Martin Finnegan
{{short description|Irish motorcycle racer}}
{{EngvarB|date=October 2013}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=January 2025}}
{{Infobox motorcycle rider
| image= Flyingfinn.jpg
| name = Martin Finnegan
| caption = Finnegan at the Isle of Man TT in 2007.
| birth_date = {{birth date|1979|10|8|df=y}}
| birth_place = Lusk, County Dublin, Republic of Ireland
| death_date = {{death date and age|2008|5|3|1979|10|8|df=y}}
| death_place = Tandragee, County Armagh, Northern Ireland
| nationality = Irish
| TT Contested = 6 (2002–2007)
| TT Wins = 0
| TT Podiums = 1
}}
Martin Finnegan (8 October 1979 – 3 May 2008)Isle of Man Examiner pp2 dated 6 May 2008 was an Irish motorcycle racer.
Career
Born in Lusk, County Dublin, Finnegan took up riding at a young age. At first he went grass track racing where he tasted success. In his later teens his boss at the time, Tony Carton,{{Cite web |date=2009-11-04 |title=A lifelong passion |url=https://www.independent.ie/regionals/dublin/fingal/a-lifelong-passion/27797613.html |access-date=2023-11-13 |website=Irish Independent |language=en}}{{Cite web |date=2021-04-30 |title=Tributes to Tony from road racing community |url=https://www.independent.ie/regionals/dublin/fingal/tributes-to-tony-from-road-racing-community/40356873.html |access-date=2023-11-13 |website=Irish Independent |language=en}} offered Finnegan the lend of a bike to try his hand at circuit racing. They went out that day and Finnegan did almost 100 laps and caught the bug.
A winner of 43 Irish road races since 1997, in addition to winning the 2000 Junior Newcomers Manx Grand Prix, Finnegan scored a podium at the 2005 Isle of Man TT where he became the fastest Irishman to lap the course at over 127 mph.{{Cite web |title=Martin Finnegan remembered: Father's eloquent tribute to racing star son following fatal crash at Tandragee 100 |url=https://www.newsletter.co.uk/sport/motorcycling/martin-finnegan-remembered-fathers-eloquent-tribute-to-racing-star-son-following-fatal-crash-at-tandragee-100-2841125}}
At the 2007 Isle of Man TT, Finnegan brought back to racing at competitive level on the island the Italian MV Agusta brand in the TT Superstock race, where he missed the podium reaching the 4th place on board of an F4 bike.{{Cite web |title=TT 2007 Pokerstars Superstock TT Results |url=https://www.iomtt.com/tt-database/events/races?meet_code=TT2007&race_seq=3}}
Death and inquest
Finnegan died in Tandragee, Northern Ireland, in 2008 whilst competing in the Supersport race at the Tandragee 100 race meeting.{{Citation | url=https://www.newsletter.co.uk/sport/motorcycling/martin-finnegan-remembered-fathers-eloquent-tribute-racing-star-son-following-fatal-crash-tandragee-100-2841125| title=Martin Finnegan remembered: Father's eloquent tribute to racing star son following fatal crash at Tandragee 100| newspaper=Newsletter.co.uk| access-date=19 June 2020}} As he approached a corner, his front brake failed. Whilst trying to stop the bike, his rear wheel hit a bump in the road which flipped Finnegan and his bike into a bank.{{cite news |title=Motorbike racer Martin Finnegan killed by failing brake |author=Dougan, Patrice |url=http://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/news/local-national/northern-ireland/motorbike-racer-martin-finnegan-killed-by-failing-brake-16101366.html |newspaper=Belfast Telegraph|date=10 January 2012 |access-date=2 February 2012}} Ryan Farquhar, who was directly behind Finnegan on the track, said that the rear tyre of Finnegan's bike was covered in oil.{{cite web |title=Finnegan death stuns motorcycling| url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/motorsport/motorbikes/7382870.stm| date=4 May 2008| publisher=BBC News| access-date=2 February 2012}}{{cite web |title=Martin Finnegan dies in Irish road race| url=http://www.visordown.com/motorcycle-news--racing-news/martin-finnegan-dies-in-irish-road-race/4619.html| date=6 May 2008| work=Visor Down| access-date = 2 February 2012}} On 7 May 2008, Finnegan's funeral took place in his hometown of Lusk. About 2,000 motorcyclists travelled to Lusk to attend.{{cite web | title=Martin Finnegan laid to rest| url=http://www.visordown.com/motorcycle-news--general-news/martin-finnegan-laid-to-rest/4660.html| date=8 May 2008| work=Visor Down| access-date = 2 February 2012}}
On 9 January 2012, the inquest into his death commenced. It was stated that after the crash a banjo bolt on the bike was found to be loose, however his mechanics and race scrutineers maintained that the bolt was tight before the start of the race and so could not have caused the brake failure which led to the crash. Instead, it was suggested by the scrutineer that brake knock-back was "the only logical explanation". Farquhar doubted that knock back was the cause, stating that he had not experienced it in over 500 races. The following day, coroner John Leckey delivered the verdict, stating "Having carefully considered all the evidence in conjunction with the agreed position of the experts, I am able to conclude that, on the balance of probabilities, the loose banjo bolt was the cause of failure of the front brake."{{cite news |title=Loose bolt 'caused bike racer's death' |author=McHugh, Michael |url=http://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/sport/motorsport/loose-bolt-caused-bike-racers-death-16101628.html |newspaper=Belfast Telegraph|date=10 January 2012 |access-date=2 February 2012}}
Legacy
In 2009, Adrian Archibald received the inaugural Martin Finnegan Trophy for achieving the fastest lap by an Irishman at the Isle of Man TT.{{cite web |url=http://www.whyarai.co.uk/cgi-bin/arai_news.pl?id=105 |title=Archibald Lifts Inaugural Martin Finnegan Trophy |date=15 June 2009 |publisher=Arai UK |access-date=28 January 2012}} Michael Dunlop then won the award for two consecutive years in 2010 and 2011.{{cite news |title=Finnegan cup goes to Dunlop |url=http://www.fingal-independent.ie/sport/gaelic-football/finnegan-cup-goes-to-dunlop-2675228.html |newspaper=The Fingal Independent |date=15 June 2011 |access-date=2 February 2012}}
=Winners of the Martin Finnegan Trophy=
See also
References
{{Reflist}}
External links
- [http://www.iomtt.com/TT-Database/competitors.aspx?ride_id=8157&filter=F Isle of Man TT Official Site]
- [http://www.motorcyclenews.com/MCN/sport/sportresults/mcn/2008/may/1-4/may0308martinfinngankilledinirishroadrace/?R=EPI-100232 Motorcycle News]
{{Authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Finnegan, Martin}}
Category:Motorsport people from County Dublin
Category:Isle of Man TT riders
Category:Irish motorcycle racers
Category:Manx Grand Prix racers