Billy Coleman is a farmer outside of Kanturk and native to Millstreet,County Cork,where he still resides.[6] He developed an interest in cars from an early age,[citation needed] reminiscing how his father let him steer the car sitting on his knee at the age of five.[citation needed] 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.[citation needed] Coleman studied commerce at University College Cork,but preferred farming as his occupation,and undertook it full time after finishing up his racing career.[7] 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.[8] Coleman dominated the rallies in Ireland and Britain the 1970s and 1980s.[citation needed] He has also been seen in international arena,including in Corsica and Monte Carlo.[9] 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.[7] Coleman's two sons,Robby Coleman and Gordon Coleman,also take part in Irish and British racing events.[10]
Coleman features in the Tarmac Titans DVD series on rally legends.[12]
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".[13]
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.[citation needed] 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.[14]
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[15] as well as sponsor of racing drivers through his motorsports organization CJJ Motorsports.[16][17] In his possession Campion had a collection of Lancia rally cars,inspired by Lancia Stratos HF driven by Billy Coleman in 1978.[18][19]
Racing record
Between his active racing years 1968 to 1987,Billy Coleman started in 128 national and international rally events and claimed 29 victories.[20]
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Irish
Jim Porter