Le Mans 24-Hour debut for driver with Glenbeigh link

A RACING driver with strong links to Glenbeigh is set to make his debut at the most famous motor race of all, the Le Mans 24 Hours, which takes place in North West France this weekend.

Liam Griffin, whose grandfather hailed from the south Kerry village, is the son of London-based tycoon John Griffin, one of the chief financial backers of IrishTV.ie.

Liam has been racing for over 20 years and has won races in this year’s British GT championship at the wheel of a Barwell Motorsport-run Lamborghini Huracan.

He will contest this weekend’s classic endurance race in an Aston Martin Vantage GT run by Beechdean Motorsport, the official factory-backed Aston Martin team, to mark his debut in the world famous twice-around the clock race.

Griffin, who gained plenty of Aston Martin GTE experience last season competing in two FIA World Endurance Championship races said: “It’s every driver’s dream to race the Le Mans 24hour and to get to do it in a factory-backed Beechdean Aston Martin GTE V8 Vantage is very much the cherry on the cream.”

Closer the home the Donegal International Rally takes place this weekend.

Mikie Galvin is the leading Kerry competitor on the entry. The Killarney-based co-driver, alongside his driver Keith Cronin, hope they get their Clonakilty Black Pudding Irish Tarmac Rally Championship campaign back on track following a disappointing Rally of the Lakes were they finished 13th after a mechanical setback on the opening day and a retirement on the Circuit of Ireland in April. The Kerry/Cork pair were leading the series after the Galway International and West Cork rallies earlier in the season but dropped to fifth following their recent run of bad form.

Galvin, who competes in a Citroen DS3 R5, said: “We are really excited to be back out again after the last two events being disappointments. The championship is still in reaching distance but Donegal needs to go well. Nobody involved is going to be slow up there.”

Rivals include championship leader Alistair Fisher who finished second in Killarney last month.

Damian Fleming is the other Kerry co-driver set for Ireland’s only three-day international rally.