World Final 2018 Preview - 159 Calum Campbell - can he take the title back to Scotland?
159 Calum Campbell has had a successful season taking the GMP Points Championship seeing him qualify for his maiden World Final. Bryson caught up with The Mob man to gather his thoughts before the big race.
Calum opted for a Mercedes E Class as the tool for the World Final, the first time he has raced one.
B - Congratulations on qualifying for the Unlimited World Championship, your first time in the main race, was this a goal of yours at the start of the season?
C - Thanks mate! Yeah it sure was, GMP have a track championship that runs between world finals and the winner gets the world final seed so I set myself the goal of winning that this past year.
B - Well done on winning the points too! What car have you got for the main event?
C - A Mercedes E Class.
B - The E Class will probably be the favoured tool for most on the night. What’s your plan for the World race itself?
C - To win! (laughs) I’ve not really got a plan but Scottish drivers ain’t got a good record of form in the World Final, so even just to finish the race would be an achievement!
B - We had the first Irish World winner last year, so maybe we could have the first Scottish winner? If it’s not yourself, who would you like to see win the main race?
C - Maybe we could but it’s a long shot! I couldn’t say there is anyone I would like to see win it. I’ve not got any favourite drivers or any drivers I don’t like; I see every driver as equal just boys out for some fun and a crash so will be happy for whoever wins it.
B - That’s a good way to look on things. Obviously you have running mate 880 Naisy in the main race too and some Mob contingent in the last chance races too, will be good to see a load of you out as you’ve done some miles as a team this year? What’s been your highlight so far?
C - Yeah the teams put a few miles in this year. We always do as much as we can while supporting our local tracks. A personal highlight of the year for me was doing my first civil war although we never got the right result but was some buzz and a great meeting to be part of.
C - Thanks mate! Yeah it sure was, GMP have a track championship that runs between world finals and the winner gets the world final seed so I set myself the goal of winning that this past year.
B - Well done on winning the points too! What car have you got for the main event?
C - A Mercedes E Class.
B - The E Class will probably be the favoured tool for most on the night. What’s your plan for the World race itself?
C - To win! (laughs) I’ve not really got a plan but Scottish drivers ain’t got a good record of form in the World Final, so even just to finish the race would be an achievement!
B - We had the first Irish World winner last year, so maybe we could have the first Scottish winner? If it’s not yourself, who would you like to see win the main race?
C - Maybe we could but it’s a long shot! I couldn’t say there is anyone I would like to see win it. I’ve not got any favourite drivers or any drivers I don’t like; I see every driver as equal just boys out for some fun and a crash so will be happy for whoever wins it.
B - That’s a good way to look on things. Obviously you have running mate 880 Naisy in the main race too and some Mob contingent in the last chance races too, will be good to see a load of you out as you’ve done some miles as a team this year? What’s been your highlight so far?
C - Yeah the teams put a few miles in this year. We always do as much as we can while supporting our local tracks. A personal highlight of the year for me was doing my first civil war although we never got the right result but was some buzz and a great meeting to be part of.
Calum lined up on the grid for his first Civil War in this Nissan Micra as part of the Northern Light Brigade (AC Photos)
B - Looking ahead now - What do you have planned for the rest of the year?
C - I’ve got the 2l Scottish the week after WF then micro open Scottish the next day and I’ll probs have a break till January after that.
B - That’s a busy October! What’s your stance on the meetings clashing in Scotland? (The 2l Scottish at Cowdenbeath features on the same day as the Micro World Cup at Lochgelly.)
C - It’s not ideal to say the least but not much the drivers can do about it. The two tracks are never going to work together which is a shame but for me was madness for HRP to change from running on a Sunday to a Saturday night same as GMP that instantly had a bad impact on the racing up here.
B - That is a shame!
Taking the interview away from Calum and the World Final ever so slightly, I asked a question we commonly ask our interviewees - Who is your top driver of all time? After much deliberation, Calum answered with a true contender for the #1 spot.
C - That’s a tough one but I’ll have to go with 249 Polo (Mark Boulder). He was something else to watch!
B - He was a very top driver! Before we finish is there anyone you would like to thank?
C - Yeah, would like to thank all the boys that have been down the garage helping with the WF build and the lads south of the border who have gave us advice on how to build the car as was the first one we had put together - their help has been invaluable.
B - Thank you Calum and good luck for Saturday!
C - I’ve got the 2l Scottish the week after WF then micro open Scottish the next day and I’ll probs have a break till January after that.
B - That’s a busy October! What’s your stance on the meetings clashing in Scotland? (The 2l Scottish at Cowdenbeath features on the same day as the Micro World Cup at Lochgelly.)
C - It’s not ideal to say the least but not much the drivers can do about it. The two tracks are never going to work together which is a shame but for me was madness for HRP to change from running on a Sunday to a Saturday night same as GMP that instantly had a bad impact on the racing up here.
B - That is a shame!
Taking the interview away from Calum and the World Final ever so slightly, I asked a question we commonly ask our interviewees - Who is your top driver of all time? After much deliberation, Calum answered with a true contender for the #1 spot.
C - That’s a tough one but I’ll have to go with 249 Polo (Mark Boulder). He was something else to watch!
B - He was a very top driver! Before we finish is there anyone you would like to thank?
C - Yeah, would like to thank all the boys that have been down the garage helping with the WF build and the lads south of the border who have gave us advice on how to build the car as was the first one we had put together - their help has been invaluable.
B - Thank you Calum and good luck for Saturday!