more in the qualifying series so it wasn’t anyone’s fault really and I just need to try and make the most with what I have now.

You have been in three Semi-Finals before but have yet to make it to a World Final, is that a source of frustration to you at all?
Not really because all of the previous Semi-Finals were at tarmac tracks where I knew I would struggle because I don’t really race on tarmac and I knew I wouldn’t be very competitive but I’d qualified so I figured it was worth having a go at least. Because this year’s Semi Finals are at Mildenhall, that was the reason why I decided to try and make sure I qualified for it this time because I really see this as my best chance to qualify for a World Final.

Is qualifying for this year’s World Final especially important to you?
Not especially but I would like to have a chance to be in a World Final at some point. It is still the biggest race of the year in our sport and even though I realise that should I qualify my chances would be limited it would still be fantastic to be a part of the big race and experience it and all the atmosphere which goes with it. I suppose that is going to be even more the case with the World Final at Cowdenbeath this year because everyone knows about the atmosphere there so for a World Final it’s going to be even more special so it would be fantastic to get in the race this time and have that chance to see what it’s like and live that experience but at the same time if it doesn’t go my way it wouldn’t be the end of the world for me.

If you were to qualify for the World Championship, what preparations would you take to compete in the race?
I think the only chance I would have of competing at Cowdenbeath would be if there were about five inches of rain before the start (laughs). I suppose I could look into hiring a (tarmac) car for the race but I’m not sure I would. At the end of the day you will always feel more comfortable and confident in your own car, that’s just something you cannot replace so the likelihood is I would make some changes to my car and do the best I can with it but I’ll look into all the costs involved should I qualify and make a decision then, there isn’t much point in planning too much now is there (laughs).

You mentioned that you think it is possible to qualify despite starting so near the back, can you talk more about that and any plans you might have for the race?
I came from the back of the grid in the World of Shale Championship and finished on the podium so it’s definitely possible, especially at Mildenhall where everything is so unpredictable. I think if you factor in the amount of tarmac drivers who are likely to out of their comfort zone at the track then you definitely have the possibility of some stuff to happen and I think the more carnage the more my chances of getting to where I need to be. I think one of the semis will probably be very quiet and the other will be utter carnage. These races usually go one of those two ways and I doubt they will both be the same so I reckon you’ll have one of each and hopefully I will be in the one with all the carnage and if I can get through it I’ve got as chance.

How important will the early stages be, especially when you start so far back?
They will be important but it’s impossible to say how it will go. On the one hand you could go hell for leather, especially being at the back where you could say you have nothing to lose but if you don’t make it out of the first bend or first lap then you won’t get anywhere so the most important thing at the start is going to be to not crash and I think a lot of people are likely to be thinking that because qualifying for the World Final is going to be everyone’s target. It’s one of those situations where it is impossible to predict what’s going to happen and so you just need to play it out as it goes really. But I’d be surprised if either race doesn’t have some sort of stoppage and that could make a difference for someone like me, coming from the back that could make a big difference because stoppages can have a huge impact on your race.

How do you feel your Mildenhall form has been this season and hoe does that affect your confidence?
The car has been going really at Mildenhall and that does help give you some belief that you can do it. Again I came from the back in the World of Shale and that was in my old car and I feel my new car is a lot better than that one so it does help. I’m happy with how I’ve been going at Mildenhall but again with the way the track is, one mistake and that can be the end there so you can never take anything for granted.

Who do you feel could be the drivers to watch in your semi-final?
I think (788) Stephen Mallinson could be one, he’s the first of what I would call the shale drivers on the grid and he’s quick round Mildenhall and he has (103) Carl Issit just behind and he’s been having a great year at Mildenhall so I think both of those drivers are going to be up there and leading contenders to win the race?

You’ve mentioned the World of Shale Championship from last year a couple of times, you have qualified very decently for this years final at Coventry on August 16, is that a race you are looking forward to?
Yes I am. I was very disappointed to not qualify last year and have to go through the last chance race and I didn’t enjoy that very much because I feel a put a lot of pressure on myself to qualify, too much really so it wasn’t a very good experience and I’m glad I’ve avoided that this year and pre booked my place on the grid. As great as it would be to qualify for the World Final, the World of Shale really is my gold roof race of the season and I think a lot of shale drivers feel the same so it’s great to be in it again and I’ll be giving it my best. I had the fastest lap time the last time I raced there so it’s another track where I seem to be able to go well at, but that is a totally different ball game to something like the Semi-Final race.

Is there anyone else you would like to thank or mention?
My dad, big time for everything he does to help me, Billy and Mark Webster for storing the car and the work they do to it, Lucas Oil for their sponsorship and LFB Motorsport.