Martin Birrane

{{short description|Irish racing driver and businessman (1935–2018)}} {{more citations needed|date=June 2018}} {{Use dmy dates|date=November 2021}} {{Use Irish English|date=November 2021}} thumb|200px|Martin Birrane prior to the 24 Hours of Le Mans in 1986 thumb|200px|right|Birrane's blue racing car '''Martin Brendan 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''.

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 attempted to break the then Irish land speed record of 294.56 km/h, set by Mel Nolan on a turbocharged motorcycle over a "flying kilometre" on the Carrigrohane Straight in Cork in 1981. Martin reached {{convert|176|mph|km/h|0|abbr=on}} on the then-unopened Westlink, now known as the M50, in Dublin.<ref>Irish Times, 9 November 1990 {{fcn|date=November 2021}}</ref>

Birrane owned Team Ireland, a NASCAR Winston Cup Series car racing team from 1991 to 1992.<ref name="High">{{cite news|url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=xTgdAAAAIBAJ&sjid=0aUEAAAAIBAJ&pg=6089,331831&dq=martin-birrane+team-ireland&hl=en|title=Aiming High|last=Stout|first=Harold|date=3 May 1992|work=The Tuscaloosa News|page=C1|accessdate=2013-09-12|location=Tuscaloosa, AL}}</ref> 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.<ref>{{cite news |title=Martin Birrane dies aged 82 |url=https://www.rte.ie/sport/motorsport/2018/0611/969712-martin-birrane-dies-aged-82/ |accessdate=11 June 2018 |work=RTE.ie |date=11 June 2018 |language=en}}</ref>

==Racing record==

===Complete British Saloon Car Championship results=== (key) (Races in bold indicate pole position; races in italics indicate fastest lap.) {| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center; font-size:85%" ! Year ! Team ! Car ! Class ! 1 ! 2 ! 3 ! 4 ! 5 ! 6 ! 7 ! 8 ! 9 ! 10 ! 11 ! 12 ! 13 ! {{Tooltip|Pos.|Championship position}} ! Pts ! Class |- | 1968 ! Martin Birrane ! Ford Falcon Sprint ! {{Tooltip|D|Class D}} | BRH | THR | SIL | CRY | MAL | BRH |style="background:#CFCFFF;"| SIL 13 | CRO | OUL |style="background:#EFCFFF;"| BRH Ret |style="background:#CFCFFF;"| BRH NC | | ! NC ! 0 ! NC |- | 1969 ! Martin Birrane ! Ford Falcon Sprint ! {{Tooltip|D|Class D}} |style="background:#FFFFFF;"| BRH DNS |style="background:#DFFFDF;"| SIL 18 |style="background:#DFFFDF;"| SNE 6 |style="background:#DFFFDF;"| THR 5 |style="background:#EFCFFF;"| SIL Ret |style="background:#EFCFFF;"| CRY Ret† |style="background:#EFCFFF;"| MAL Ret† |style="background:#DFFFDF;"| CRO 18 |style="background:#FFFFFF;"| SIL DNS |style="background:#DFFFDF;"| OUL 6 |style="background:#EFCFFF;"| BRH Ret |style="background:#EFCFFF;"| BRH Ret | ! 21st ! 10 ! 4th |- | 1970 ! Martin Birrane ! Ford Mustang ! {{Tooltip|D|Class D}} | BRH | SNE | THR |style="background:#EFCFFF;"| SIL Ret |style="background:#FFFFFF;"| CRY DNS |style="background:#EFCFFF;"| SIL Ret | SIL |style="background:#FFFFFF;"| CRO DNS | BRH | OUL |style="background:#EFCFFF;"| BRH Ret |style="background:#FFFFBF;"| BRH 2 | ! 31st ! 8 ! 6th |- | 1971 ! Martin Birrane ! Ford Mustang Boss 302 ! {{Tooltip|D|Class D}} | BRH |style="background:#DFFFDF;"| SNE 7 |style="background:#EFCFFF;"| THR Ret |style="background:#EFCFFF;"| SIL Ret |style="background:#EFCFFF;"| CRY Ret† |style="background:#EFCFFF;"| SIL Ret | CRO |style="background:#DFFFDF;"| SIL 4 |style="background:#FFDF9F;"| OUL 4 |style="background:#FFFFFF;"| BRH DNS | MAL |style="background:#FFDF9F;"| BRH 4 | ! 23rd ! 10 ! 6th |- | 1972 ! Cona Coffee Machine Company ! Ford Mustang Boss 302 ! {{Tooltip|D|Class D}} |style="background:#EFCFFF;"| BRH Ret |style="background:#DFFFDF;"| OUL 8 |style="background:#EFCFFF;"| THR Ret |style="background:#DFFFDF;"| SIL 7 |style="background:#DFFFDF;"| CRY 8† |style="background:#EFCFFF;"| BRH Ret |style="background:#EFCFFF;"| OUL Ret |style="background:#DFFFDF;"| SIL 7 | MAL |style="background:#EFCFFF;"| BRH Ret | | | ! 26th ! 10 ! 6th |- | 1973 ! Martin Birrane ! Ford Mustang Boss 302 ! {{Tooltip|D|Class D}} | BRH | SIL | THR | THR | SIL | ING | BRH |style="background:#FFFFFF;"| SIL DNS | BRH | | | | ! NC ! 0 ! NC |- | 1974 ! Adlards of Brixton ! Ford Capri 3000 GT ! {{Tooltip|C|Class C}} |style="background:#DFFFDF;"| MAL 7† |style="background:#DFFFDF;"| BRH 7 |style="background:#DFFFDF;"| SIL 15 | OUL | THR | SIL | THR | BRH | ING |style="background:#FFDF9F;"| ''BRH'' 7† | OUL | SNE |style="background:#EFCFFF;"| BRH Ret ! 22nd ! 15 ! 6th |- !colspan="20"|{{center|{{small|Source:<ref>{{cite web |last1=de Jong |first1=Frank |title=British Saloon Car Championship |url=http://www.touringcarracing.net/Pages/BSCC.html |website=History of Touring Car Racing 1952-1993 |access-date=10 November 2022}}</ref>}}}} |} † Events with 2 races staged for the different classes.

