From humble Lincolnshire lad to a household name
THE name Guy Martin is one that is familiar with most of Britain at this point, whether that be for his crazy record breaking attempts or his career as a professional motorbike racer.
From trying to break the land speed record to his latest efforts of creating the best Motocross track in the country, the Lincolnshire born lad has given nearly everything a go.
However, things weren’t always plain sailing. In 2010, he injured his back during the Isle of Man TT. Some years later, he would make a return to racing only to break his back during the Ulster Grand Prix in 2015.
After retiring from his illustrious racing career in 2017, Guy turned his hand to other ventures such as documentaries as well as other television work.
Having previously starred in the 2011 film Closer To The Edge, which looked at the Isle of Man TT circuit, it wasn’t long before he began appearing far more frequently on our TV screens.
Guy has always been into mechanics from a young age, often spending a lot of time taking apart household objects such as lawnmowers in an attempt to make them go faster as a kid. After leaving school at 16, he began an apprenticeship as a truck fitter and worked alongside father Ian in his truck maintenance business.
In his spare time as a child, he would race motorbikes and decided to take up the e sport after a crash aged 18.
In 2004, aged 23, he joined Uel Duncan Racing g team, staying g with them for a year before e moving on.
Over a sixxyear period, he e raced for many ny teams before re joining TAS Raccing, now known as Tyco BMW, in 2010.
Later that year, he would sadly be involved in an accident at the Isle of Man TT which would see him injure his back and be out of the racing world for some time.
Speaking about the incident in 2012, he said he felt as though he wasn’t going to survive the crash, but was lucky to hit the wall at the right angle.
Only a year later, in 2011, he made a return to superbike racing and would continue in with his successful career until a similar accident in 2015.
After an impressive start to the season, Martin crashed during the Ulster Grand Prix, this time breaking his back and damaging his hand. As a result, re metal pins were w inserted to both bo his back and hands, ha and he signed si himself out of o hospital four days d later.
Martin later retired r from motorcycle racing in 2017. During an exclusive interview with Motorcycle News, he said: “Racing’s been good to me, but I’m bored of it.
“You spend the early part of the year preparing for the season – testing, racing, talking about it, and then doing it all over again. It’s like Groundhog Day. It’s time to stop.”
He would later make a brief cameo in 2019 at Tandragee before hanging up his helmet for good.
During his illustrious career, Guy managed to make 17 TT podium finishes.
Whilst superbike racing, he began mountain biking and dipped his feet into the world of television. He competed in various mountain biking events, including the Tour Divide in 2016 which saw him bike from Canada to New Mexico in just 18 days.
However, possibly what Guy is now most famous for, are his appearances in various documentaries and TV series.
Starting with “The Boat that Guy Built” in 2011, he has appeared in 22 separate film and televisions shows that see him take on a number of daring stunts in an attempt to break world records as well as build unusual contraptions.
Today, he holds five separate speed-related, however, the record that still alludes Martin is the land speed record. His current records are:
■ Fastest speed on a gravity powered snow sled (83.49 mph)
■ Fastest speed in a soapbox (85.61 mph)
■ Highest speed on a Wall of Death (78.15 mph)
■ Fastest hovercraft (75.21 mph)
■ Fastest tractor (135.191 mph)
In 2016, Guy was supposed to attempt to break the record at Bonneville Salt Flats in America, but sadly his dreams were dashed after the vehicle he was in tipped over during a trail run.
The attempt was postponed and he is still yet to clinch the record.
Alongside this, he has also become a published author, writing three books about his life.
In his personal life, Guy has also taken on many challenges, such as buying the Marrowbone and Cleaver pub in Kirmington, Lincolnshire, which is run by his eldest sister.
He’s also been diagnosed with Asperger’s Syndrome, although he refers to it as “a load of tripe”.
He told the Sunday Times earlier this year: “It’s true I’ve been diagnosed with Asperger’s syndrome, but I would say: ‘What a load of tripe’.
“They try to put names to it — ‘Oh, he’s like that because of this’. Everyone’s different.
We’re all different.”
Explaining why he sought a diagnosis, Guy continued: “My girlfriend at the time persuaded me to see someone.
“I was turning her crackers, so she forced me — well, not forced me, but she said: ‘Will we go and see this psychologist?’ Anyway, I sat there for a day, and it turned out it was a form of autism: Asperger’s.”
People with Asperger’s Syndrome have difficulty with social interactions, restricted interests, distinctive strengths and a need for routine.
It can also bring focus and persistence on a subject with an attention to detail as well as an aptitude for recognising patterns.
Guy continued: “The way I look at it is that maybe having that is why I am the way I am. Maybe that is all down to the autistic side. I don’t know.”
Now, Guy has taken on his latest challenge as he attempts to create the world’s best motocross race track at Thoresway, near Caistor.
■ Guy’s new show, Guy’s Garage, is on Channel 4 at 9pm tonight.