World Final Rookie - Interview with 2 Jack Hodges
Jack has been chipping away and fast improving on the South-West scene. Picture courtesy of Anthony Jenkins Photography.
Jack Hodges may not be a name well-known to the casual banger fan, but the 22 year old from Exeter has had a solid season at Autospeed which has seen him qualify for his maiden World Final on Saturday at Foxhall.
Jack got into the racing as a youngster, watching at first before a nudge from his dad and brother-in-law saw him take to the track. Jack is part of a collective of friends that all race in the same livery, and although they do not have a ‘team name’, they pack some quality behind them with the likes of 2019 English Champion 100 Alec Jenner and 2019 Rookie World Champion 938 Ashley Rice. Jack perceives that it would be nice to get some gold on his roof one day, but with the World Final only being his second Unlimited appearance, admits that this is not something he is expecting to do this year.
Jack got into the racing as a youngster, watching at first before a nudge from his dad and brother-in-law saw him take to the track. Jack is part of a collective of friends that all race in the same livery, and although they do not have a ‘team name’, they pack some quality behind them with the likes of 2019 English Champion 100 Alec Jenner and 2019 Rookie World Champion 938 Ashley Rice. Jack perceives that it would be nice to get some gold on his roof one day, but with the World Final only being his second Unlimited appearance, admits that this is not something he is expecting to do this year.
Jack has a Mercedes E Class for the occasion, but mentioned he prefers to pilot a Mondeo. In Jack’s opinion, a Mondeo ‘holds up well in a crash and to a point and handles well too.’ Jack is keen to try new tracks with Ipswich being one to add to his list, and he is keen to get to Kings Lynn in the near future too, but he hasn’t ventured too far from home yet with only a handful of tracks under his belt with Taunton, St Day, Mendips, Ringwood and some local dirt tracks. Jack doesn’t seem fazed bu his lack of experience, and is expecting to just take the race in his stride, admitting that it feels to good to have qualified and he will just see how it goes! Jack has also raced at Hednesford, competing for the South in the last three Civil War’s, a meeting of which always stands out for Jack.
Jack in action at a Civil War - one of his favourite meetings to compete in. Photo courtesy of Racepixels.
Jack, also known as ‘Patchy’ doesn’t have a driver in particular that he admires, although the DWO contingent have earned his respect stating that ‘no matter where they go, they are always fast and are good drivers’, and would like to emulate them in an essence. He feels that the lack of the team’s presence this year in their native west-country has definitely aided his qualification. Jack aims to be a driver that is known for being able to crash and to race as well, so we shall see where the mood takes him on Saturday.
Jack doesn’t have many cars signwritten, but had this smart Ford Mondeo Estate for the 2019 staging of the PRI World Final at Mendips. Photo courtesy of Ben Aves at Totally Trashed.
Jack would like to conclude his chat with a thank you to both his dad and brother-in-law for getting him into the racing and for all of their help, as well to all of the ‘boys’ for their assistance along the way.
We wish Jack all the best on his debut in the biggest race of the year!
We wish Jack all the best on his debut in the biggest race of the year!
AC Photos
