The Jackson Racing Road Racing Academy has today (Sunday) announced they have signed Daley Mathison and Craig Neve for the 2018 season.

Mathison will continue to campaign the BMW S1000RR Superbike and Superstock machinery that served him so well in 2017 whilst Neve will also be BMW-mounted for the 1000cc classes. He’ll also have a Honda CBR600RR at his disposal for the Supersport races with the duo set to contest all of the International road race meetings - the Isle of Man TT Races fuelled by Monster Energy, North West 200 and Ulster Grand Prix.

Selected British Championship meetings as well as outings at Oliver’s Mount, Scarborough also feature in what promises to be a busy season for the Preston-based team.

County Durham’s Mathison, who will retain backing from Eddie Stobart, joins the team after one of his most successful seasons to date, the 26-year old taking a career best 13th in the Senior TT race where he also recorded a new personal best lap around the Mountain Course at 127.228mph. He backed this up with 16th and 23rd in the Supersport and Superstock races whilst the Ulster Grand Prix saw him claim a brace of tenths in the Superbike and Superstock races. He also joined the select group for riders to have lapped the Dundrod course at more than 130mph with a lap of 130.481mph.

At the North West 200 he took strong 11th and 13th place finishes in the two Superbike races and 12th in both the Superstock and second Supersport encounters. After a seven-year gap, a return to the Southern 100 saw him lap at 109.749mph on his way to 11th in the feature Championship race and he was a consistent podium finisher at Oliver’s Mount, Scarborough, the highlight being second in the Cock o’ the North Trophy race where he became the second fastest rider ever to have lapped the woodland circuit.

Immingham’s Neve, meanwhile, joins the team on a full-time basis having ridden for them at this year’s Isle of Man TT races. The last minute deal saw him set his fastest ever lap of the Mountain Course in the Senior race, 125.553mph, where he finished 25th and he recorded a career best finish in the Supersport race when he took an excellent 14th place, a position he equalled in the Lightweight race. In just two years of competing at the event, the Lincolnshire rider already has one silver and nine replicas.

The former British Supersport Championship regular also impressed at the North West 200 where he took 14th and 15th in the two Supersport races, and was a consistent top ten finisher at Oliver’s Mount.

Daley Mathison: 

“I’m really excited to have signed for the Jackson Racing Academy; I feel that it’s just what I need to further my career. With the Jackson’s providing me with all of the relevant pieces, I feel there is no reason why I cannot stand on the top step at an International event. It goes without saying that their reputation is second to none and I’m privileged to have been chosen to join this fantastic team.”

Craig Neve: 

“I’m over the moon to be joining the Jackson Racing Academy for 2018. I really enjoyed working with the team at this year’s TT so being with them for the full season is a significant step forward in my career as I aim towards the top ten at the three International road races.”

Alan Jackson, Team Owner:

“We were overwhelmed with the level of response we received since announcing the Academy and we received some very strong applications so it wasn’t an easy task as there were plenty of riders we could have chosen. Having said that, we’re delighted to have signed both Daley and Craig for 2018 as they’re both extremely talented riders who have already achieved plenty on the roads. They both have a lot of potential to go a long way in the sport and we believe we can take them to the next level.”

“Daley’s lap speeds at the TT and Ulster in 2017 were very impressive indeed as not many people have lapped at 127mph+ and 130mph+ at the respective circuits whilst we enjoyed working with Craig at this year’s TT so are well aware of his capabilities. We’ve retained our existing, loyal sponsors whilst Airow Safe and Iaconnects.co.uk have come on board as well so we’re really looking forward to the year ahead.”