“It was literally a first- or second-gear crash,” Mathew said. “I just came in a little too quickly, and before I knew it, I was over the bars and on the ground. The pain isn’t as bad as the immediate realization and disappointment that I am going to miss the test. It’s one thing for me to miss seat time on the Superbike, but I’ve let my team down, and they’ve been working so hard this off-season. We were really looking forward to this test. Riding motocross bikes for training is a necessary part of my program, and it’s unfortunate that this happened when it did. I’m going to have surgery the day after tomorrow, and I’ll be able to get on a stationary bike and keep my fitness up.”

According to Mathew, he will have surgery on Wednesday to have the fracture plated, and he’ll begin rehabbing immediately.

Team manager Chuck Giacchetto commented, “Obviously, the timing on this development presents a challenge for Mathew and our team. But, I have never seen a rider more physically fit than 'The Scholtz Kid.' His body is a temple. He had a man-to-man talk with (team owner) Tryg (Westby) about what happened. We are going to manage our expectations, but this small setback will not deter Mathew nor the team. He’ll be ready for the first round of the MotoAmerica season.”

The team is currently evaluating whether to put a substitute rider on the Superbike for the test, and Chuck added, “We do have another team rider who will be testing on Tuesday and Wednesday. Our Junior Cup rider Cody Wyman is looking forward to testing his #34 Westby Racing Yamaha YZF-R3. As far as putting someone on the Superbike, we’re currently considering our options.”

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