Darley Moor 2015 Championship
21st & 22nd March 2015 - Testing commenced at Darley Moor on Saturday 21st and this was the first time for Matt to try the bike and see it felt on track... the result was pleasing. The CBR pulled noticeably stronger throughout the rev-range and after messing altering the gearing Matt felt comfortable and ready for Round #1 on 22nd March. Round #1 was a success for MGR, once practise was out of the way. Unfortunately due to Matt's visor severely misting up during timed practise and going into corners blind he could not successfully complete the full practise time and could not get very far up the grid, leaving him starting from 11th in the Steel Framed/Pre Injection 600 races and 19th in the Pre-98 up to 1000cc races. Race 1 for Matt was the Steel Framed race which Matt had an average start off the line and finished in a respectable 3rd place. Pre-98's followed and although a fun race with a bit of dicing Matt crossed the line in 11th. After a short lunch break and re-fuelling the second Steel Framed race again saw Matt taking 3rd but the time sheet showed the best lap was completed on Lap 0 (?) this did ring alarm bells but MGR continued regardless. The Pre-98 race saw Matt get an apauling start off the line after missing the change up to 2nd gear pushing him to the back of the pack only managing to claw 3 places back leaving him in 11th again. At the end of this race the Marshalls told Matt that the transponder was working intermittently thus causing inaccurate lap times. All in all a consistent day but hope for better going into and through 2015!
12th April 2015 - So we all new the forecast as we had all been eagerly monitoring reports all week... it would start off OK, vercast but OK. Afternoon however would see potential heavy down pours. The wets were at the ready! As any normal race day, we got Darley Moor approx. 07:30am and set up. The CBR had a set of 'scrubs' we hadn't yet used on ready for the days racing. We went out in practise and Matt came into paddock and declared that the bike felt awful, "it won't turn in, I can't put the power down, it just doesn't feel right". So what has changed since Tonfanau just 1 week ago? - the tyres! Although these tyres had not been used by us and had only done 6-laps and were scrubbed on a Triumph 675 they had been sat in the cold garage over the winter, the result it that they had 'gone off', i,e. lost the grip and became harder; less supple. With practise sessions ended for Matt G Racing the tyres were changed and we all had to hope that this was the problem because next time Matt is out will be the Steel Frame 600 race where he is currently 3rd in Championship. Matt was out in race 3 and to pass the time we all watched race 1 and part of race 2 - it was carnage out there. There was a very cold wind coming across the airfield keeping track temperature down and this just seemed to be the day of mechanical failures for many, with engine blow ups and many accidents, which had been consistent with the practise sessions. Matt G Racing decided run a higher PSI in the tyres to get heat in quicker, and maintain it - this seemed to work. Race 3 saw this Steel Frame Race commence and due to poor timed practise as a result of earlier issues saw Matt on grid position 8 for start. It was a good race (still need to sort out better starts off the clutch!!) having fun dicing with No. 56, No. 6 and Peter Jackson on Steel Frame No. 122. This had been a fun race but also lucky, Matt had not realised the approx. 1/2 lap before chequered flag the rear caliper pin had sheared and the rear claiper was hanging off banging the rear wheel. The Marshall had tried to wave me down from a safe distance but being in the 'zone' Matt had failed to see him and did apologise once he had found out. Finishing in a respectable 4th in the Steel Framed class. Race 8, Pre-98's class saw a 9th for Matt G Racing - dissappointing but nonetheless, fun! After lunch, as per forecast, the rain came in very heavy and within minutes the paddock was soaked, and the track. Due to countless incidents through the day there was oil on the track (that had been taken care of but never easy to eliminate), this combined with water ended the day for Matt G Racing with Matt deciding it wasn't worth the risk. As you looked down the paddock it seemed at keast 50% had the same idea and left. Had it of just been the rain, bring it on... but not oil. So, after a mixed day of racing, weather and emotions Matt retains 3rd in the Championship but will miss round 3 on 4th May... who knows if he will loose his position or not by round #4...