Ken’s 40 year sponsorship to be celebrated in style

KEN Irwin has travelled the world with Top Gear Live, is known as the oracle of car set-up in autotesting circles and even at the age of 82, the Castlederg man is still involved in the sport he loves.

As well as a top level competitor and car preparation expert, the octogenarian is also a loyal supporter of autotesting locally and 2022 marks his 40th year as sponsor of Omagh Motor Club’s round of the Northern Ireland Autotest Championship.

That special anniversary will be celebrated today (Saturday) at Omagh Mart on the Gillygooley Road when the best of the current batch of competitors battle for glory, while as many as Ken’s former rivals will also be in attendance to mark the occasion with a post event barbecue.

Irwin was born on March 31st, 1940, the oldest of three boys, Andy and Charlie being his younger brothers, and 24 years later his passion for autotesting was sparked.

It was after watching the 1964 Ken Wharton International Autotests on a black and white TV along with his father that Irwin caught the bug. Competing for Northern Ireland that year was the late Omagh man Ronnie McCartney and Paddy Hopkirk and during the action, Ken uttered the now immortal words: ‘I think I could do that’.

Despite his father’s less than enthusiastic response, advising his son ‘to have a bit of sense’, Ken’s brief sentence proved prophetic and a legend was born.

Ken went on to win the Northern Ireland Autotest title six times, in 1971, 1975, 1976, 1977, 1980 and 1983 and was twice Southern Ireland champion in 1980 and 1985. He also claimed the British crown in 1981 and the Scottish in 1985 and became the first driver to win all four classes in the Northern Ireland Championship.

He holds the record for representing Northern Ireland 30 times at the Ken Wharton International event and during those 30 years he has won every class numerous times. He was on the winning team 15 times and was the individual FTD winner on a number of occasions.

Ken also excelled in rallying, winning the 1978 Northern Ireland Group 1 up to 1600cc title in Northern Ireland Forest championship, co-driven by Omagh man Godfrey Crawford.

In 1986, he was the overall winner of the Ballisodare Quarry Rally Sprint champions in a 1300cc Talbot Samba and he did the Donegal International Rally 14 times, claiming numerous class wins, but probably his greatest achievement in that rally was in 1982 when he won his class and finished 7th overall in a 1600cc Talbot Sunbeam, a truly giant killing act against much faster cars!

He is also a two times winner of the Harry Johnston Memorial Rally, navigated by Crawford in 1993 and 1995.

As well as behind the wheel, Irwin is just as well known by his work all over cars, preparing his own championship and class winning cars.

His renowned engineering skills have led him to be responsible for preparing cars that have won in excess of 25 championships, including a number of British titles.

Today at 82 years of age he still attends nearly all events and can be seen tuning cars and replacing drive shafts, etc at events.

Ken mentored, prepared cars and supported five different NI Autotest beginners champions – Godfrey Crawford, Mervyn Buchanan, Ali Craig, Eamon McCaffrey and the late Raymond Pollock.

After Ken won the British championship in 1981 his good friend Godfrey Crawford suggested to him that he should put up a trophy for his home club’s Christmas event.

For the past 40 years he has provided sponsorship for that event. Ironically the first winner of the Ken Irwin Trophy Autotests was his brother Charlie.

The event on 11th June is a tribute event to celebrate those 40 years with all the people who have competed with him over the past 58 years invited. To date nearly 50 people have indicated they plan to attend.

Meanwhile, today’s event will also see this year’s NI Championship continue as Stewartstown’s Steven Ferguson, who won the most recent round at Portstewart, attempts to retain his title, which would be an eighth in his glittering career.

He will be pushed all the way by outstanding Nova drivers, David Thompson and Newmills’ Mark King, amongst others, including a host of Tyrone competitors.