After fellow Yamaha rider, Ford Dale, got injured at the AIS in Canberra last week, Victorian Under 19's rider Matt Ryan received the offer to fill Ford's position in the final round of the 125/250 class in the Shell V-Power 2007 FIM Asian Supercross Championships last weekend.
With less than a weeks notice, Matt arrived at the Jose and Herminia Calvo Memorial Off-Road Park in Yigo, Guam, just in time for the press conference and practice soon after on Friday. After experiencing bike problems that prevented him from completing even one lap in practice on the Yamaha 250F a new Yamaha 125cc was on offer from the local Yamaha dealer in Guam.
Matt qualified 3rd and lined up in the 1st moto against the Series leader - Arnon Theplib, Red Bull Honda rider from Thailand.
"My start was not what I was hoping and it had been a long time since I had ridden a 125 back in juniors, the leader Arnon had a pretty good lead by the half way mark." said Matt. "The track was tight and in good condition, I finished the first moto in 2nd place."
Wanting to take one race away from the series leader, who had won 5 out of 5 races in the series, Matt and the other riders waited until the rain stopped before the start of the final moto for the series.
Racing in wet, muddy conditions Matt was determined to claim the last race, "It was a case of holding in on and jumping everything to keep the bike going, the only 125 in the class, as it turned out was perfect for the conditions and great fun to be riding one again," Ryan said, "The lead changed a few times" with Ryan on Theplib's back guard for 2 laps before making his pass and finishing in 1st place, giving him a 2/1 for the weekend and the round win leaving, Theplib (Thailand Red Bull Honda in 2nd and James Robinson - KTM - from New Zealand in 3rd.
Matt thanked Bruce Wilkinson for the opportunity, the local Guam Yamaha dealer for his support and faith in allowing him to use a new bike straight off the showroom floor and acknowledge his sponsors: Seymour Motorcycles/Yamaha /YRD/Fox/Shift/ProCuircut/Reikon/Dunlop/Alpine Stars/Oakley and Tracrite Suspension.
