Steve Heneghan

Steve Heneghan (born 28th March 1980 in Enfield to Irish parents) is an Irish Motorcycle Road Racer.

Steve's career began in 2001 while riding with a manager from the national chain of motorcycle accessory shops, Hein Gericke. The manager soon realised Steve had the keen ability, fight, and skill to compete on the race track.

In his rookie year, 2002, Steve had an almost record breaking 17 crashes from 15 starts. Not the ideal beginning to a fruitful career in Motorcycle Racing.

2003 was to be the turn around. Winning 35 races, out of 39 starts (2 crashes, 2 second places) Steve's ability finally shone through. While leading the 400cc Championship, Steve was offered a ride with a top British Superstock team. Unfortuanlty, a crash in the wet at Mallory Park on 12th September was to end the season. A shattered hip (L/H Neck of Femur) resulted from a collision with the pit wall at over 100mph.

2004 was a comeback on an ex Paul Young Suzuki 600cc Suzuki GSXR in the MRO Championship. Despite several wins at club level, and top 5 finishes in the MRO, the season was blighted with problems from engine failures, to high speed crashes (right hand broken for the 7th time), to sponsor shortage.

2005 brought Steve back to the British Superbike Paddock on a Spearmint Rhino sponsored Yamaha R1 in the Superstock Cup class. Mid-field was the norm, and not the positions Steve, or his sponsors were prepared for, it would appear.

2006 opened new challenges, as Steve was invited to enter the world famous International Northwest 200 Road Races in Londonderry, Ulster. From a back row start, Steve passed over 25 other racers in the race, to come home in 36th place. (over 70 starters). All was not well however, as the blistering speeds (of over 185mph) on a motorcycle set up for a smooth racetrack took it's toll. A plate inserted years earlier from a serious R/H Wrist break [http://www.stmarysisc.org/brokenwrist.jpg] , bent and twisted under the forces of the road race. Emergency surgery was required, ruling Steve out of the rest of the season.

2007 saw Steve better his finish at the 2007 Kennedy NorthWest 200 Road Races, lapping at over 114mph (average speed), 5 fastest through the speed traps at University Corner (189mph) and finishing 21st. Steve also achieved top five results in the British Superbike Championships, competing in the hugely popular, over-subscribed, Superstock Cup Class.