Exclusive interview with top British co-driver, Nigel Gardner

Personal
Name:	Nigel Gardner
Age:	**** 37
Marital status:	Single
Children:	A daughter called Sophie
Occupation:	Self-employed decorator
Place of birth:	Tredegar, South Wales
Country or county where you live:	Gwent
Does your spouse / partner like rallying?	**** She has to!
Any other hobbies?	Keeping fit, motorcycling and a few beers with my friends.
Your opinions
Favourite food:	Indian
Favourite drink:	Tea
Favourite motorsport paper / magazine:	Motorsport News/Rally XS.
Favourite sports person (other than rallying):	Carl Fogarty. I heard he couldn't go rallying because they couldn't fit his balls in the car!!!!
Favourite film star:	Tom Hanks
Favourite holiday destination:	Anywhere hot and relaxing
Which TV sports programmes do you watch?	Scrum 5, A Question of Sport, Rally UK
Starting out
How did you start out?	Started spectating at the age of 3, did 12 cars, marshalling etc, then it was a natural progression into competing.
First driver you sat with:	Chris Richards, another driver with bags of talent who unfortunately never made it.
First event:	K&N Filters Rally, 1992
Rallying background
Type of licence held:	International
Which motor club do you belong to?	Ystrad Mynach
Do you contribute towards your rallying?	Not financially
Have you ever driven on a rally?	Yes, on a few road rallies in a 205 GTi, had a few good results & a big off!!
Did you ever marshal on events? When and where?	When and where? I do when I get the time, usually stage events, can't stay awake for night events anymore!!
How many events do you get to watch? (e.g. per year)	About 6.
How many rallies do you take part in? (e.g. per year)	Usually 8 - 12, the most being 19
Have you competed abroad? Where and when?	Yes, Belgium on several occasions
Your opinions (rallying)
Favourite rally car:	Peugeot 205 T16
Favourite rally driver:	The late Dave Metcalf, he was awesome in his Nova
Favourite rally co-driver:	Robert Reid
Favourite bit of road or forest:	Forest - Rheola, South Wales. Tarmac - The Curraghs, Isle of Man
Do you prefer pace notes or map reading events?	I enjoy them both, but prefer pacenotes because you can easily reach 3 figures on the speedo!!!
Things you dislike about rallying?	The lack of opportunity in Britain for talented drivers to make it to the WRC.
Who do you think will win the World Rally Championship in 2003?	Markko Martin
Rallying history
Drivers you have sat with:	Chris Richards, Howard Davies, Carl Davies, Andy Gwynne, Nicky Moore, Lee Perry, Andy Lewis, Les Skeet, Jeff Denmeade (American), Jeremy Easson, Chris Rimmer, Martin Shields, Ian Gwynne (testing), Eliot Retallick, * Steve Fleck and Pentti Airikkala, **** Mick Lower, Robert Gough. Sorry to the ones I've missed.
Best driver you have ever sat with?	Jeremy Easson
Best result:	7th overall / 1st Group N - Swansea Bay National Rally 2002 **** 1st overall 2004 Harry Flatters Rally on the infamous Eppynt ranges with Steve Fleck in an Impreza WRC S7 - we beat the "bogie" on 14 out of 18 stages!
Worst result:	Breaking a driveshaft on the start of the last stage during the Mutiny National Rally 2002; we were leading Group N by over minute and 6th overall at the time.
Championships contested:	Ears/Motoring News 93, 94, 95, Peugeot 106 cup 96, Safety Devices 98, 99, 2000. ANCRO 2002, EVO Challenge 2002
Best Championship result:	National Tarmac Champion 2000 (Group N), ANCRO National Champion 2002 (Group N), Mitsubishi Evo Challenge Champion 2002. They all make me grin!!!!
Best rally memory:	Finishing the 1995 RAC alongside Carl Davies, it was the last of the real RACs, a very tough event & a dream come true to finish it
Strangest incident on a rally:	Being stopped by the police during the recce for the 2000 Network Q with Jeremy Easson. We had no exhaust, no back lights and we weren’t hanging about at the time. The copper peered in through the window and said, "You have no back lights or exhaust, but bugger that, tell me where this rally is going so I can take the wife & kids" !!!!! (Honest)
Biggest accident:	Being launched off the side of Druidale in the Isle of Man by an American driver during the 99 Manx International. It was pitch dark and scary!!!
Achievements gained from rallying:	I've made a lot of good friends, travelled to lots of nice places and had a great laugh along the way.
Your current performance
Your current driver(s) and events or Championships being contested in 2003	ANCRO with Jeremy Easson ** Eliot Retallick in the Ford KA Championship
... and in 2004?	*** This year I'll be sitting with Jeremy Easson in a Grp N Impreza and Steve Fleck in an Impreza WRC
... and in 2005?	***** This year I'll be sitting with Nik Elsmore in the Mitsubishi Evo Challenge
How could you improve your ‘own’ current performance?	Finish work earlier leading up to events, that would save on sleepless nights.
How could you improve your current driver’s performance?	Keep him out of the bar!!!!
If you had £50,000 to spend on rallying, what would you do?	Invest in a British co-driver academy with the aim of getting the talented ones into WRC.
Your future in rallying
Where would you most like to compete (in the world):	Finland
Which rally would you most like to compete in?	Rally Finland
Which driver(s) would you most like to co-drive for?	Marcus Gronholm in the 206 WRC and Colin McRae in a Group 4 Escort!!!
Ambition in rallying for the future:	To get to the WRC and help other co-drivers who are learning the ropes.
What would you like to put back into rallying?	To help others get started, whether as a driver/co-driver or marshal etc.
The future of rallying
Which up-and-coming rally driver can you recommend?	** Eliot Retallick
Which up-and-coming rally co-driver can you recommend?	Neil Bevan & Iestyn AP Dafydd, these boys will go places given the right opportunities.
What would be the best tip you could give to other co-drivers?	If you’re ever in doubt, don't be afraid to ask.
posted 24/2/03 amended 18/5/03 updated 7/4/04 * updated 13/1/05 (items marked **) updated6 6/2/05 (items marked ***)