Daley in to win but podium spot’ll do
TEESSIDE’S Daley Mathison is eyeing another podium, at least, in today’s Cock O’ the North Road Races at Oliver’s Mount.
Fresh from another successful Isle of Man TT where he took another TT Zero rostrum, he admits he would love a win in today’s title race at the Scarborough track.
Mathison is racing both his Eddie Stobart Racing BMW 1000 in the Superbike classes as well as his Suzuki GSXR 600 in the smaller machine races, but says his focus is mainly on the big bike.
“I’m racing both the bikes but I’d definitely say the Superbike is the one I am more concerned with here,” he told Burning Rubber at the track yesterday afternoon.
“The 600 is a little tired after the TT, it’s done a lot of miles so we’re not expecting huge things with it this weekend.
“I want to be on the podium in the main Cock O’ the North race. Obviously I want to win it, but Dean Harrison is looking too strong, I’m not sure if anyone can beat him at the moment around here.”
Mathison was speaking after scoring fourth in the first 600 race yesterday before crashing out of the first big bike race. But he was back for the Senior race where he finished second, narrowly missing out on the win to Harrison.
The Cock O’ the North comes as his first outing since the TT ended just over a fortnight ago.
And although he took his second TT podium in the Zero race, Mathison says finishing 13th in the Senior TT was probably the highlight of the fortnight.
“That was a fantastic race, it was actually a brilliant day getting third in the Zero and then 13th in the Senior with a 128mph lap. From there I want to take it further, get the 130mph next and start to climb higher up the top 10.”
This year, Mathison also contested the first three rounds of the Pirelli National Superstock 1000 Championship which runs on the British Superbike series.
Having entered as wildcard to get track time ahead of the TT, his best result was a 12th in the rain at Oulton Park, and he hinted that he hopes to return to the series at some point this year.
“I learnt more in three races there than I’ve probably learnt in three years on the roads,” he admits. “When you’re racing the best in the country if not the world, you learn so much more and it brings you on.
“I’d like to do some more this year if the finances allow it, and I certainly wouldn’t rule out going to the short circuits over the roads in the future.
“I love the roads and I’ll always be a TT and Oliver’s Mount man, but I think the short circuits are still a route to explore and I’d certainly be interested in pursuing them further.”