Early on I freelanced with numerous drivers doing partial seasons, including: Billy Waits, Damon Mayers, Dave Clement, Richard Martin, Jim Anderson, Tom Brann, Roland McIvor, Chuck McCrary, and Scott Justus (winning the SEDiv O4 championship in the ex-Ken Stewart supercharged Chevy Blazer).
In 1996 I joined the semi-factory Toyota effort of Metro Rallyesport mid-season with 1995 Group A National champion Bruce Newey driving. In 1997 we dueled with the factory Saab team of Sam Bryan for the National Group 5 title, finishing a close second despite a much smaller budget. I sat out the 1998 season due to lack of funding and concentrated on racing mountain bikes instead.
In 1999 I joined Pete Lahm's P-Sport team utilizing David Summerbell's 1998 overall championship winning Mitsubishi Lancer Evo IV. We ran three events before running out of funds resulting in 3rd overall at Sno*Drift and a 2nd overall at Rim of the World. For 2000 we plan to convert the car to clubman Group A spec and run as many US nationals as possible as well as the planned US FIA Asia-Pacific championship event in Group A.
I also have experience competeing internationally, mostly in East Africa. I spent 1995 racing numerous Kenyan National Rally Championship, Tanzanian National Rally Championship, and FIA African Continent Rally Championship events with local drivers. Notables included F2 star Sammy Aslam (driving an ex-Weber VW GTI) and Asad Anwar. I also worked on the organizer's pace note crew for the 7-Up Safari Rally in Arusha, Tanzania (a round of their national championship) and on the Caltex Equator Rally (the Kenyan round of the FIA African Continent Rally Championship) with top Kenyan co-drivers Peter Stone and Andy Nagi.
I started rallying in 1991 at the age of 18. In 1992 I ran my first stage event at Sand Hills with Billy Waits in his father's RX-7 (instead of Bruce Newey's tired old RX-3). We crashed out 1.8 miles into the first stage!
I'm currently 26 years old. My main hobbies are mountain biking, XC skiing, snowshoeing, mountaineering, swimming, travel, and collecting pre-'72 Jamaican music. I also have a degree in Materials Engineering from Georgia Tech.
I live in Leadville, Colorado which is the highest incorporated town in North America at 10,152 feet. I own my own business building titanium bicycle frames and also work as a radio DJ on an "alternative" station down in Vail to make ends meet.
I really enjoy all aspects of co-driving and have never felt the urge to drive. I miss competition overseas a lot and, although I love the events in North America, wish that I could run on full pace notes again. I feel it allows the co-driver to play a more dynamic role toward making the team go faster! I still make myself available to do international events, especially those in the FIA Middle East and African Continent championships.
P-Sport's 1997 Mitsubishi Lancer Evo IV previously ran in the Open class but is currently being adapted back to Group A specifications by TAD Motorsport.
P-Sport's sponsors include: P-Sport, Panasport, KC Hilites, Max Rev and TAD Motorsports.
Matt can be reached at:
Phone: 719-486-1006
E-mail: mcti@hotmail.com