===Complete World Sportscar Championship results=== (key) (Races in '''bold''' indicate pole position) (Races in ''italics'' indicate fastest lap) {| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center; font-size:90%" ! Year ! Entrant ! Class ! Chassis ! Engine ! 1 ! 2 ! 3 ! 4 ! 5 ! 6 ! 7 ! 8 ! 9 ! 10 ! 11 ! 12 ! 13 ! 14 ! 15 ! {{Tooltip|Pos.|Championship position}} ! Pts |- |rowspan=2| 1972 ! Motor Racing Facilities ! GTS ! Datsun 240Z ! Datsun 2.4 L6 | BUE | DAY | SEB | BRH | MNZ | SPA | TAR | NÜR |style="background:#FFCFCF;"| LMS {{small|DNQ}} | ÖST | | | | | !rowspan=2 colspan=2|<ref name="No drivers' Championship" group="N">No drivers' Championship.</ref> |- ! Alain de Cadenet ! S 3.0 ! Duckhams LM ! Ford Cosworth DFV 3.0 V8 | | | | | | | | | | |style="background:#EFCFFF;"| GLN {{small|Ret}} | | | | |- | 1973 ! Crowne Racing ! GT 3.0 ! Porsche 911 Carrera RS ! Porsche 3.0 F6 | DAY | VAL | DIJ |style="background:#FFCFCF;"| MNZ {{small|DNQ}} | SPA | TAR | NÜR | LMS | ÖST | GLN | | | | | !colspan=2|<ref name="No drivers' Championship" group="N"></ref> |- | 1974 ! Escuderia Montjuich ! S 2.0 ! Lola T294 ! Ford Cosworth BDG 2.0 L4 | MNZ | SPA | NÜR | IMO | LMS | ÖST | GLN | LEC |style="background:#EFCFFF;"| BRH {{small|Ret}} | KYA | | | | | !colspan=2|<ref name="No drivers' Championship" group="N"></ref> |- | 1977 ! Dorset Racing ! S 2.0 ! Lola T294S ! Ford Cosworth FVC 2.0 L4 | DIJ | MNZ | VAL | PER |style="background:#CFCFFF;"| EST {{small|NC}} | LEC | IMO | SAL | | | | | | | !colspan=2|<ref group="N">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.</ref> |- |rowspan=2| 1980 ! Frox Clothing Company Ltd. ! Gr.5 ! Lotus Esprit S1 !rowspan=2| Ford Cosworth BDG 2.0 L4 | DAY | BRH | MUG | MNZ |style="background:#FFFFFF;"| SIL {{small|DNS}} | NÜR | | | | | | | | | !rowspan=2 colspan=2|<ref name="No drivers' Championship" group="N"></ref> |- ! Dorset Racing Associates ! S 2.0 ! Lola T297 | | | | | | |style="background:#CFCFFF;"| LMS {{small|22}} | GLN | MOS | VAL | DIJ | | | | |- |rowspan=2| 1981 !rowspan=2| Dorset Racing Associates ! S +2.0 ! De Cadenet-Lola LM ! Ford Cosworth DFV 3.0 V8 | DAY | SEB | MUG | MNZ | RSD | SIL | NÜR |style="background:#EFCFFF;"| LMS {{small|Ret}} | PER | DAY | GLN | SPA | MOS | ROA | !rowspan=2| 157th !rowspan=2| 16 |- ! S 2.0 ! Lola T297 ! Ford Cosworth BDG 2.0 L4 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |style="background:#DFFFDF;"| BRH {{small|7}} |- | 1982 ! Chevron Cars ! Gr.6 ! Chevron B36 ! Ford Cosworth BDG 2.0 L4 | MNZ |style="background:#EFCFFF;"| SIL {{small|Ret}} | NÜR |style="background:#EFCFFF;"| LMS {{small|Ret}} |style="background:#CFCFFF;"| SPA {{small|16}} | MUG | FUJ |style="background:#CFCFFF;"| BRH {{small|20}} | | | | | | | ! NC ! 0 |- | 1983 ! Peer Racing ! C ! Ford C100 ! Cosworth DFL 3.3 V8 | MNZ | SIL | NÜR |style="background:#EFCFFF;"| LMS {{small|Ret}} | SPA | FUJ | KYA | | | | | | | | ! NC ! 0 |- |rowspan=3| 1985 ! Helmut Gall ! B ! BMW M1 !rowspan=2| BMW M88 3.5 L6 | MUG | MNZ | SIL |style="background:#CFCFFF;"| LMS {{small|15}} | | | | | | | | | | | !rowspan=3| NC !rowspan=3| 0 |- ! Jens Winther !rowspan=2| C2 ! URD C83 | | | | |style="background:#CFCFFF;"| HOC {{small|14}} | MOS | SPA | BRH | | | | | | | |- ! Barlett Chevron Racing ! Chevron B62 ! Cosworth DFL 3.3 V8 | | | | | | | | |style="background:#EFCFFF;"| FUJ {{small|Ret}} | SHA | | | | | |- | 1986 ! Martin Schanche Racing ! C2 ! Argo JM19 ! Zakspeed 1.8 L4 t | MNZ | SIL |style="background:#EFCFFF;"| LMS {{small|Ret}} | NOR | BRH | JER | NÜR | SPA | FUJ | | | | | | ! NC ! 0 |- |rowspan=2| 1988 ! PC Automotive !rowspan=2| C2 ! Argo JM19C ! Cosworth DFL 3.3 V8 | JER | JAR |style="background:#EFCFFF;"| MNZ {{small|Ret}} | SIL | | | | | | | | | | | !rowspan=2| NC !rowspan=2| 0 |- ! Chamberlain Engineering ! Spice SE86C ! Hart 418T 1.8 L4 t | | | | |style="background:#EFCFFF;"| LMS {{small|Ret}} | BRN |style="background:#EFCFFF;"| BRH {{small|Ret}} | NÜR | SPA | FUJ | SAN | | | | |} ;Footnotes: {{Reflist|group=N}}

