Broken bones can't stop Matthew
Matthew Rangeley smashed his collar bone in two places after a crash during round two of the Mini-Moto British Junior Championships.
After winning the opening round of both the junior and production classes in the 2009 championship, Rangeley was sat on five wins from five before suffering the bad crash in race six of the second round in Kings Lynn.
However, despite the seriousness of his injury and with doctors saying he would not ride again for six months, the youngster was back in action just three weeks later all thanks to a specialist clinic in Ipswich.
"Matthew had won five of six races and in the last race I sent him out on slicks as it was dry but then a few laps in it started to rain," explained dad Mark.
"I gave him the signal to slow down as he was well out in front, but he did not slow down enough and came off and broke his collar bone and we had to spend about four hours in a hospital in Kings Lynn.
"That was on the Sunday, the following Friday we took him to Ipswich to a special laser treatment clinic that top superbike riders use, which is the only one of its kind.
"It was amazing the amount of time it took to heal as a week later he was back to normal. I broke mine when I used to race and I could not move it for a month!
"The doctor had said he would not race for six months, but Matthew said he was ok and he could lift his arm and so just over a week after the laser treatment he was racing in Daventry. We told him to take it easy and he still finished in second and third.
"He's still got a slight lump from the big sharp bit of bone that was sticking up and had almost come out of the skin, but the body forms a protective layer like gristle which he will have for two years before it is absorbed into the skin."
If there is one thing that Rangeley possesses it is bravery.
Last year a bad crash in round six of the North of England championship failed to deter the spirited youngster - who went on to take the overall title in his first season competing on mini-moto bikes.
Since the accident this season, the pint-sized starlet has gone on to dominate the next four rounds of both the junior and production classes of the championship.
In the two categories he races in, Rangeley has won nine out of a possible 12 rounds this season to leave him in pole position to take both the junior (6-9 years) and production (9-16 years) titles.
Dad Mark added: "He now leads the junior class by 37 points and the production class by 23 points.
"With 25 points for a win he could win one of the titles in the next round but we are not counting our chickens because anything can happen in racing and all it takes is for the bike to break.
"Round seven is taking place at Whilton Mill in Northamptonshire and after that there are just rounds to go near south Wales and in Cumbria with the championship finishing on October 4."
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