Athlete Report: DANIEL METTAM MOTORCYCLE RACING Feb 2014

Nov – VMCC, Taupo, 600cc F2 - Rnd 6 – Race 1, 2, 3 – Results 3, 3, 2 Nov – PMCC, Taupo , 600cc F2 – Race 1, 2, 3, 4 – Results 1, 1, 1, 1 Dec – AMCC – Hampton Downs – 600cc F2 – Rnd 3 – Race 1, 2 – Results 4, 2 Dec – Suzuki Tri Series - Hampton Downs - 600cc F2 – Rnd 1 – Race 1, 2 – Results 5, 3 Dec – Suzuki Tri Series – Manfeild - 600cc F2 – Rnd 2 – Race 1, 2 – Results 2, 4 Dec – Suzuki Tri Series – Wanganui Cemetery Circuit (Boxing Day) – 600cc F2 – Rnd 3 – Race 1, 2 – Results 4, 4 Jan – Nationals, Ruapuna Chch, 600cc F2 – Rnd 1 – Race 1, 2, 3 – Results DNF, 11, 9 Jan – Nationals, Levels, Timaru, 600cc F2 – Rnd 2 – Race 1, 2, 3 – Results DNF, 5, 13

All my riding on a 600cc F2 bike now – 2nd youngest in country on one – (2nd season) last 3 NZ champs ages 42, 43 & 32-

• Finished 2nd in the VMCC 6 rnd winter series

• Coming 2nd in Auckland 600cc Championship (after 3/6 rnds) – Hope to win that Championship (all rnds at Hampton Downs)

• Won 4 races out of 4 against a top Nth Island field of 600cc riders at Taupo at PMCC event in November

• Finished 3rd in the International Tri-series (3 rnd championship) against some of NZ best riders

• Lead race 1 of the Manfeild Rnd with 2 corners to go but nearly crashed, saved it & finished 2nd (Damn)

• Had my best finish’s yet (2 x 4ths) at Wanganui St races on boxing day – Big crowd of 15,000 – 20,000, extremely fast & dangerous circuit –

• Went to 1st two rnds of Nationals down Sth Island in good form & with high expectations of top 5 finish’s but not a lot went my way – had 1 motor blow up, 1 motor overheat (still got 13th over line for some points), 1 last lap crash when battling for 4th & one wet race when we had wrong tyres on (as rain started 1 min before we had to go out) – Still have 2 more rnds (8 races) of Nationals late March at two of my favourite tracks (Taupo & Manfeild) where I know my lap times are good enough to battle up front – Still hoping to finish 5th in the Championship (appx 22 in each race)

Upcoming events

• Pacific Club Meeting, Taupo – February

• Paeroa St Race – February

• AMCC – Rnds 4 & 5 – Hampton Downs – March

• NZ Nationals – Rnds 3 & 4 – Taupo & Manfeild – March

• AMCC – Rnd 6 (last rnd) – Hampton Downs – April

Photo credit Martin Halford

DOYSF Proudly supported by The Douglas Charitable Trust