===Complete European F5000 Championship results=== (key) (Races in '''bold''' indicate pole position; races in ''italics'' indicate fastest lap.) {| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center; font-size:90%" |- ! Year ! Entrant ! Chassis ! Engine ! 1 ! 2 ! 3 ! 4 ! 5 ! 6 ! 7 ! 8 ! 9 ! 10 ! 11 ! 12 ! 13 ! 14 ! 15 ! 16 ! 17 ! 18 ! {{Tooltip|Pos.|Championship position}} ! Pts |- | 1974 ! Crowne Racing ! Brabham BT43 ! Chevrolet 5.0 V8 | BRH | MAL | SIL | OUL | BRH | ZOL | THR | ZAN | MUG |style="background:#EFCFFF;"| MNZ {{small|Ret}} |style="background:#FFCFCF;"| MAL {{small|DNQ}} | MON |style="background:#EFCFFF;"| THR {{small|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) {| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center; font-size:90%" |- ! Year ! Entrant ! Chassis ! Engine ! 1 ! 2 ! 3 ! 4 ! 5 ! 6 ! 7 ! 8 ! 9 ! 10 ! 11 ! 12 ! 13 ! 14 ! {{Tooltip|Pos.|Championship position}} ! Pts |- |rowspan=2| 1976 ! David Price Racing !rowspan=2| Chevron B29 ! Ford BDA 1.6 L4 | MAL | SNE | OUL | BRH | THR |style="background:#FFCFCF;"| BRH {{small|DNQ}} | MAL | SNE | | | | | | !rowspan=2| NC !rowspan=2| 0 |- ! Martin Birrane ! Ford BDA Nicholson 1.6 L4 | | | | | | | | |style="background:#CFCFFF;"| BRH {{small|25}} | THR | OUL |style="background:#FFFFFF;"| BRH {{small|DNS}} | BRH | |- | 1977 ! Martin Birrane ! Chevron B29 ! Ford BDA 1.6 L4 | MAL | SNE | OUL | BRH | MAL | THR | BRH | OUL | MAL | DON |style="background:#EFCFFF;"| BRH {{small|Ret}} | THR | SNE | BRH ! NC ! 0 |}

