Guy Martin rose to fame thanks to his road racing career, but his larger-than-life personality has made him a superstar. Even after retiring from racing, Martin hasn't slowed down. In fact, in his own words, he says he is "addicted to work," and he remains as busy as ever away from TT racing.
It's not just racing that Martin loves. He is also a mechanic and engineer. When he was just 16 years old, Martin became an apprentice at a haulage company where he worked as a mechanic on trucks. Throughout his career, he worked for various commercial vehicle companies, including his father's, and to this day, he still works on engines.
Following his accident and the great reception to his personality, Martin's highly successful TV career was launched after the documentary aired. However, just because Martin had retired didn't mean he could resist the temptation of speed.
Let's look back at the career of Guy Martin and what made him such a superstar.
Announcing Himself As A Contender
The Isle of Man TT is the holy grail for road racers, and it was always the goal for Guy Martin. He made his debut in the thrilling Isle of Man TT race in 2004 after impressing everyone with his speed and fearlessness on the road racing circuit.
This course on the Isle of Man is a tricky one, and Martin made sure to do his homework and learn the roads before jumping on his bike. That homework paid off as he enjoyed an impressive rookie outing. In fact, he was just 20 seconds away from a podium finish in his maiden Isle of Man outing.
The promise Martin was showing at just 24 made riders sit up and take notice of this young hotshot. In 2005 he would go one better and finish on the podium at the Isle of Man TT. Martin finished all five races inside the top six that year and put himself on the map as a serious contender.
Gunning For The Top
After a couple of seasons establishing himself as a contender, Martin moved to Hydrex Honda and was an immediate threat at the front of the pack. He pushed the imperiously fast John McGuinness all the way at the 2007 Isle of Man TT but had to settle for second place.
A year later, Martin was leading the TT race at the halfway point, but ultimately his bike couldn't handle the pace its rider was demanding of it. Martin was so close to winning the Isle of Man TT, but after his advantage disappeared, he was left wondering what might have been. Although he would find himself at the front many more times in the TT, 2008 felt like Martin's best shot at winning.
Finding Fame At The 2010 TT
Guy Martin had made a name for himself among the road racing community during his exploits at the Isle of Man TT and other races. However, it would be a misfortune that would launch him into superstardom. At the 2010 Isle of Man TT, Martin took a stripped-back approach to racing as he opted for a less corporate racing team, Wilson Craig Racing.
It was while contesting for the lead at the Senior TT that Martin had a horrific crash that had many people fearing the worst. The rider lost the front end of his bike, and it erupted into flames upon impact with the curb and wall. Thankfully, Martin was alive, but he had broken his back after being thrown from his bike.
It wouldn't be the only time Martin broke his back, and after another crash in 2015, he fractured vertebrae and his sternum. A documentary about the Isle of Man TT titled 'Closer to the Edge' was being filmed that year, and Martin's personality shone through.
Combining Racing With Television
Now that Martin was a superstar, he had to balance his racing career with being in front of the television cameras. New opportunities were finding their way to Martin, who combined his love of engineering and speed to bring shows to the masses.
His most successful show was 'Speed with Guy Martin' which saw him engineer superfast vehicles like bicycles, hovercrafts, airships, and transit vans. Martin won several Guinness World Records in his new career. He became the record holder for Fastest Speed in a Soapbox, Highest Speed on a Wall of Death, and Fastest Speed on a gravity-powered snow sled.
Martin still harbored dreams of winning the Isle of Man TT while his TV career was beginning to shine. He continued trying to win the Isle of Man TT until 2017, when he finally decided enough was enough. While he never did manage to win that elusive title, Martin did record 17 podium finishes at the Isle of Man TT over his career.
Martin also took part in the Le Mans 24-Hour World Endurance Championship race in 2013, where he helped his team to a second-place finish. In 2013 Martin was a winner at Pike's Peak, and he holds the record for the fastest ever recorded speed on a Triumph motorcycle, recorded at 274.2 mph.
Calling Time On His Career
All good things must come to an end, and in 2017 Martin announced he would be retiring from racing. The road racer won 11 Ulster GP titles, had five Cookstown wins, and two wins at Armoy. He explained in an interview with Motorcycle News that although racing had been good to him, he had grown bored of it.
Martin compared the racing season to Groundhog Day, where he would spend the first half of his year prepping for the new season, racing, then talking about it. The rinse-repeat nature of the racing season wore on Martin so he walked away from the sport he loved to try new things.