Mark Niver

What a horrible loss for us all. You could not have ever met a nicer, more caring and genuine man than Mark Niver. He was a special soul, indeed. RIP, and Godspeed to you, Mark.

 

RIP Mark

The best machinist I have ever met, and a remarkable man.
Godspeed Mark!
Deepest condolences to his family and close friends.

Darrell

 

I have a few Mark storys....God Bless him and his family.

 

At one moment I'm shaking a great mans hand wishing him good luck, five minutes later we were at the end of the track wondering how he was doing and seeing his family doing the same. My heart goes out to the family, crew and friends of marks. I'm happy I got to meet him before this very unfortunate tragedy.

 

thoughts and prayers

Bama Boys

 

A great racer

Mark was one of my first, and most enduring, heros in the alcohol classes. When I ran the Donovan engines, he told me how to fix her a couple times. The first time we made it out west, he walked in my pit and said hi, and we talked for a long time. What a great racer and person. Gonna miss ya buddy.
May God comfort his family in their time of loss.
Marty Thacker & Crew

 

god took one of the good guys

 

My deepest sympathy to family and friends. He was a great inspiration to us guys that build alot of our own parts.
Godspeed-
Dale Hill

 

Mark would allways share info with enthusiasm--RIP
Bob Meek

 

tragic

What a tragic loss. Mark was certainly one of the GREAT GUYS in the sport. I always enjoyed his sense of humor and his ready smile. God must have needed a fabricator and he has himself a good one now. My heart and prayers go out to Mark's family and crew. I know God will provide you with the peace and strength to get through your pain. I can only hope that yet another tragedy from a top end accident will result in drastic improvements to the catch system so that more great people don't lose thier lives.

Mark will live on in the hearts and memories of his MANY friends.

Rest in peace my friend.

Clint Thompson

 

RIP Niver, you'll be missed by many

 

This is hard.
We were friends for over 30 years.
For those that pay no attention to the term "gentleman", the definition was him!
A late in the day phone call would be over a beer and some theory swapping. I will miss that.
I supplied all the bends for his last 3 cars and we shared many thoughts and visited each others shops many times in the past.
RIP to a good man.

 

Had the privilege of hosting Mark in our trailer for about an hour one afternoon after one of the many AFD rules changes. Always fun to get his take on things, and that time he wasn't shy about his feelings.

I'm really going to miss that big grin he wore on his face every time he walked by. He was the kind of guy that made you challenge yourself to do better.

May God Bless Mark and his family.

RG

 

Not trying to be insensetive but does anyone know what actually caused his death. He seemed like a very nice guy. Im sure he will be missed by all. Kevin Newburgh TAFC

 

thoughts and prayers to the family and friends

 

I'm not the message board type, but why sit here and think great things about someone and keep it to yourself?

what a stand-up guy Mark Niver was, what an honorable man

I was watching the race live on espn3 and went from thinking he'll get it stopped in time, to I hope he doesn't go too far in the sand to make it back for the final, to seeing the car fold up like an accordion and knowing that Chris Demke would be taking a single in the final, to thinking that the front end came back awfully far toward the cockpit, to wondering why the hell no one was saying he was OK

always looked up to him – the word "gentleman" personified

never heard one bad word about the man – everybody respected him. How could you not?

I remember when he got to the semi's at the U.S. Nationals in about 1976, back when it was still a 32-car field, and how thrilled he was to make it that far. He was only in his 20s, and even then he probably built everything himself

wonder how many people remember that he was the first (or just about the first) to run a PSI blower way back in 1988

just wanted to say something out of respect for him

every good thought and every blessing from God to his wife and to everyone in his family

 

Mark Niver always made time to tell me little things to help run a Donovan with out blowing the bottom out of it. That was 20 yrs ago. Talked to him in Vegas about four years ago and was surprised he still remembered me. One thing I know for sure I will always remember the time he didn't have to take to help me. RIP Mark , your already missed.
David Ford
TAD749

 

Todd.
I <3 Todd Veney. This is perfect. You too are a good man, and you deserve everything that is happening to you right now. You have worked very hard to get to where you are.
Mark is in a very good place now, laughing at us all for all of this. RIP old friend.

 

I know this is not the time to pick apart what caused this tragidy. All I can say is that when I was standing at the end of the track with Shawn and the rest of the teem feeling sick but hoping he was going to jump out of the ambulence, I walk over to the wall by the sand trap before the tractor went threw it and there was hardly a mark in it. And when they tried to pull the car out the wheely bar was jamed in the sand(gravel) backwards so the car could not be sprug back from the net. I hope know one is upset with me for speeking my mind. What I do know is that seeing that car and seeing his family not knowing how he was doing will stay with me for the rest of my life. I wish when I gave Marks wife a hug that is was for beating us(Shawn) in the race. Not for the lose of a Husband, Father, Friend.

 

class act

Mark was a class act and a true gentleman he will be missed. I enjoyed racing with him and will miss him RIP condolences to the family