Tommy Byrne

Tommy Byrne's career is a study in what might have been, but his achievements are real and substantial. He won the Irish Formula Ford Championship in 1981 and followed it with the British Formula 3 title in 1982, a feat made more remarkable by the fact he was simultaneously racing in Formula One. His ten wins in the American Racing Series place him second on the series' all-time wins list, and he finished as runner-up in the championship twice. Off the track, his memoir Crashed and Byrned won the William Hill Irish Sports Book of the Year, and his story has been told in a critically acclaimed documentary. These accomplishments speak to a driver of genuine talent, even if the ultimate prize eluded him.