Martin Birrane

Martin Birrane (19 August 1935 – 9 June 2018) was an Irish businessman and former racing driver. Born in Ballina, County Mayo and educated at St Muredach's College, Birrane made his money in property development, with his company Peer Group.

Birrane's blue racing car

He was the owner of the Mondello Park racetrack in County Kildare, which is the only FIA 3 1/2 kilometre track in Ireland. It hosts domestic and international events.

He competed in the Le Mans 24 Hours ten times as a driver, winning the GT class in 1985. In 1990, he set the then Irish land speed record of 176 mph (283 km/h) on the then-unopened Westlink, now known as the M50, in Dublin.[1]

Birrane owned Team Ireland, a NASCAR Winston Cup Series car racing team from 1991 to 1992.[2] He was the owner of racing car manufacturer Lola Cars from 1997 until the company was closed down in 2012. The Sunday Times Rich List 2011 valued his assets at €85 million.

Birrane died in June 2018 at the age of 82.[3]

Racing record

24 Hours of Le Mans results
Year Team Co-Drivers Car Class Laps Pos. Class
Pos.
1972 Motor Racing Facilities Ltd. Robert Grant
Sergé Troch		 Datsun 240Z GTS - DNQ DNQ
1977 Dorset Racing Associates Ian Harrower
Ernst Berg
Richard Down		 Lola T294S-Ford Cosworth S
2.0		 212 NC NC
1978 Dorset Racing Associates Bob Evans
Richard Down		 Lola T294S-Ford Cosworth S
2.0		 23 DNF DNF
1980 Dorset Racing Associates Peter Clarke
Nick Mason		 Lola T297-Ford Cosworth S
2.0		 263 22nd 3rd
1981 Dorset Racing Associates Nick Faure
Vivian Candy		 De Cadenet-Lola LM-Ford Cosworth S
+2.0		 171 DNF DNF
1982 Chevron Cars Gordon Spice
Xavier Lapeyre		 Chevron B36-Ford Cosworth Gr.6 57 DNF DNF
1983 Peer Racing François Migault
David Kennedy		 Ford C100 C 16 DNF DNF
1985 Helmut Gall Edgar Dören
Jean-Paul Libert		 BMW M1 B 307 15th 1st
1986 Martin Schanche Racing Martin Schanche
Torgye Kleppe		 Argo JM19-Zakspeed C2 1 DNF DNF
1988 Chamberlain Engineering Richard Jones
Nick Adams		 Spice SE86C-Hart C2 223 DNF DNF
Source:[4]

Complete World Sportscar Championship results

(key) (Races in bold indicate pole position) (Races in italics indicate fastest lap)

Year Entrant Class Chassis Engine 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 Pos. Pts
1972 Motor Racing Facilities GTS Datsun 240Z Datsun 2.4 L6 BUE DAY SEB BRH MNZ SPA TAR NÜR LMS
DNQ		 ÖST [N 1]
Alain de Cadenet S
3.0		 Duckhams LM Ford Cosworth DFV 3.0 V8 GLN
Ret
1973 Crowne Racing GT
3.0		 Porsche 911 Carrera RS Porsche 3.0 F6 DAY VAL DIJ MNZ
DNQ		 SPA TAR NÜR LMS ÖST GLN [N 1]
1974 Escuderia Montjuich S
2.0		 Lola T294 Ford Cosworth BDG 2.0 L4 MNZ SPA NÜR IMO LMS ÖST GLN LEC BRH
Ret		 KYA [N 1]
1977 Dorset Racing S
2.0		 Lola T294S Ford Cosworth FVC 2.0 L4 DIJ MNZ VAL PER EST
NC		 LEC IMO SAL [N 2]
1980 Frox Clothing Company Ltd. Gr.5 Lotus Esprit S1 Ford Cosworth BDG 2.0 L4 DAY BRH MUG MNZ SIL
DNS		 NÜR [N 1]
Dorset Racing Associates S
2.0		 Lola T297 LMS
22		 GLN MOS VAL DIJ
1981 Dorset Racing Associates S
+2.0		 De Cadenet-Lola LM Ford Cosworth DFV 3.0 V8 DAY SEB MUG MNZ RSD SIL NÜR LMS
Ret		 PER DAY GLN SPA MOS ROA 157th 16
S
2.0		 Lola T297 Ford Cosworth BDG 2.0 L4 BRH
7
1982 Chevron Cars Gr.6 Chevron B36 Ford Cosworth BDG 2.0 L4 MNZ SIL
Ret		 NÜR LMS
Ret		 SPA
16		 MUG FUJ BRH
20		 NC 0
1983 Peer Racing C Ford C100 Cosworth DFL 3.3 V8 MNZ SIL NÜR LMS
Ret		 SPA FUJ KYA NC 0
1985 Helmut Gall B BMW M1 BMW M88 3.5 L6 MUG MNZ SIL LMS
15		 NC 0
Jens Winther C2 URD C83 HOC
14		 MOS SPA BRH
Barlett Chevron Racing Chevron B62 Cosworth DFL 3.3 V8 FUJ
Ret		 SHA
1986 Martin Schanche Racing C2 Argo JM19 Zakspeed 1.8 L4t MNZ SIL LMS
Ret		 NOR BRH JER NÜR SPA FUJ NC 0
1988 PC Automotive C2 Argo JM19C Cosworth DFL 3.3 V8 JER JAR MNZ
Ret		 SIL NC 0
Chamberlain Engineering Spice SE86C Hart 418T 1.8 L4t LMS
Ret		 BRN BRH
Ret		 NÜR SPA FUJ SAN
Footnotes
  1. No drivers' Championship.
  2. In 1976 and 1977 the World Championship was divided into two series that ran simultaneously but separately: The World Sportscar Championship and the World Championship for Makes.

Complete European F5000 Championship results

(key) (Races in bold indicate pole position; races in italics indicate fastest lap.)

Year Entrant Chassis Engine 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 Pos. Pts
1974 Crowne Racing Brabham BT43 Chevrolet 5.0 V8 BRH MAL SIL OUL BRH ZOL THR ZAN MUG MNZ
Ret		 MAL
DNQ		 MON THR
Ret		 BRH OUL SNE MAL BRH NC 0

Complete Shellsport International Series results

(key) (Races in bold indicate pole position; races in italics indicate fastest lap)

Year Entrant Chassis Engine 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 Pos. Pts
1976 David Price Racing Chevron B29 Ford BDA 1.6 L4 MAL SNE OUL BRH THR BRH
DNQ		 MAL SNE NC 0
Martin Birrane Ford BDA Nicholson 1.6 L4 BRH
25		 THR OUL BRH
DNS		 BRH
1977 Martin Birrane Chevron B29 Ford BDA 1.6 L4 MAL SNE OUL BRH MAL THR BRH OUL MAL DON BRH
Ret		 THR SNE BRH NC 0
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References
  1. Irish Times, November 9, 1990
  2. Stout, Harold (May 3, 1992). "Aiming High". The Tuscaloosa News. Tuscaloosa, AL. p. C1. Retrieved 2013-09-12.
  3. "Martin Birrane dies aged 82". RTE.ie. 11 June 2018. Retrieved 11 June 2018.
  4. "All Results of Martin Birrane". racingsportscars.com. Retrieved June 11, 2018.


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