Conor O'Brien / Charlie Kemp

Aston Martin DB4  N0.79

 


At aged 59, in 2002 I suddenly decided that unless I started now I would never race.
I bought a 1966 MKI Morris Mini Cooper S with FIA papers, which happened to be owned by a man only 20 miles from where I lived in the west of Ireland and in 2002, I started doing the Hill Climbs in Ireland. The first one I did at Ballyalben Hill in Clare left me with a grin on my face that is still there today. At the end of 2002 I did a few races with the HRCA in Mondello and Kirkistown.

I

CONOR, MYLES, JOHN, O'BRIEN

In 2003, thinking that time was not on my side, I also rather rashly bought a '96 I Aston Martin DB4 Lightweight, and David Jack of Aston Engineering took on the task of bringing it up to scratch as it had been in Japan for a few years. Colin Blower of Colin Blower Motorsports took over the set up ofthe car for me and in July I had my first race in the Aston at Snetterton, where I was disqualified for ignoring a black flag, because my passenger door was not secure. What a great start to my racing career in the UK with my mother, sister and my children there and being called "what a naughty boy" by the commentator.
Obviously by now I was completely hooked and realized that the cost of motor racing was indeed high. How do you find a sponsor who would help with a novice racing driver in club racing, an almost impossible task.
In 2007 "BB'S Coffee and Muffins Ltd" agreed to sponsor Team O'Briens Racing for the season. This was for both cars in England and Ireland. BB's have over 160 outlets in the UK and Ireland and those involved with this sponsorship are Kieran Walshe, David Sykes and Denis O'Brien, so we are still keeping it within the family!

Like all sports, you can never expect to be an expert in it without lessons and the same applies to Motor racing and so I asked Gillian Goldsmith, an A grade A.R.D.S. instructor to give me some lessons .. At least she hasn't told me yet as my ski-racing instructor Heinz did in the 1960's that I had the Irish position. I never knew what the Irish position was except that it certainly wasn't the Austrian position.
For the last 5 years I have been racing in Ireland and the UK as well as participating in the 4 Phoenix Park celebrations. 2003, The Centenary of the 1st Motor race in the UK, 2004 the 75th anniversary of the 1st Grand Prix to be held in the Park and 2006 when I won the Park in my Cooper S. The last 3 year s I raced in Spa with Colin Blower as my Co Driver, sadly in 2005 the clutch went and we dropped from 10th to 42nd out of70 and in 2006 the prop shaft blew at the end of the main straight, but I did get a co drive with Robert Rawe in his DB4 in the 2 hour race. Last year with Charlie Kemp as my co driver we came 6th out of 67 starters in the I Hour race.

My worst moment must be at Oulton Park in the Intermarque race 2004 when having been pushed hard for the first few laps I overdid it, spun and hit the ARMCO barrier. Luckily the damag~ turned out to be minor but was a sobering moment.
My ambition is to continue for the next few years doing what I am and then maybe if I can find the right one, buy a DB4GT and race that in a few European FIA races each year.
I have been so lucky and fortunate in my racing to date to meet so many genuinely nice people, who have been a great help to me and whom I greatly enjoy racing against.
In order to return some of the thanks, I have put up a web site to thank all those who have helped me.

www.conorobrienracing.com

Charlie Kemp

Twice  AMOC Cassic Champion in DB4 (2006, 2007)
Twice  Intermarque Class Champion in DB4 (2006, 2007)
Northern Saloon & Sportscar Class Champion (2002) in TVR Tuscan
 Selected TVR Tuscan Challenge rounds car in 2003
 Co drove a DB4 light weight  for Conor O’Brien Racing in 2006/2007 in HGTCC.
 Drove a Ford Mustang with Max Rostrum in selected Masters Rounds in 2007.
 Will once again drive for Conor O’Brien Racing in 2008 in both the Aston DB4 Lightweight and the Mini Cooper S.
Will also do selected rounds of the World Sports Car Masters series in a Lola 210 with Fox Motor sport.
 Works for Ginetta Cars in a sales and PR capacity for Ginetta Junior, G20 and G50 Championships.