Personal

Name:

Martin Brady 

Age:

***** 27

Marital status:

***** Married to Laura since August 2005 - sorry girls! (only joking I married the only lady who could possibly put up with me!)

Children:

****** One daughter Caitlin born September 06 - she clocked in 2 weeks late, unlike her Dad who clocks in early!!

Occupation:

Garda (Irish Police Officer) 

Place of birth: 

Dublin

Country or county where you live:

Meath, Ireland.

Does your spouse / partner like rallying?

***** Kindly tolerates and supports. Fair play to her! She has taken on jobs in rally sign on for several local events and has helped with results and manned passage controls with me on a few occasions, still not sure if she likes rallying though!!!

Any other hobbies?

***** I enjoy reading & current affairs. Going to the gym/cinema, or at least trying to go to the gym!! but only when it fits in around rallying!

Your opinions

Favourite food:

Chicken fajitas 

Favourite drink:

***** Lucozade, Water… or the winners' bottle of Moet et Chandon!! (not that I have had any of it!!)

Favourite motorsport paper / magazine:

** Monthly it's Pacenotes. But the week's not the same without M.N. 

Favourite sports person (other than rallying):

Joey Dunlop or Ayrton Senna, both now sadly deceased.  

Favourite film star:

***** Rachel Stevens (she had a small cameo part in a film! Oscar winning in my mind anyway) or Ryan Reynolds is very funny, I will watch any of his films.

Favourite holiday destination:

**** Pennsylvanian Forests!!

Which TV sports programmes do you watch?

On The Limit Sports, or R.P.M. Anything motorsport basically.

Starting out

How did you start out?

1989 Circuit of Ireland. First Sunday Stage arrival control was at my front gate. I was hooked, especially by a Mr McRae and his younger son both driving Ford Sierras. my favourite car of the time. I became a total rally fanatic from that day on. This devotion was nurtured in further years by choosing to go to 3^rd level college in Letterkenny Co Donegal, a town steeped in rallying involvement. First event was a 1998 Donegal MC Night Navigation Rally - not my biggest personal success but the first step nevertheless. 

First driver you sat with: 

Stage rallying, Michael Cooper.

First event:

Dunlop Rally Ireland 2000 

Rallying background

Type of licence held:

International Co Driver, issued by Motorsport Ireland. 

Which motor club do you belong to?

**** An Garda Siochana Motor Club

Do you contribute towards your rallying?

Time, massive phone bills, hassle juggling work, maps, notes, accommodation, etc. 

Have you ever driven on a rally?

*** No, never wanted to; wanted to be a co-driver from day one. However I am considering doing a Night Navigation (Road Rally to you guys) to build experience. I have a 3dr Suzuki Swift 4wd Gti which might work well in the lanes?

Did you ever marshal on events?  When and where?

****** 2006 on Midland Multi stages, GSMC Mini Stages and Tipperary Forest Stages. IRCA Marshals Day out.

***** 2005 Helped on GSMC Mini Stages pre event and did time controls on Carrick Forest and ALMC, anywhere I had time really.

**** 2004 I assisted the COC on the ALMC stages, and helped with my own club GSMC's event.

** 2004 I was Assistant Chief Marshal on GSMC single stage, I marshalled regularly in my younger years on any Irish event I could get to; I enjoyed being involved. However, a bad experience on one event with the sharper side of an official’s tongue turned me off for a while, but I do try and get helping as much as I can now again on 3/4 events per year. I think Marshals deserve the height of respect and praise, and more competitors should marshal to help events run and to give a perspective on just what dedication it takes to be a volunteer standing all day often in the wet and cold for the sport we love.  

How many events do you get to watch?  (e.g. per year)

** 2002 7 events. 2003 it was 4 events, it used to be more. It depends on how many I'm lucky enough to be competing in.

**** 2004 Dunno really maybe 5?? Was gainfully employed on all the rest

How many rallies do you take part in?  (e.g. per year)

****** In 2006 I competed on 26 rallies and worked with teams on 2 other events.

***** 2005- It was a blur think it was 30 rallies but what I am sure of was the 25 DNF'S, not the best year overall, but there was some highlights in there if you looked hard enough!!!

**** 2004 28 events competing, but taking in gravel crew, watching events, helping on events, I was away at over 40 events.

** In 2003 I competed on 26 stage events. 3 rally sprints and 1 road rally. Hectic but very satisfying total.

Have you competed abroad? Where and when?

****** STPR Pennsylvania USA 2006

***** WRC Rally Catalunya 2005

Your opinions (rallying)

Favourite rally car:

I love them all, but Fords always have a special shine for me, in particular the first of the Works Group A Escort Cosworths. 

