Darren Neal

Name	DARREN NEAL
Age	REALLY?
Years Racing	13 YEARS ON AND OFF
Team Details	WIG & STAN (MECHANIC/DRUNK) SAL (RACE FAIRY) MICHELLE (THE MRS) DAVE (TEAM MATE)
Website	www.dnracing.co.uk
Sponser Details	BLADE GROUP, CSC RACING, GARY VARDY, DUNLOP, NEVIS, FORCE FIELD BODY ARMOUR.
Current Class	POWERBIKE/OPEN
Current Bike	HONDA CBR1000RR6
Race Number	5
Racing CV	1994-1995 NGRRC 600CC BEST FINISH 22ND 2000 – VARIOUS MEETINGS WITH NGRRC AND NEW ERA.CLASS F400 BIKE SUZUKI RGV250. BEST FINISH 11TH 2001 – NGRRC F400 & F600 RGV250/ZX6R BEST FINISH 3RD (B FINAL) 2002 – NGRRC F600 ZX6R BEST FINISH 6TH (A FINAL) 22ND IN CHAMPIONSHIP 2003 – NGRRC 600CC GSXR600K1 BEST FINISH 3RD 8TH IN CHAMPIONSHIP 2004 – NGRRC 600CC GSXR600K1 1 WIN SEVERAL TOP 3’S 5TH IN CHAMPIONSHIP 2005 – NGRRC 600CC YZF R6 1 WIN SEVERAL TOP 3’S 3RD IN CHAMPIONSHIP 2006 – NGRRC 600CC YZF R6 2 WINS SEVERAL TOP 3’S 3RD IN CHAMPIONSHIP. 10TH IN MANX GP NEWCOMERS RACE 108MPH LAP 2007 – NGRRC POWERBIKE & OPEN CBR1000RR BEST FINISH 2ND. 3RD IN OPEN AND POWERBIKE CHAMPIONSHIPS. 50TH & REPLICA IN MANX GP JUNIOR RACE. 112MPH LAP.
First Race	PEMBREY 600CC NOVICE RACE 1994 FINISHED 11TH AFTER GOING OFF TRACK AT 3RD CORNER!
Favorite Tracks	ISLE OF MAN TT COURSE 100% PURE ADRENALIN FROM START TO FINISH AND THE MOST FUN YOU CAN HAVE WITH YOUR TROUSERS ON.
Worse Tracks	WE DON’T GO THERE ANY MORE, BUT CHIVENOR, AN OLD AIRFIELD CIRCUIT WAS AWFUL, CRAP SURFACE, POT HOLES AND JUST NOT MUCH FUN REALLY.
Best finish	1ST
Worse Finish	22ND
Proudest Moments	LOTS OF THESE BUT I THINK THE MOMENT WHEN I HAVE BEEN HAPPIEST WAS MY FIRST 100MPH LAP OF THE TT COURSE.
Lowest Moments	CRASHING TWICE ON A PRACTICE DAY IN TWO LAPS THE DAY BEFORE THE START OF THE 2006 SEASON AND THINKING ABOUT GIVING UP

Why did you start racing	IT WAS SOMETHING I WANTED TO DO SINCE I WAS A KID SO AS SOON AS I COULD AFFORD A BIKE I WENT RACING.
Explain your Best racing moment	FIRST WIN SILVERSTONE 2003 NOTHING QUITE BEATS CROSSING THE LINE FIRST AFTER SO MANY YEARS TRYING.
What is your average year’s budget for racing?	ABOUT £6K ALTHOUGH I HAVE BEEN VERY LUCKY IN THAT I HAVE HAD A BIKE PROVIDED FOR ME FOR THE LAST 3 SEASONS.
What are your Goals with racing?	TO WIN AT LEAST 1 CHAMPIONSHIP AND TO FINISH ON THE ROSTRUM AT THE MANX GP.
Have you been injured when racing	I’VE BEEN VERY LUCKY WITH INJURY REALLY. I CRACKED A RIB AND CHIPPED A COLLAR BONE IN 2002 AND CRUSHED A FINGER WHEN I FELL OFF WHISLT LEADING IN 2005.
What would it take for you to consider stopping	RUNNING OUT OF MONEY
What spec of bike would you recommend a Novice start with?	A STANDARD 600 WITH RACE BODYWORK IS A GOOD PLACE TO START. YOU DON’T NEED ALL THE BELLS AND WHISTLES WHEN YOU ARE JUST STARTING OUT SPEND THE MONEY ON GOOD TYRES AND LOTS OF TRACK TIME INSTEAD.
Have makes of riding gear to you recommend?	ARAI HELMETS, CROWTREE LEATHERS (PRETTY MUCH INDESTRUCTIBLE) OXSTAR BOOTS FORCE FIELD BODY ARMOUR.
What other gear would you say a novice would need	WHEN I STARTED OUT ALL I HAD WAS MY VAUXHALL CAVALIER AND AN OLD TRAILER. WHEN YOU ARE STARTING OUT, AS LONG AS YOU HAVE A WAY OF GETTING YOUR BIKE AND KIT TO THE CIRCUIT NOT MUCH ELSE MATTERS. I WOULD NOT BOTHER WITH TYRE WARMERS FOR YOUR FIRST SEASON BECAUSE AT SOME POINT YOU ARE GOING TO NEED TO RIDE ON COLD TYRES SO YOU MAY AS WELL GET USED TO IT SOONER RATHER THAN LATER. AS I SAID EARLIER SPEND THE MONEY ON TRACK TIME AND TYRES.
What are your words of wisdom for starting racing?	JUST GET OUT THERE AND DO IT, DON’T WORRY IF YOU ARE SLOW EVERYONE HAS TO START SOMEWHERE, TRY NOT TO WORRY ABOUT POSITIONS, INSTEAD CONCENTRATE ON GETTING YOUR LAP TIMES DOWN, THEN THE POSITIONS WILL COME. DON’T BE AFRAID TO ASK FOR HELP YOU WILL FIND THE PADDOCK A VERY HELPFUL PLACE.
What do you wish you had been told when you were starting racing?	RACING IS ADDICTIVE YOU WILL BE AMAZED AT WHAT LENGTHS YOU WILL GO TO TO KEEP DOING IT.