Brandon Demmery: Road to Recovery

When Brandon Demmery stood on the top step of the podium in the YMF R3 Cup round at Winton, it closed a chapter in the story of the Wagga Wagger rider’s gritty recovery from injuries sustained in a crash almost two years ago.

At the end of 2016, things were looking pretty good for the rider known to most as “Brando”. Demmery, then 19 years old, had just wrapped up the Australian Production Over 300cc title, having previously achieved success on lower-capacity production bikes.

However, the 2017 season would prove to be less-than-ideal, Demmery and his team struggling with bike setup and recording inconsistent results. Demmery’s performances gradually improved throughout the year but then he was dealt a shocking blow at Phillip Island, when he was involved in a horrific crash that saw him sustain a compound leg fracture and a shattered pelvis, among other injuries.

“I got knocked off at the start, and I ended up on the ground in front of a 30-bike pack,” Demmery recalled.

“The injuries were nasty but the medical crew at the track did an amazing job, and I’ll be forever thankful to them.

“At the time, it would have been easy for me to give up, but I thought to myself, ‘I’m not going to let my career end like this.’”

A determined Demmery returned to his hometown of Wagga Wagga, seeking specialist treatment as he aimed to bounce back.

“I worked with a really good physio, Darren from Riverina Sports Injury and Rehabilitation, and he was excellent – he helped me recover from my injuries really quickly.”

Heading into 2018, Demmery was still not at full fitness and while there were some opportunities to return to racing, he ultimately decided to sit out the season.

“There were a few chances to race in Asia, but we ultimately decided not to go down that path, and because we missed the start of the Australian season, we weren’t going to be in contention for any championships so we decided to concentrate on developing the bike and ensuring I was back to 100 per cent fitness,” Demmery said.

“By the end of last year, I was itching to get back on the bike and so this season, we were able to return to the Supersport 300 and YMF R3 Cup categories.

“We started the season well with some consistent top five results, and at The Bend I qualified second and finished on the podium.

“Winton was obviously the breakthrough round – I was stoked with the bike’s performance all weekend, and was able to fight from fourth on the grid to win two of the three races.”

Demmery says his improvement in form has been brought about by a change in philosophy with setting up his Yamaha R3 motorcycle.

“We have Will Davidson Racing supporting us this year, and we have a suspension technician dedicated to our bike – he really understands what I require with my riding style.

“We also switched to Pirelli tyres this year, which has given us a big improvement in pace.”

Demmery’s round win at Winton elevated him to fourth in the R3 Cup standings, just 16 points behind leader Hunter Ford.

“We’re right in the box seat to push for the R3 Cup title now, so that’s our focus for the last two rounds,” Demmery said.

“Next year, I might do R3 Cup and Supersport 300 again, but the ultimate goal is to head overseas. When you look at other riders I’ve raced against and how well they’re going overseas, like Tom Edwards, Tom Bramich and Billy Van Eerde, there’s no reason I can’t do the same.”

Head to ASBK.com.au for more info about Round 6 of the 2019 Australian Superbike Championship.

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