Favourite rally driver:

***** None really stands out, it's probably Gronholm or Hirvonen. I'm a Ford fan first and foremost. Derek McGarrity is my favourite driver on Irish roads.

Favourite rally co-driver:

Without a doubt Nicky Grist, also though I have huge admiration and respect for other co-drivers such as Gordon Noble and Howard Davies, to name but two. 

Favourite bit of road or forest:

* On Tarmac, has to be the stages in Killarney, Ardgroom - just literally breathtaking. If you can keep pace with notes in there then you are doing your job.

Other than that I really adore Lurgan Park. It’s a cracking venue and a most enjoyable social event.

Any forest in Cork or Omagh is very enjoyable.

Do you prefer pace notes or map reading events?

Pace Notes definitely. I'm afraid of maps! although practice is making a slight difference. 

Things you dislike about rallying?

* The cost of entries, and the difficulty in Ireland to get same, due to over-subscription. However I think this over subscription is waning. The problems I think we now face are astronomical insurance prices, idiot spectators who aren’t genuine fans and harm rallying by their antics on the public road and on stages by showing no respect for the local area or the marshals or the safety considerations they are trying to safeguard.

Who do you think will win the World Rally Championship in 2003?

Probably Burns? Just maybe McRae.

... and in 2004?

* Markko Martin

... and in 2005?

**** Gardemeister

... and in 2006?

***** Gronholm

... and in 2007?

****** Gronholm

Rallying history

Drivers you have sat with:

* Stage Rallying

Michael Cooper, David Ennis, Gus Kearney, Jason Kelly, Damian Cole, Tony Dineen, Ray Martin, John Fitzsimmons, Graham McClintock, John Quinn, Ciaran Mahon, Justin O Brien, Pat Andrews, Jonni Mc Daid, Brendan Kelly, Graham Quinn, Gordon Coleman, Connor Byrne. *** Derek Tracy, Brendan Murphy, Steve Sproat, Noel Redmond and Gerrard Sharkey. **** Paul Elliot, Fergal Allen, Pat Norris, Mark Kinnirons ***** Paddy White, Denis Heaney, Martin Cairns, Tommy Graham, Cahal Arthurs, Damian Finneran, John Hickey, Andrew Purcell.

****** 2006 Alistair Fisher, Kevin O Kane, Celcus Donnelly, Daragh Raftery, Brendan Donegan, Kevin Kelleher

Off Stage

John O Hara (Formula Ireland champion racing driver- Rallysprint in Pug 106)

Andrew Nesbitt (Rally competitors' track day to thank marshals)

Rallysprint - Tom Holton, David James

*** Testing (* with notes)

Dom Buckley* - Lancer WRC Step 2
Eammon Boland* - Lancer WRC Step 2
Tim Mc Nulty* - Subaru WRC S7
Stuart Jones - S1600 Proton
Stephen Murphy - Subaru WRC S8
George Tracey - Peugeot 206 WRC
**** Geoff Jones - Skoda WRC
Gareth MacHale - Corolla WRC
Tony Davies*- Subaru WRC S7 & Subaru WRC S8
Derek Mc Garrity* - Subaru WRC S9 & Skoda Fabia WRC
***** Derek Mc Garrity* - Subaru WRC S9 S10 & Skoda Fabia WRC
Eugene Donnelly Toyota Corolla WRC
Derek Mc Geehan Celica 185
****** Mark Higgins Subaru S9

Best driver you have ever sat with? 

***** Derek Mc Garrity: I have been lucky enough to get a few spins with him in different cars and every time I get out of the car in awe of how aggressive but fast and neat he can make these cars work, brilliant driver in my humble opinion

*** Dom Buckley, it was a thrill to sit in and call notes for him, but the amazing thing was knowing he was only at 75% - if even that.

Stuart Jones in Sweet Lamb was just a grin from ear to ear he is so committed and so talented.

Best result:

***** Eurocables Stages 2005 second overall with Cahal Arthurs in the Hyundai Accent, losing it by only 2 seconds on last stage after a big battle with Kevin Lynch, great day. Or 2003 Ulster best newcomers with Connor Byrne in the Evo.

Worst result:

***** 2005 and the 25 DNFs including Rally Catalunya on the penultimate stage.

* Retiring with dodgy electrics before first control on Manx national hurt, but not as much as being denied a class win on my then home club’s event with Graham McClintock in the 206 having come in top 20 with nearest rival several minutes behind in the 30s and being refused the class 6 win because, despite our best efforts, we didn’t have homologation papers for the car in our possession. Gutted, quite frankly, to be denied a trophy on home ground.

Championships contested:

****** 2006 3rd o/a in Irish Forest championship with Kevin O Kane despite missing 3 rounds together

* Get Connected! 2003 first class A6 15th o/a 2nd in F2.

