Local rider Mark good to go for new season

Mark Hanna pictured with his 2014 mount, the ex Scott Smart 675 Triumph. Picture: Roy Adams.

I called out to his home last Sunday for a chat and he told me: “We bought the bike off TAG Racing in England. It was raced last year by Scott Smart, and had a new engine in it and is ready to go.

“We still have our last year’s bike here and it’s still for sale, if anybody is interested.

“It’s an ex TAG bike as well and gave us no real bother all year.”

Mark had a great year in 2013. He won 3 titles, both the Ulster Senior and Junior Support championships, as well as the Irish Junior. The only blot on the copybook, if you could call it that, was a close second place to Shane Egan in the Irish Senior series.

Mark and his team are building another ER6 Kawasaki to add to the bike that he raced for Emerald Road Racing last season.

“I really enjoyed riding the wee Kawasaki for Davy and Erin. I’m building one myself this year, but I’ll still be out on their bike as well,” Mark told me.

The engine of his own ER6 is across the water being sorted out at the minute, but the 675 Triumph is sitting ready to go.

“I’m planning on doing the Easter meetings, more to set the bike up than anything else. The way Easter falls this year Kirkistown is Easter Monday and the Cookstown practice is the following Friday, so if we have any bother we might be a bit pushed to get things ready.”

Mark has asked that I thank a few people who gave him a lot of help and encouragement in 2013, and who are staying with him for 2014.

Firstly, his dad Roy, from Roy Hanna Motors. The Upper Cut hairdressing salon, Davy and Erin Hamilton from Emerald Road Racing magazine, and his girlfriend Mary, who apparently is better known as ‘My Mary’, according to the new bodywork thats waiting to be fitted to the Triumph.

Hopefully the local rider will have more success to add to his championships that he won this year.

Apart from the Irish road races, Mark plans to take in the Southern 100 on the Isle of Man for the first time.

I’m quite sure that anyone who would like to back a proven winner could do worse than speak to Mark. He has a new website set up for his racing so he can be contacted through www.markhannaracing.co.uk

Roy Adams