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He co-authored a book with [[Mark Hughes (journalist)|Mark Hughes]] which was released in the UK on 8 August 2008, titled ''Crashed and Byrned: The Greatest Racing Driver You Never Saw''. The book won the [[William Hill Irish Sports Book of the Year]] for 2009.<ref>[http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/sport/formula_1/article4887934.ece Review of ''Crashed and Byrned''] [https://web.archive.org/web/20081202090940/http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/sport/formula_1/article4887934.ece archive] at [[Wayback Machine]]</ref>
He co-authored a book with [[Mark Hughes (journalist)|Mark Hughes]] which was released in the UK on 8 August 2008, titled ''Crashed and Byrned: The Greatest Racing Driver You Never Saw''. The book won the [[William Hill Irish Sports Book of the Year]] for 2009.<ref>[http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/sport/formula_1/article4887934.ece Review of ''Crashed and Byrned''] [https://web.archive.org/web/20081202090940/http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/sport/formula_1/article4887934.ece archive] at [[Wayback Machine]]</ref>
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Byrne was the subject of [[Seán Ó Cualáin]]'s [[documentary film|documentary]] ''[[Crash and Burn (documentary)|Crash and Burn]]'' in 2016.<ref name="CrashBurn">{{cite web |title=Review of Irish Film @ Cork Film Festival: Crash and Burn |publisher=[[Film Ireland]] |url-status=live |archivedate=28 November 2016 |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20161128133409/http://filmireland.net/2016/11/27/review-of-irish-film-cork-film-festival-crash-and-burn/ |accessdate=18 June 2018 |date=27 November 2016 |url=http://filmireland.net/2016/11/27/review-of-irish-film-cork-film-festival-crash-and-burn/ |first=Steven |last=-}}</ref>
Byrne was the subject of [[Seán Ó Cualáin]]'s [[documentary film|documentary]] ''[[Crash and Burn (documentary)|Crash and Burn]]'' in 2016.<ref name="CrashBurn">{{cite web |title=Review of Irish Film @ Cork Film Festival: Crash and Burn |publisher=[[Film Ireland]] |url-status=live |archivedate=28 November 2016 |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20161128133409/http://filmireland.net/2016/11/27/review-of-irish-film-cork-film-festival-crash-and-burn/ |accessdate=18 June 2018 |date=27 November 2016 |url=http://filmireland.net/2016/11/27/review-of-irish-film-cork-film-festival-crash-and-burn/ |first=Steven |last=-}}</ref>

Revision as of 09:38, 28 January 2020

Tommy Byrne
Born (1958-05-06) 6 May 1958 (age 66)
Drogheda, County Louth, Ireland[1][2]
Formula One World Championship career
NationalityRepublic of Ireland Irish
Active years1982
TeamsTheodore
Entries5 (2 starts)
Championships0
Wins0
Podiums0
Career points0
Pole positions0
Fastest laps0
First entry1982 German Grand Prix
Last entry1982 Caesars Palace Grand Prix

Thomas Byrne (born 6 May 1958 in Drogheda, but grew up outside Dundalk [1][2] County Louth) is a former racing driver from Ireland. He participated in two Formula One Grands Prix in 1982 with the backmarker Theodore team, failing to qualify for another three. He failed to finish in either of the Grands Prix he started and scored no Formula One championship points.

After performing well in the Irish Formula Ford Championship in 1981, Byrne won the 1982 British Formula 3 Championship even though he missed some races while he competed in Formula One. At that time, he also tested a McLaren MP4/1 Formula One car in October 1982 against Marlboro-backed Spirit Racing's European F2 drivers like Stefan Johansson and Thierry Boutsen.[3] After a brief return to Formula Three in 1983, where he raced for Eddie Jordan, Byrne moved to the United States and began racing in the American Racing Series in 1986, where he won ten races in 55 starts, both second place in the series record books. He also was the championship runner-up in 1988 and 1989. He raced in the series until 1992 and then retired. Despite his extended career in the States, Byrne never made a Champ Car start. He lives in Florida, and teaches Honda Teen/Adult Defensive Driving, Advanced Defensive Driving, Acura High Performance and Acura Advanced Performance Driving during the race season at the Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course in Lexington, Ohio. He is also a driver coach for Indy Lights team Brian Stewart Racing.

