Triumph Over Adversity for Buckley

Thursday, April 24, 2008

Loch Lomond (Scotland) based International Motorcycle Racer Mark Buckley (30) will be flying the flag for a brand new race team and sponsor for 2008 season. Buckley has signed for the newly announced http://www.triumphmotorsports.co.uk/ team, which will contest the full Irish National Roads Series as well as pure road racings triple crown of International races: The North West 200, Isle of Man TT Races and the Ulster Grand Prix.

The real excitement behind the venture comes in the shape of the brand new British built Triumph 675cc Supersport machinery that will be prepared by race tuning doyen Ricky Leddy of RLR Motorsport.

Having the support and technical back up of an engine builder and tuner with the track record and success of Ricky Leddy (multiple TT and International race winning tuner) augers well for this UK based assault on the pure roads scene, and that along with support from the Triumph factory itself will give Buckley all the firepower he needs to gun for International honours.

Buckley is no stranger to Triumph machinery and has raced at National level during the last two years with the brand, scoring podiums in National events, as well as being a front-runner at the 2007 Ulster Grand Prix with a RLR 675cc Triumph development model.

When speaking of the 2008 deal Mark was quick to point out how happy he is to continue his relationship with RLR and Triumph as well as the formation of the newly branded http://www.triumphmotorsports.co.uk/ team.

“I really am stoked about the potential of this new team and the industry people behind it. The Triumph machinery has so much potential in Supersport racing, and last year despite only having a few outings on the machines could see that they are going to be very competitive.

In 2007 I rode machinery for nearly all the major manufacturers at various high profile events, but I am more than happy to sign with a professional British Team, machine and infrastructure and really have a go at putting a Brit bike up among the top positions in 2008. In my mind the Triumph has the potential to be a race winner and I aim to be the rider to do that.” 

Buckley tasted success throughout 2007 with some stunning performances on private machinery culminating in top ten positions at the Ulster Grand Prix ironically running at the front with former RLR supported TT winner and now the Isle of Man lap record holder John McGuinness. These types of performances have not gone unnoticed by the likes of Leddy (Ricky) and he had this to say about his latest charge and his hopes for the 2008 season.

"Giving Mark this chance to shine, with his and our past results will prove a winning formula in 2008."

With informal links to a British manufacturer,this has also opened an array of commercial opportunities for the team and http://www.triumphmotorsports.co.uk/ will be announcing a title sponsor in the lead up to the opening round of the Irish National Roads series.

Buckley has certainly triumphed as a pure road racer and top Isle of Man TT rider over the last two years, and 2008 really is the year that all the learning and experience will to come to the fore in National and International Supersport racing.