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.

Birrane 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.

Biranne 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 on the then-unopened Westlink, now known as the M50, in Dublin.Irish Times, 9 November 1990

Birrane owned Team Ireland, a NASCAR Winston Cup Series car racing team from 1991 to 1992. 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.

Racing record

Complete British Saloon Car Championship results (key) (Races in bold indicate pole position; races in italics indicate fastest lap.) Year Team Car Class 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 Pts Class 1968 Martin Birrane Ford Falcon Sprint BRH THR SIL CRY MAL BRH SIL13 CRO OUL BRHRet BRHNC NC 0 NC 1969 Martin Birrane Ford Falcon Sprint BRHDNS SIL18 SNE6 THR5 SILRet CRYRet† MALRet† CRO18 SILDNS OUL6 BRHRet BRHRet 21st 10 4th 1970 Martin Birrane Ford Mustang BRH SNE THR SILRet CRYDNS SILRet SIL CRODNS BRH OUL BRHRet BRH2 31st 8 6th 1971 Martin Birrane Ford Mustang Boss 302 BRH SNE7 THRRet SILRet CRYRet† SILRet CRO SIL4 OUL4 BRHDNS MAL BRH4 23rd 10 6th 1972 Cona Coffee Machine Company Ford Mustang Boss 302 BRHRet OUL8 THRRet SIL7 CRY8† BRHRet OULRet SIL7 MAL BRHRet 26th 10 6th 1973 Martin Birrane Ford Mustang Boss 302 BRH SIL THR THR SIL ING BRH SILDNS BRH NC 0 NC 1974 Adlards of Brixton Ford Capri 3000 GT MAL7† BRH7 SIL15 OUL THR SIL THR BRH ING BRH7† OUL SNE BRHRet 22nd 15 6th † 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) Year Entrant Class Chassis Engine 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 Pts 1972 Motor Racing Facilities GTS Datsun 240Z Datsun 2.4 L6 BUE DAY SEB BRH MNZ SPA TAR NÜR LMS ÖSTNo drivers' Championship. Alain de Cadenet S3.0 Duckhams LM Ford Cosworth DFV 3.0 V8 GLN 1973 Crowne Racing GT3.0 Porsche 911 Carrera RS Porsche 3.0 F6 DAY VAL DIJ MNZ SPA TAR NÜR LMS ÖST GLN 1974 Escuderia Montjuich S2.0 Lola T294 Ford Cosworth BDG 2.0 L4 MNZ SPA NÜR IMO LMS ÖST GLN LEC BRH KYA 1977 Dorset Racing S2.0 Lola T294S Ford Cosworth FVC 2.0 L4 DIJ MNZ VAL PER EST LEC IMO SALIn 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. 1980 Frox Clothing Company Ltd. Gr.5 Lotus Esprit S1 Ford Cosworth BDG 2.0 L4 DAY BRH MUG MNZ SIL NÜR Dorset Racing Associates S2.0 Lola T297 LMS 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 PER DAY GLN SPA MOS ROA 157th 16 S2.0 Lola T297 Ford Cosworth BDG 2.0 L4 BRH 1982 Chevron Cars Gr.6 Chevron B36 Ford Cosworth BDG 2.0 L4 MNZ SIL NÜR LMS SPA MUG FUJ BRH NC 0 1983 Peer Racing C Ford C100 Cosworth DFL 3.3 V8 MNZ SIL NÜR LMS SPA FUJ KYA NC 0 1985 Helmut Gall B BMW M1 BMW M88 3.5 L6 MUG MNZ SIL LMS NC 0 Jens Winther C2 URD C83 HOC MOS SPA BRH Barlett Chevron Racing Chevron B62 Cosworth DFL 3.3 V8 FUJ SHA 1986 Martin Schanche Racing C2 Argo JM19 Zakspeed 1.8 L4t MNZ SIL LMS NOR BRH JER NÜR SPA FUJ NC 0 1988 PC Automotive C2 Argo JM19C Cosworth DFL 3.3 V8 JER JAR MNZ SIL NC 0 Chamberlain Engineering Spice SE86C Hart 418T 1.8 L4t LMS BRN BRH NÜR SPA FUJ SAN Footnotes

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 Pts 1974 Crowne Racing Brabham BT43 Chevrolet 5.0 V8 BRH MAL SIL OUL BRH ZOL THR ZAN MUG MNZ MAL MON THR 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 Pts 1976 David Price Racing Chevron B29 Ford BDA 1.6 L4 MAL SNE OUL BRH THR BRH MAL SNE NC 0 Martin Birrane Ford BDA Nicholson 1.6 L4 BRH THR OUL BRH BRH 1977 Martin Birrane Chevron B29 Ford BDA 1.6 L4 MAL SNE OUL BRH MAL THR BRH OUL MAL DON BRH THR SNE BRH NC 0

24 Hours of Le Mans results Year Team Co-Drivers Car Class Laps 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 S2.0 212 NC NC 1978 Dorset Racing Associates Bob Evans Richard Down Lola T294S-Ford Cosworth S2.0 23 DNF DNF 1980 Dorset Racing Associates Peter Clarke Nick Mason Lola T297-Ford Cosworth S2.0 263 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 John Sheldon Neil Crang 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

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