He co-authored a book with Mark Hughes which was released in the UK on 8 August 2008, titled Crashed and Byrned: The Greatest Racing Driver You Never Saw. The book won the William Hill Irish Sports Book of the Year for 2009.[4]

Byrne was the subject of Seán Ó Cualáin's documentary Crash and Burn in 2016.[5]

Complete Formula One results

(key)

Year Entrant Chassis Engine 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 WDC Points
1982 Theodore Racing Team Theodore TY02 Cosworth V8 RSA BRA USW SMR BEL MON DET CAN NED GBR FRA GER
DNQ 		AUT
Ret 		SUI
DNQ 		ITA
DNQ 		CPL
Ret 		NC 0

Here is a summary, quite simple to view, of the career of this skilled Irish driver. It is another one, among hundreds of examples, of drivers who mastered the access formulas, but did not achieve the greatness they deserved:

YEAR COMPETITION CATEGORY POSITION TYPE OF COMPETITION NOTE
1980 Formula Ford Festival FORMULA FORD 1600 02 SINGLE EVENT
1980 Formula Ford 1600 Britain RAC FORMULA FORD 1600 01 SERIES
1980 P&O Normandy Ferries Formula Ford 1600 Championship FORMULA FORD 1600 01 SERIES
1980 Formula Ford 1600 - SMMT Motor Show Trophy Support race FORMULA FORD 1600 01 SINGLE EVENT
1980 EFDA Townsend Thoresen Euroseries Formula Ford 1600 FORMULA FORD 1600 10 SERIES
1981 Canon NP Copiers F3 Race - XXXIV B.A.R.C. TV-Race FORMULA THREE 02 SINGLE EVENT
1981 Formula Ford Festival FORMULA FORD 1600 01 SINGLE EVENT
1981 Formula Ford 2000 Europe FORMULA FORD 2000 01 SERIES
1981 Pace British FF2000 Championship FORMULA FORD 2000 01 SERIES
1982 FIA Formula One World Championship FORMULA ONE NC SERIES 5 races
1982 Marlboro British F3 Championship FORMULA THREE 01 SERIES
1982 Grand Prix of Monaco F3 FORMULA THREE 12 SINGLE EVENT
1983 Marlboro British F3 Championship FORMULA THREE NC SERIES 1 race
1983 FIA European F3 Championship FORMULA THREE 04 SERIES
1983 Macau Grand Prix F3 FORMULA THREE NC SINGLE EVENT
1983 Formula Mondial North American Cup FORMULA MONDIAL 15 SERIES
1984 FIA European F3 Championship FORMULA THREE 06 SERIES
1984 Macau Grand Prix F3 FORMULA THREE 08 SINGLE EVENT
1984 Formula Super Vee USA Robert Bosch/Valvoline Championship FORMULA SUPER VEE 13 SERIES
1985 Formula Super Vee USA Robert Bosch/Valvoline Championship FORMULA MONDIAL NC SERIES 2 races
1986 FIA International F3000 Championship FORMULA 3000 NC SERIES 1 race
1986 IMSA Camel GTO GTO 24 SERIES
1986 American Racing Series Championship INDY LIGHTS 07 SERIES
1987 American Racing Series Championship INDY LIGHTS 03 SERIES
1988 HFC American Racing Series Championship INDY LIGHTS 02 SERIES
1989 HFC American Racing Series Championship INDY LIGHTS 02 SERIES
1990 Firestone American Racing Series Championship INDY LIGHTS 13 SERIES
1991 Firestone Indy Lights Championship INDY LIGHTS 12 SERIES
1992 Firestone Indy Lights Championship INDY LIGHTS 10 SERIES
1993 Formula 3 Mexico FORMULA THREE 06 SERIES
2001 Grand American Rolex Series - GT GT 13 SERIES
2001 American Le Mans Series - GT GT NC SERIES 1 race
2002 Grand American Rolex Series - GTS GTS 03 SERIES

References

  1. ^ a b O'Rourke, Steve. "'Better than Senna' - Tommy Byrne was the greatest racing driver you've probably never heard of". the42.ie. Retrieved 8 July 2017.
  2. ^ a b "Crash and Burn review: Tommy Byrne - Far beyond driven". irishtimes.com. Retrieved 8 July 2017.
  3. ^ The Greatest Racing Driver You Never Saw: excerpt from Tommy Byrne's book
  4. ^ Review of Crashed and Byrned archive at Wayback Machine
  5. ^ -, Steven (27 November 2016). "Review of Irish Film @ Cork Film Festival: Crash and Burn". Film Ireland. Archived from the original on 28 November 2016. Retrieved 18 June 2018. {{cite web}}: |last= has numeric name (help)
Awards and achievements
Preceded by
first winner
 Autosport
National Racing Driver of the Year
1982 		Succeeded by
Sporting positions
Preceded by Formula Ford Festival Winner
1981 		Succeeded by
Preceded by British Formula Three Champion
1982 		Succeeded by
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