Billy Coleman
Billy Coleman is an Irish motorsport rally driver. Nicknamed Millstreet Maestro, Billy Coleman is Ireland's most successful motorsport rally driver and in twenty years of racing has claimed 29 victories, including a number of British Rally Championship and Irish Tarmac Rally Championship titles.[1] He is the older brother of John Coleman who was a Gaelic footballer.[2][3][4]
| Billy Coleman | |
|---|---|
| Nationality | Irish |
| Born | May 8, 1948 Millstreet, Cork, Ireland |
| Years active | 1969–1987 |
| Starts | 128 |
| Wins | 29 |
| British Rally Championship | |
| Years active | 1968–1987 |
| Starts | 53 |
| Wins | 6 |
| Podiums | 14 |
| Best finish | Winner in 1974 |
| Irish Tarmac Rally Championship | |
| Years active | 1979–1987 |
| Starts | 26 |
| Wins | 11 |
| Podiums | 13 |
| Best finish | Winner in 1984 |
| National Rally Championship | |
| Years active | 1970–1984 |
| Starts | 8 |
| Wins | 5 |
| Podiums | 5 |
| Championship titles | |
| Winner 1974 British Rally Championship
Winner 1984 Irish Tarmac Rally Championship | |
Life and career
Billy Coleman is a farmer native to Millstreet, County Cork, where he still resides. He developed an interest in cars from an early age, reminiscing how his father let him steer the car sitting on his knee at the age of five. His father Paddy Coleman was the local Ford main dealer and owned a motor garage in Millstreet. Spending time at his father's garage further nurtured Coleman's early interest in cars. Coleman studied commerce in University College Cork, but preferred farming as his occupation, and undertook it full time after finishing up his racing career.[5] His first racing car was Ford Cortina which Coleman drove in 1967. In 1969 a crashed Ford Escort was acquired, repaired and converted into a rally car. It was in this car (a self-prepared green Ford Escort Mark I; TIU 250) in 1969, that Coleman won the special stage ahead of the works Ford Escort of Roger Clark.[6] Coleman dominated the rallies in Ireland and Britain the 1970s and 1980s. He has also been seen in international arena, including in Corsica and Monte Carlo.[7] In his racing career, Coleman drove Ford Cortina, Ford Escort, Alpine-Renault, Lancia Stratos, Fiat-Abarth 131, Opel Manta 400, Porsche 911, Porsche 959, MG Metro 6R4 and BMW M3.[5] Coleman's two sons, Robby Coleman and Gordon Coleman, also take part in Irish and British racing events.[8]
Legacy
RTÉ Sports Hall of Fame Award
In 2006, Coleman was awarded RTÉ Sports Hall of Fame Award for his achievements in rallying.[9]
DVD
Coleman features in the Tarmac Titans DVD series on rally legends.[10]
Young driver of the year award
The Billy Coleman Young Driver of the Year Award was conceived in 2000 in a partnership between Motorsport Ireland, Sport Ireland and Team Ireland. The aim of the award is to "motivate young Irish rally drivers to step up into the international arena and rival the achievements of the young Billy Coleman".[11]
Influence
Irish-American billionaire, philanthropist, life-long motorsports supporter John Campion attributed much of his motivation to succeed to Billy Coleman's achievements as a rally driver. Campion supported the launch of the Team Ireland Foundation in Dublin in 2016, where in his speech he said:
As a young boy in Cork I found myself struggling with school and at a loss as to what I would do with my life. But I always felt a bond with motorsport after witnessing Billy Coleman, a farmer who became a world rallying icon, competing near my home in Cork. After seeing Billy rallying I realised then that if you put your mind to it, you could achieve anything.[12]
John Campion emigrated to United States where he become the chairman and CEO of an international energy corporation, and a philanthropist focusing on health, education and nutrition[13] as well as sponsor of racing drivers through his motorsports organization CJJ Motorsports.[14][15] In his possession Campion had a collection of Lancia rally cars, inspired by Lancia Stratos HF driven by Billy Coleman in 1978.[16][17]
Racing record
Between his active racing years 1968 to 1987, Billy Coleman started in 128 national and international rally events and claimed 29 victories.[18]
References
- "Billy Coleman - rally profile". Ewrc-results.com. Retrieved 18 November 2019.
- "Coleman, John - HoganStand". Hoganstand.com. Retrieved 8 February 2022.
- "1974 Circuit of Ireland Rally". Retrieved 8 February 2022 – via YouTube.
- "Billy Coleman interview". YouTube.
- "Emerald idol | Motor Sport Magazine Archive". Motorsportmagazine.com. Retrieved 18 November 2019.
- "The Billy Coleman web page". Homepage.eircom.net. Retrieved 18 November 2019.
- michaeld (10 March 2010). "Billy Coleman – Tarmac Titan DVD –". Millstreet.ie. Retrieved 18 November 2019.
- "Billy Coleman". Independent.ie. Retrieved 8 February 2022.
- "Shefflin named RTÉ Sports Person of the Year". Rte.ie. 14 June 2007. Retrieved 19 November 2019.
- "Billy Coleman - Shop - RPM Motorsport - Irish Rallying DVDs for sale by Ireland's #1 Motorsport TV Programme". RPM Motorsport. Archived from the original on 29 October 2019. Retrieved 18 November 2019.
- Motorsport Ireland. "Overseas News". Motorsport Ireland. Archived from the original on 12 November 2019. Retrieved 18 November 2019.
- "Motorsport Ireland Launch Team Ireland Foundation at the Mansion House". Motorsport.ie. 17 February 2016. Retrieved 19 November 2019.
- "Home Page". John and Suzanne Campion Foundation. Retrieved 19 November 2019.
- "News". John and Suzanne Campion Foundation. Retrieved 19 November 2019.
- "Ambitious Breen aims to boost quest for return to World stage with Easter Stages Rally success". Belfast Telegraph. 18 April 2019. Retrieved 19 November 2019.
- "MotoJohn Campion's Lifelong Obsession With Group B Rally Has Shaped A World Class Collection". Petrolicious.com. 5 April 2016. Retrieved 19 November 2019.
- "Rally Cars And Ford GTs Invade The 2016 Concours d'Elegance Of America". Forbes Media. 1 August 2016. Retrieved 19 November 2019.
- "Billy Coleman". eWRC-results.com. Retrieved 18 November 2019.