===24 Hours of Le Mans results=== {| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center; font-size:90%" |- ! Year ! Team ! Co-Drivers ! Car ! Class ! Laps ! {{Tooltip|Pos.|Overall Position}} ! {{Tooltip|Class Pos.|Class Position}} |- ! 1972 |align="left"| {{flagicon|GBR}} Motor Racing Facilities Ltd. |align="left"| {{flagicon|GBR}} Robert Grant {{flagicon|BEL}} Sergé Troch |align="left"| Datsun 240Z | GTS | - | DNQ | DNQ |- ! 1977 |align="left"| {{flagicon|GBR}} Dorset Racing Associates |align="left"| {{flagicon|GBR}} Ian Harrower {{flagicon|NLD}} Ernst Berg {{flagicon|GBR}} Richard Down |align="left"| Lola T294S-Ford Cosworth | S 2.0 | 212 | NC | NC |- ! 1978 |align="left"| {{flagicon|GBR}} Dorset Racing Associates |align="left"| {{flagicon|GBR}} Bob Evans {{flagicon|GBR}} Richard Down |align="left"| Lola T294S-Ford Cosworth | S 2.0 | 23 | DNF | DNF |- ! 1980 |align="left"| {{flagicon|GBR}} Dorset Racing Associates |align="left"| {{flagicon|GBR}} Peter Clarke {{flagicon|GBR}} Nick Mason |align="left"| Lola T297-Ford Cosworth | S 2.0 | 263 | 22nd |style="background:#FFDF9F;"| '''3rd''' |- ! 1981 |align="left"| {{flagicon|GBR}} Dorset Racing Associates |align="left"| {{flagicon|GBR}} Nick Faure {{flagicon|IRL}} Vivian Candy |align="left"| De Cadenet-Lola LM-Ford Cosworth | S +2.0 | 171 | DNF | DNF |- ! 1982 |align="left"| {{flagicon|GBR}} Chevron Cars |align="left"| {{flagicon|GBR}} John Sheldon {{flagicon|AUS}} Neil Crang |align="left"| Chevron B36-Ford Cosworth | Gr.6 | 57 | DNF | DNF |- ! 1983 |align="left"| {{flagicon|GBR}} Peer Racing |align="left"| {{flagicon|FRA}} François Migault {{flagicon|IRL}} David Kennedy |align="left"| Ford C100 | C | 16 | DNF | DNF |- ! 1985 |align="left"| {{flagicon|DEU}} Helmut Gall |align="left"| {{flagicon|DEU}} Edgar Dören {{flagicon|BEL}} Jean-Paul Libert |align="left"| BMW M1 | B | 307 | 15th |style="background:#FFFFBF;"| '''1st''' |- ! 1986 |align="left"| {{flagicon|NOR}} Martin Schanche Racing |align="left"| {{flagicon|NOR}} Martin Schanche {{flagicon|NOR}} Torgye Kleppe |align="left"| Argo JM19-Zakspeed | C2 | 1 | DNF | DNF |- ! 1988 |align="left"| {{flagicon|GBR}} Chamberlain Engineering |align="left"| {{flagicon|GBR}} Richard Jones {{flagicon|GBR}} Nick Adams |align="left"| Spice SE86C-Hart | C2 | 223 | DNF | DNF |- !colspan="8"|{{center|{{small|Source:<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.racingsportscars.com/driver/results/Martin-Birrane-IRL.html|title=All Results of Martin Birrane|work=racingsportscars.com|accessdate=11 June 2018}}</ref>}}}} |}

==References== {{reflist}}

==External links== * {{Racing-Reference driver|Martin_Birrane}} * {{Racing-Reference owner|Martin_Birrane}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Birrane, Martin}} Category:1935 births Category:2018 deaths Category:20th-century Irish businesspeople Category:24 Hours of Le Mans drivers Category:British Touring Car Championship drivers Category:Irish racing drivers Category:World Sportscar Championship drivers Category:Sportspeople from Ballina, County Mayo Category:Businesspeople from County Mayo Category:Sportspeople from County Mayo