(Interview conducted for Spedeworth’s Unlimited World Final programme 2024)
920 Terry Church has been around the ovals for several years. The Swindon Vigilantes driver made his way on to the grid for the second time in a career that has spanned over 20 years. In doing so, the Swindon Vigilantes driver delivers on a promise he made at the start of the year.
Like many drivers on the World Final grid tonight, Terry got into racing through his family roots. “My Dad raced when I was younger and it was just in the blood from there. He and Mark Chrip made the colours (the green and yellow we regularly see Terry in), and those are the colours I still remain in.” It wasn’t watching his Dad where Terry’s early racing memories come from however, “We used to go a lot to Ringwood. My Dad didn’t race at the time, but my Mum used to take us to watch the Vigilantes – I always used to stand on a bin to watch them line up for the Final.”
Terry didn’t initially race in the Swindon Vigilantes colours, his first meeting saw him out in black and white. “My first meeting was in 2001 or 2002. I raced with my mate and his Dad – we called ourselves The Bodgers. It was at Blunsdon Stadium (Swindon). I only did two races in the end as I bent the front too much, so we couldn’t get the wheels straight.”
It’s been a very busy 20+ years since that first meeting, and Terry has racked up many meetings and smashed up numerous cars since that debut at Swindon. His favourite car to race being a Nissan Bluebird. “You’ve got to love a Bluebird – easy build, easy bend, easy mend! You can’t beat coming off track with the roof bent up and it’s still driving.” Track wise, Terry is linked closely to his local venue of Standlake, but there is one track that he misses dearly. “I loved the Wimbledon days. Sunday evenings just haven’t been the same since,” confesses Terry. “I’ve also had some great meetings up at King’s Lynn. The people are great up there and the track makes no odds whether you are fast or slow.” There’s only one night that truly makes Terry tick though. “I always love World Final night,’ he admits. ‘2013 was my first experience on track on World Final night. I got an entertainer award in my first race and was happy with that. The best meeting for me though was the 2016 World Final; getting to be in the main race.”
Terry gets the opportunity to recreate the emotions and feelings of that night in 2016 once again tonight as he features in the main race. “Being on the grid for the second time is great. It means more this time though as it falls the same night as my middle daughter turns 18, and she asked me to try and qualify as it would be an amazing present, and I managed to do it. It’s not been an easy year” admits Terry. “I had a few car troubles at the start of the year which knocked me back a bit, but we kept going. I’ve had lots of lorry issues, and other bits. This year was a lot harder than 2016 as there was a lot more meetings to do.” Terry didn’t break that promise he made to Imogen, and naturally being able to share that moment with her and the family will be the highlight of the evening, but what is his aim for the race? “I’m going to try to keep my head down and finish the race. It will just be nice to finish a race like that. I’ve got an E Class Mercedes for the race itself. It’s what I’ve used all year and I’ve got the set-up pretty much there now, so it’s pointless using something different.”
Those that follow the interviews on the Caged! website will be aware that we ask all interviewees to name us their dream 6-a-side team including theirselves, so we did the same with Terry with a slight twist; it has to be made of previous World Champions. “I have to go with my all-time hero – 6 Mark Holdsworth. 33 Gary Madgwick was another idol of mine back in the day. 124 ‘Oris’ Carl Korszewski as we go back a long way and he’s the sort of driver you’d want in a team. 617 Jack Overy. He’s a great team driver and is the GOAT, and then 331 ‘Boxer Jack’ Jason Jackson just to fill the team” he laughs.
There was a large gap between Terry’s debut and his first World Final appearance, and although it’s only been 7 years since his first time in the main race, things develop quickly in the Banger community, so we gathered Terry’s perspective on that matter. “Racing in the current day is not as fun as it was back in the day. There was a lot less to do when building and less money and time being spent on cars, but you have to roll with the times. When I started, I only really raced Standlake in the Unders. I’d strip and build the car on the Saturday, race it Sunday and scrap it on Monday. I was very keen this year to try and get in due to my daughter’s wishes, so being able to qualify meant the world to me. It’s also special now, as it’s mostly Unlimited meetings (to qualify) and I’m not the quickest or best driver. There wouldn’t really be much I’d change about the qualification process. Just perhaps make the top 5 in the points start from the back so it gives us slower ones a bit of a chance.”
Terry would like to conclude the interview by showing some appreciation to those around him. “I’d like to give a big thanks to my wife Janice for living a single life most of the year while I’ve been either building cars or at racing. Another big shout out to Matty Ledders. He’s been by my side pretty much since last year’s World Final as he said he would and fair play – he even did days where I’ve not made it to the yard due to work and he’s just cracked on.”
