Simon McKinley was an Irish racing driver and four-time Irish Hillclimb and Sprint Champion.[1]
| Simon McKinley | |
|---|---|
| Nationality | Irish |
| Born | 3 April 1981 Naul, County Meath, Ireland |
| Died | 25 April 2015 (aged 34) The Burren, County Clare, Ireland |
| Irish Hillclimb and Sprint Championship | |
| Wins | 4-time Irish Hillclimb and Sprint Champion |
Career
editMcKinley was from Naul, Ireland.[2] He famously competed in a white 1980 Mk2 Ford Escort, which he began building with his father, Peter, at age 13, as well as the Lant RT4.[3][4] He was the four-time winner of the Irish Hillclimb and Sprint Championship, and was reigning champion at the time of his death in 2015.[citation needed]
Death
editOn 25 April 2015, McKinley was killed during the Clare Motor Club Annual Hillclimb, at an event held on Scalp Hill between Carran and Bellharbour in The Burren, County Clare, Ireland.[5] The incident occurred during McKinley's final hillclimb run of the day around 5:30pm.[1][5] His Lant RT4 lost control, and he collided with a stone cliff at 140 miles per hour.[1][6] McKinley was brought to University Hospital Limerick, where he was pronounced dead.[7][8]
Personal life
editHe married Deirdre McKinley in 2012, and had a son Rory in 2014.[9] Their family was dubbed, "Ireland’s fastest family" as Deirdre was one of the highest-ranking female motorists in the world, having placed third in the FIA International Hillclimb Masters in 2014.[6][9][10]
References
edit- ^ a b c Flynn, Pat (2015-04-27). "Simon McKinley". Irish Examiner. Retrieved 2024-12-02.
- ^ Pattison, Brynmor (2015-04-26). "Simon McKinley: Tributes pour in for much-loved rally driver killed at Clare race event". Irish Mirror. Retrieved 2024-12-02.
- ^ "Warrior Comes Out To Play. #MaximumAttack Escort". Speedhunters. 2014-02-05. Retrieved 2024-12-02.
- ^ "Motorsport Memorial -". www.motorsportmemorial.org. Retrieved 2024-12-02.
- ^ a b "Motor racing driver killed after crash at Clare rally". The Irish Times. Retrieved 2024-12-02.
- ^ a b "Tributes paid after top race-diver dad is killed in tragic accident". Irish Independent. 2015-04-27. Retrieved 2024-12-02.
- ^ Flynn, Pat (2015-04-25). "Man killed in Burren rally event". The Clare Herald. Retrieved 2024-12-02.
- ^ David (2015-04-25). "Leading Irish rally driver dies in North Clare accident". Clare FM. Retrieved 2024-12-02.
- ^ a b "Meet Ireland's fastest couple and their biggest fan 11-month-old Rory". Irish Independent. 2015-04-18. Retrieved 2024-12-02.
- ^ "'He relished every moment with his family' - motor racing champion Simon McKinley laid to rest". Irish Independent. 2015-04-29. Retrieved 2024-12-02.
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