Billy Coleman (born 8 May 1947) is an Irish motorsport rally driver. Nicknamed Millstreet Maestro, Billy Coleman is one of Ireland's most successful motorsport rally drivers and in twenty years of racing has claimed 29 victories, including a number of British Rally Championship and Irish Tarmac Rally Championship titles. He is the older brother of John Coleman who was a Gaelic footballer.
Life and career Billy Coleman is a farmer outside of Kanturk and 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 at University College Cork, but preferred farming as his occupation, and undertook it full time after finishing up his racing career. 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. 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. 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. Coleman's two sons, Robby Coleman and Gordon Coleman, also take part in Irish and British racing events.
Legacy RTÉ Sports Hall of Fame Award In 2006, Coleman was awarded RTÉ Sports Hall of Fame Award for his achievements in rallying.
DVD Coleman features in the Tarmac Titans DVD series on rally legends.
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".
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. 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 as well as sponsor of racing drivers through his motorsports organization CJJ Motorsports. In his possession Campion had a collection of Lancia rally cars, inspired by Lancia Stratos HF driven by Billy Coleman in 1978.
Racing record Between his active racing years 1968 to 1987, Billy Coleman started in 128 national and international rally events and claimed 29 victories.
Season Series Car Races Race Wins Title Win 1969 British Rally Championship Ford Escort Mk I 1 0 1970 National Rally Championship Ford Escort Mk I11 British Rally Championship101971 National Rally Championship Ford Escort Mk I Alpine-Renault A11011 British Rally Championship30 European Rally Championship20 International Championship for Manufacturers201972 National Rally Championship Ford Escort Mk I Alpine-Renault A11021 British Rally Championship30 International Championship for Manufacturers201973 British Rally Championship Ford Escort RS 1600 MKI10 European Rally Championship10 World Rally Championship101974 British Rally Championship Ford Escort RS 1600 MKI61 European Rally Championship40 World Rally Championship101975 British Rally Championship Ford Escort RS 1600 MKI Ford Escort RS 1800 MKII103 European Rally Championship61 World Rally Championship101976 National Rally Championship Ford Escort RS 1800 MKII Lancia Stratos HF11 British Rally Championship101 European Rally Championship52 World Rally Championship101977 British Rally Championship Lancia Stratos HF Fiat 131 Abarth70 European Rally Championship80 World Rally Championship101978 British Rally Championship Lancia Stratos HF Ford Escort RS 1800 MKII10 European Rally Championship50 World Rally Championship101979 Irish Tarmac Rally Championship Ford Escort RS 1800 MKII Porsche Carrera RS21 British Rally Championship20 European Rally Championship71 World Rally Championship101980 Irish Tarmac Rally Championship Ford Escort RS 1800 MKII20 British Rally Championship10 European Rally Championship301981 Irish Tarmac Rally Championship Ford Escort RS 1800 MKII10 European Rally Championship101982 Irish Tarmac Rally Championship Ford Escort RS 1800 MKIIOpel Ascona 40020 National Rally Championship10 British Rally Championship10 European Rally Championship101983 Irish Tarmac Rally Championship Ford Escort RS 1800 MKIIOpel Ascona 40021 British Rally Championship10 European Rally Championship101984 Irish Tarmac Rally Championship Opel Manta 40064 National Rally Championship11 British Rally Championship21 European Rally Championship101985 Irish Tarmac Rally Championship Porsche 911 SC RSFord Escort G342 British Rally Championship10 European Rally Championship10 World Rally Championship101986 Irish Tarmac Rally Championship Porsche 911 SC RSMG Metro 6R453 British Rally Championship20 European Rally Championship201987 Irish Tarmac Rally Championship BMW M3 E3020 British Rally Championship10 European Rally Championship10
Complete IMC results Year Entrant Car 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 1971 Billy Coleman Ford Escort TC MON SWE? ITA KEN MAR AUT GRE FRA Alpine-Renault A110 1600 GBRRet 1972 Billy Coleman Alpine-Renault A110 1600 MON SWE49 KEN MAR GRE AUT ITA USA GBRRet
Complete WRC results Year Entrant Car 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 Pts 1973 Billy Coleman Ford Escort RS1600 MON SWE POR KEN MOR GRE POL FIN AUT ITA USA GBR20 FRA N/A N/A 1974 Thomas Motors of Blackpool Ford Escort RS1600 POR KEN FIN ITA CAN USA GBR8 FRA N/A N/A 1975 Thomas Motors of Blackpool Ford Escort RS1800 MON SWE KEN GRE MOR POR FIN ITA FRA GBR6 N/A N/A 1976 Thomas Motors of Blackpool Ford Escort RS1800 MON SWE POR KEN GRC MOR FIN ITA FRA GBR6 N/A N/A 1977 The Chequered Flag Lancia Stratos HF MON SWE POR KEN NZL GRC FIN CAN ITA FRA GBRRet N/A N/A 1978 David Sutton Cars Ltd Ford Escort RS1800 MON SWE KEN POR GRE7 FIN CAN ITA CIV FRA GBR N/A N/A 1979 Billy Coleman Porsche Carrera RS MON30 SWE POR KEN GRE NZL FIN CAN ITA FRA GBR CIV NC 0 1985 Rothmans Porsche Rally Team Porsche 911 SC RS MON SWE POR KEN FRA4 GRC NZL ARG FIN ITA CIV GBR 22nd 10
References