BYRinc.com :: Rider Interview - Matt 'Browny' Brown

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Without a doubt, if he wasn’t involved in HPVs, Matt Brown would not have completed VCE. Whilst he’s a humble country lad – he’s also become Bendigo Youth Racing’s specialist starter. Here, we get a bit of an insight into “Browny’s” involvement in BYR and what it’s like to sit on the start line with 24 hours to go: So Browny, starting 24 hour races, how does it feel and do you enjoy it? Yes – I love it. It is probably the most fun riding stint of the race for me. It’s a big adrenalin rush! Do you have a routine that you go through before a start or are they all different? Nah, not really. I just warm-up and stretch as I would for a normal stint. Then try to keep a cool head with all of the excitement. You’ve started six times from eight races - [Once with Eaglehawk SC (Intensus), twice with Bendigo Senior SC in the Battered Sav and Minimalist, and BYR in 03, 04 and at Wonthaggi in 06]. Why do you think you get nominated for the job so often? For some reason, starting the race is not something a lot of riders want to do. But it’s something that I really like and I feel very confident with myself now that I’ve done it so many times. In your opinion, what has been your best starting stint? Probably Murray Bridge in 2004. From memory I started 13 th on the grid and was in second place on lap two. That vehicle was so good for that track and that was probably the most fun in a race because of that. In your opinion, what has been your worst start? I don’t think I’ve ever had a bad start, but Intensus and Minimalist definitely weren’t as good as soon of our more recent vehicles. As a result, they probably weren’t to the same standard. Any advice for first time starters? Just have a crack! It’s probably one of – if not the – best part of the race weekend, when an entire year of work is over and you can finally start to feel it pay off. That’s another enjoyable aspect of the race start. What has been your worst HPV crash? (Either caused, seen or involved in) [BYR aren't hospital chasers, but crashes do make racing pretty lively!] There was a huge crash at Maryborough last year (2005 RACV Energy Breakthrough) at turn 3 or Dunny Corner involving a Flora Hill SC vehicle and HighviewSeptember 7, 2007ing a near pile-up – Good stuff! Most memorable moment from HPVs? (During a Start or otherwise, this could be from ESC, BSSC or BYR) There are so many but the one that easily springs to mind is the last lap victory at the 2003 AIPP. Coming from many laps down to clinch victory showed how passionate we are about HPV’s and how much determination we have. What do you like most about being in BYR? Everything really. It’s not just the racing or the construction. It’s having fun with your mates during work and training sessions, the bus trips to the races and the parties afterwards!!! A bit more about Browny: Before first participating in the RACV Energy Breakthrough in 1998, Matt was planning on heading to the Army, either as a soldier or as a mechanic. But – due to the infectious nature of being able to design, construct and race vehicles within a fun team environment – Matt completed VCE, a VET Automotive course before being offered an apprenticeship at Brian Dunn Ford through CVGT – just one week after his last exam. Matt finished up his apprenticeship in December 2005 and has stayed on at Brian Dunn. Later this year he will undertake a Specialist Mechanics training course.