Biography: Matt Cotton
Date of Birth: 01/07/1979
Lives: St Teath, Bodmin,Cornwall
Occupation: Warranty Manager for a Group of Main Dealers in Cornwall
Hobbies: Motorsport, Music
Other Interests: Matt is a licenced Motor Sports Association (MSA)
Scrutineer and travels the country officiating on events when not competing himself. These include events such as the Roger Albert Clark, Rally of the Midlands and various sprint and hillclimb events in the South West.
Lives: St Teath, Bodmin,Cornwall
Occupation: Warranty Manager for a Group of Main Dealers in Cornwall
Hobbies: Motorsport, Music
Other Interests: Matt is a licenced Motor Sports Association (MSA)
Scrutineer and travels the country officiating on events when not competing himself. These include events such as the Roger Albert Clark, Rally of the Midlands and various sprint and hillclimb events in the South West.
From a very early age Matt was involved in motorsport. Being taken to watch local rallies in the now unused Cornish forests was his first memory of rallying and its safe to say his passion grew from there on in. At the first opportunity he got, he was introduced to the motorsport world and was regulary seen on events as a youngster with his uncle, either working or spectating on events. Matt was one of the first 16 year old trainee Scrutineer's in the UK and started to learn the trade and requirements of the MSA technical system. At 18, Matt upgraded to a full Scrutineer and this occupies most of his time outside of competing.
Meanwhile at 17, Matt passed his driving test first time, and soon set about looking for a car to go rallying in. An Opel Manta was purchased and after several - mostly unsucessful events the Manta was sold and a GpA Peugot 205 was aquired. Contesting the local Davidstow stages Matt managed to tip the car onto its roof, and after a full rebuild was sold on. Next came a Vauxhall Nova purchased from Glyn Thomas (who would ironically go on to co-drive for Matt) and some class wins both on Gravel and Tar rewarded Matts increased speed.
With the taste for bigger and better events, an ex works MG ZR GpN was purchased and used for 3 consecutive years. Firstly in 2006 Matt contested the BTRDA MG ZR Supercup and N1 championship which he won with 2 rounds remaining. Also in 2006 he was named as one of Motorsports News top 10 drivers of the year. 2007 saw him step into the Stars of the Future series and narrowly missed out on taking the title overall, against some far more powerful machinery. He took the FIA class win and was 2nd overall in the Stars championship.
In 2008 the MG was sold and a chance meeting at an event meant Matt secured a deal to contest the British Rally Championship
and Citroen C2R2 cup. The pinacle of British rallying had always been Matts goal and the year became a dream come true for the Cornishman. Sadly a roll on the first round the Pirelli meant he had to play catch up for the remainder of the year. Coupled with some unlucky mechanical failures he clawed his way back to 3rd in the Cup after a nailbiting finish to the year on Britans round of the World Rally Championship - Wales Rally GB.
2009 saw Matt contest the BTRDA series once again in an MG supported by Cannock Electrical Mechanical and Chris Wright Competitions. With Will Rogers partnering Matt, they finished the series 4th after financial woes ruled them out of contention.
2010 will see Matt take a sabbatical from active rallying to concentrate on raising funding to mount a full assault in 2011 on a major championship. With the whole year free to raise market awareness, it will enable Matt to put all his efforts and resources into finding the right deal for 2011. Watch this space!
Meanwhile at 17, Matt passed his driving test first time, and soon set about looking for a car to go rallying in. An Opel Manta was purchased and after several - mostly unsucessful events the Manta was sold and a GpA Peugot 205 was aquired. Contesting the local Davidstow stages Matt managed to tip the car onto its roof, and after a full rebuild was sold on. Next came a Vauxhall Nova purchased from Glyn Thomas (who would ironically go on to co-drive for Matt) and some class wins both on Gravel and Tar rewarded Matts increased speed.
With the taste for bigger and better events, an ex works MG ZR GpN was purchased and used for 3 consecutive years. Firstly in 2006 Matt contested the BTRDA MG ZR Supercup and N1 championship which he won with 2 rounds remaining. Also in 2006 he was named as one of Motorsports News top 10 drivers of the year. 2007 saw him step into the Stars of the Future series and narrowly missed out on taking the title overall, against some far more powerful machinery. He took the FIA class win and was 2nd overall in the Stars championship.
In 2008 the MG was sold and a chance meeting at an event meant Matt secured a deal to contest the British Rally Championship
and Citroen C2R2 cup. The pinacle of British rallying had always been Matts goal and the year became a dream come true for the Cornishman. Sadly a roll on the first round the Pirelli meant he had to play catch up for the remainder of the year. Coupled with some unlucky mechanical failures he clawed his way back to 3rd in the Cup after a nailbiting finish to the year on Britans round of the World Rally Championship - Wales Rally GB.
2009 saw Matt contest the BTRDA series once again in an MG supported by Cannock Electrical Mechanical and Chris Wright Competitions. With Will Rogers partnering Matt, they finished the series 4th after financial woes ruled them out of contention.
2010 will see Matt take a sabbatical from active rallying to concentrate on raising funding to mount a full assault in 2011 on a major championship. With the whole year free to raise market awareness, it will enable Matt to put all his efforts and resources into finding the right deal for 2011. Watch this space!
