Name: Darren Neal
Nickname: Gnasher
Racing Number: 5
Day Job: Motorcycle Sales Manager/Part Time Rock Star
From: Swindon
Age: Not Telling!
Career Wins: 15



Darren started racing in 2000 on a Suzuki RGV250 taking part in several meetings organised by the NG Road Racing and New Era Clubs in their Formula 400 classes. The RGV was quite un-reliable and was not quite up to the job and halfway through 2001 Darren changed this bike for an ex British Championship Kawasaki ZX6R and immediately scored a fourth place on it at the first time of asking at Keevil in Wiltshire.

With several good results under his belt Darren was really looking forward to the 2002 season. This was to be his first full season contesting every round of the NG 600cc Championship. Alas Lady Luck had other Ideas. Some good top 10 finishes in the early part of the season showed real promise however, while lying in a career best 4th place at Darley Moor Darren was thrown from the machine suffering a fractured collar bone and cracked rib. This was followed by two more offs at the next meeting at Pembrey and the confidence was gone.

For 2003 Darren decided another change of machine was needed and what a good decision that proved to be with Darren taking his first top 3 finishes and a final Championship position of 8th.

2004 was to be another good season with Darren Taking his first win at the last race of the season at Silverstone in some style, beating the newly crowned champion by 6 seconds and missing out on a double win by only 0.3 seconds with no crashes at all for the second year running. A final Championship position of 5th was to be the reward for the season’s efforts.

2005 was to be the best Season ever with George White Superbikes of Swindon providing Darren with the 2004 Championship winning Yamaha R6 and Darren starting the season as many peoples favourite for the title, due to his new found speed and consistency. The season started poorly with Darren having an uncharacteristic crash at Pembrey in the first 600cc race, while leading by 7 seconds! However he bounced back to take 9 wins and 20 top 3 finishes in 2005 taking 3rd in the NG 600cc Championship, narrowly missing out on 2nd by that dreaded 0.3 seconds again! During 2005 Darren was also the only 600cc pilot to qualify and take part in the prestigious Castle Combe Superbike Grand National, sharing the track with such luminaries as James Haydon,Karl Harris and Tommy Hill and finishing a creditable 23rd out of 32 starters.

2006 Saw Darren continue to have some great results on the ageing R6 taking 5 wins on his way to 3rd in the NGRRC 600cc championship. 2006 also saw Darren take to the Roads competing both at Aberdare Park, where Darren scored two 4th places on his Real Road Racing Debut, and also riding at the Manx GP which takes place over the awesome TT Mountain Course on the Isle of Man. Darren, riding the CSC Racing Yamaha R6, finished a creditable 10th in the Newcomers race winning a Silver replica in the process and setting a lap of 108mph.

2007 saw Darren on a Superbike for the first time in his racing career when he switched to the Blade Group CBR1000RR Fireblade. The year proved to be a successsful one with Darren taking a Pole Position and 13 top 3 finishes which resulted in Darren finishing 3rd in both the Powerbike and Open Championships at his first attempt. Scooping the clubs award for Achievement in the process. 2007 also saw Darren return to the Isle Of Man for the Manx Grand Prix where he collected yet another silver replica and acheived a lap speed of 112 mph.

2008 will again see Darren riding the Blade Group CBR1000RR in NGRRC Powerbike and Open Championships while also returning to the "Real Road" Races of The Manx GP and Aberdare Park.