… 20 Questions with – Mike Faulkner …
Mike Faulkner is one of the most prolific rallyists in the country, contesting more events and driving more stage miles than just about anyone else currently competing. He won the Scottish Junior Championship in 1994 for which part of the prize was a weekend away with the Subaru World Rally team, and of course, Colin McRae. Throughout the 1990s, Mike racked up the miles contesting the one-make Peugeot challenge events followed by the Fiesta Challenge. It was an affordable way to be competitive without having a front running car. But since he moved up to the Lancers, he has proved that he has the pace to win when all is equal, witness that superb victory on the Merrick in 2011 fending off Robbie Head. Over the past 6 years he has finished runner-up in the Scottish Championship three times, third on two occasions and was fourth in 2010.
1. The Day Job
Sales Manager with BSW Timber. With six sawmills across the UK it’s the country’s biggest sawmilling operation.
2. Age:
42
3. How long have you been rallying?
25 years – this is my anniversary
4. Why rallying?
It’s what I’ve always wanted to do, since I was 5. My Dad rallied a Ford Mexico MkI in the Motoring News Road Rally Championship and he had a garage business in Wales till I was about 7 so I suppose that had something to do with it.
5. Hero?
Pentti Airikkala. Yes I know he was a bit of a hooligan, but perhaps that was part of the attraction, and then latterly Colin McRae.
6. First event?
We had just finished building my first car, an Escort MkII 1600 X-flow and looked around for somewhere to try it out. So our first event was at Kames – I finished in the top 25!
7. Rally cars driven?
Ford Escort MkII, Ford Sierra (Warrior Pinto 2WD), Mitsubishi Galant, Peugeot 306, Peugeot 106, Peugeot 206, Ford Fiesta (Challenge), Mitsubishi Lancer Evo6, Mitsubishi Lancer Evo9.
8. Favourite cars?
My own favourite car would have to be the Evo6, it was the most fun to drive, but my favourite rally car would have to be Colin’s ’95 world title winning Subaru Impreza.
9. Best result?
That would be the 2009 RSAC Scottish Rally in the Evo6 – it was the first stage rally I went t see as a child.
10. Worst result?
We had just finished building the Fiesta and wanted to give it a shakedown ahead of the Challenge starting so took it to the 2006 Snowman. 200 yards into the first stage, the gearbox broke, and there was a long story behind that.
11. Worst accident?
Jim Clark Rally in 2002-ish, in the Peugeot 206. It was raining, we were on slicks, and it was in the real fast bit of Abbey St Bathans. Just over a crest there was water standing on shiny tar. We didn’t have a chance, and ended up in the trees. The driver’s door took the impact and the cage broke in two places, but it did its job. Alan (Clark) and I were both OK.
12. Favourite Rally/Stage?
Favourite event is the Pirelli Rally, and that’s down to the Kielder stages, but my favourite stage is Glentrool at Newton Stewart. It’s a real driver’s stage, it rewards commitment. It’s really fast.
13. Food to go?
I really don’t eat on rallies, just drink Lucozade – oh, and Peter’s (Foy) ‘go-faster’ fruit pastilles!
14. Fitness?
I like mountain-biking, and I have a rowing machine at home.
15. Road car?
A Peugeot 407 diesel estate – the less I spend on road cars the more I can spend on the rally car.
16. Driving Music?
I like hard rock music and tend to listen to Planet Rock on the radio. Stuff like Kings of Leon for modern music and Nirvana for older stuff.
17. Easy Listening?
Pink Floyd.
18. Time off?
Rallying, and more rallying, and working around the house. The family has horses so there’s that too.
19. Reading material?
Don’t really buy anything these days, but get Motorsport News when I can.
20. Social media?
I’m not against it, but I don’t really bother with it. Peter looks after our Facebook page but I’ll look at the WRC website when there’s a World Rally round on and listen to the on-line radio reports. I try not to look at the rally cars for sale websites! I sometimes look at the Forums too, just to see what is going on. For instance I looked at them after I had been out spectating on the Malcolm Wilson Rally just to see what the stories were.
Facebook page:
https://www.facebook.com/pages/BSW-Timber-Rally-Team-Mike-Faulkner-Peter-Foy/188637227833850