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Gash makes his Mark on bike track

Writer's picture: Online JournalistOnline Journalist

Updated: Jan 24

JJ Hurley


Tracton native Mark Gash continues to make his mark on the side-car motorbike racing circuit across Ireland and the UK as he looks back on another successful year.

 

Following on his continued successful partnership with Darren Dwyer as they lifted the Irish Championship, despite some fierce competition, he is already looking forward to the 2025 season.

 

Along with his success in Ireland, he also competed in the Isle of Man TT, where he partnered up with Bruce Moore for the annual festival.

 

Reaching speeds of in excess of 150mph, Mark clocked up a number of other notable successes finishing first in the Scottish championship, with Mike Bell, and he also had a notable performance in the Scarborough series of races during the summer.

 

Describing himself as the traction control on the bike, a fitter by trade, he says he keeps himself fit through work and making the gym as often as he can.

 

While he’s only a couple of years off the big 50, Mark says they are plenty of riders who push onto their 60s and beyond.

 

He’s no intention of trading his hot seat to take over the controls of the bike, he’s quite happy to remain in his comfort zone.

 

Incidentally, that hot seat led to a serious accident in 2021, when he was jettisoned from the bike and left him with several broken bones, a fractured jaw and a lacerated liver.

 

Despite the injury he returned to work two weeks later, he says it all part of the sport.

 

Certainly, you have to be dedicated to motor sport as Mark is often left to face long journeys home after participating in weekend events, for example it can be a six-hour car journey from the venues in the North Of Ireland or even a more arduous journey when a UK venue is the location.

 

 In addition, to the personal cost of the racing there is also the financial cost for tyres, fuel and bikes, leaving Mark to dig deep into his own pockets to pay for what is an expensive sport.  

 

He is grateful to several local sponsors, who keep him on the road, including Anthony O’ Sullivan, Sam’s Bar, Kinsale, Alan Kiely, Plant Hire, Dunderrow, Denis Murphy, Ballinphellic Engineering and Boris Stroud, Marin Motorsport, Scotland.

 

However, he does feel the motorbike sport, which has a association dating back to 1902 in Ireland, deserves more than the annual €54,000 contribution from the government.

 

As for his ambitions for 2025, Marks want to continue his success both in Ireland and in the UK.




 Mark Gash showing his skills in Scotland during the summer
 Mark Gash showing his skills in Scotland during the summer

 

 


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