Best rally memory:

*** First run in the 206 WRC at a test with George Tracy was a brilliant memory especially as the car created such media hype as the first of its kind on Irish tar and I was lucky enough to get a spin on its first test with George.

Strangest incident on a rally:

First rally with Mickey Cooper in his Sierra. We spent weeks getting car ready.  Just as we were putting it onto the trailer to drive to scrutiny he took it for “One last drive” down the lane and made mince of the diff This meant an all-night panic to fix the car and missing scrutiny. We got 2 hours sleep, up at 6am, then couldn’t get the rally car onto trailer (dodgy ramps!) Then the rally car refused to start, so up the road at warp speed we went…on a towrope behind a Transit, with me frantically trying to steer the Sierra and it doing up to the ton on the rope behind super Transit and my now very-wound-up driver going mad for tar in thick fog!!  Seriously scared I was!!  All the while I was steering with one hand, as I was on the phone to the event secretary bluffing her that we were just a mile or 2 from the HQ and ready to meet the scrutineer by special appointment. We got there in the end, the rope held up and I didn’t hit the Transit (God knows how?) And we ended up being scrutineered in the queue for the start control, a baptism of fire for a first event for certain!! 

***** Another weird one was the marshal at the start of stage 3 on Galway international 2006, each time we entered the stage from the road section he waved a different poster from Playboy or some other such publication which as you can imagine featured a lady with minimal clothing, not what you are expecting to see - made us laugh each time though.

Biggest accident:

* Killarney 03, Ford Focus through hedge, dropped 10 ft on nose into field flat in 4th gear - back still bit sore from that one.

Achievements gained from rallying:

Great memories.  Met very good friends, many who have done me great favours away from rallying. And co-driving in a well-driven rally car when you are calling your notes on the ball is just such a buzz that you can’t achieve anywhere else.  Well, not legally, anyway!! 

Your current performance

Your current driver(s) and events or Championships being contested in 2003 

Confirmed for 03 is Get Connected championship in the Team Yoplait 106 with Ray Martin.  Also a few selected rallies with Michael Cooper in the Rally4Charity Impreza, and hopefully one or two spins if I'm lucky.

... and for 2004?

*** Selected gravel events with Derek Tracy in Grp A Lancer E6. And some gravel note and co-ordination work for some drivers on the Irish national events.

... and for 2005?

**** Starting the Northern Ireland Championship with Cahal Arthurs in the Eurocables Hyundai, and the Dunlop National Championship with Damien Finneran in the Revo Rally team Hyundai. Perhaps a few more Internationals with Fergal Allen in the BMW M3. And some gravel note duties for various drivers and co-ordination work for Harper Rally Prep on Irish national events.

... and for 2006?

***** Planning a quiet year in 06 to concentrate on other things in rallying, take things as they come, will still do co-ordination work for some Irish teams and gravel crew duties. If I finished a few rallies in 2006 that would be a positive start!!

... and for 2007?

****** Irish Gravel Rallies with Kevin O Kane in an updated  WRC Subaru S6, and hopefully plans will come together sit with a few other drivers on tarmac, and continue co-ordination work for Harper Rally Prep on Irish events.

How could you improve your ‘own’ current performance?

More stage miles, particularly on gravel. Nothing beats experience and being willing to learn. After that I'm currently working hard on fitness and just generally always looking at anything I can improve on, from my paperwork and schedules to what I carry with me in the car - always trying to do my job more efficiently.  

How could you improve your current driver’s performance?

Also more time in the car and start him making his own pace notes. 

If you had £50,000 to spend on rallying, what would you do?  

Straight to the bank!  Be able to take more time off work and try and spend it wisely on winning 5 major championships.

Your future in rallying

Where would you most like to compete (in the world): 

****** Any WRC event, but New Zealand sounds a nice spot. Or perhaps some more events in the USA.

Which rally would you most like to compete in? 

***** Having competed on WRC Catalunya I would love to go back there or to any WRC tarmac round as older, wiser and more importantly having learned from my mistakes.

Which driver(s) would you most like to co-drive for?

**** *Anyone that will have me!! But Matt Wilson looks like a real talent. Or Derek McGarrity on gravel or tar on any Irish event.

Ambition in rallying for the future:

To keep being as lucky as I have to date, and to be competing for years to come doing the best job I can. What I really hope for is to be winning championships in top machinery of the day (It’s no harm to dream???). 

What would you like to put back into rallying?

***** To be as sportsman like wherever I go, i.e. never let my actions bring the sport into disrepute, such as illegal recceing or other such misbehaving. I would like to help clubs run events wherever possible and perhaps, in years to come, be able to help young co-drivers start their career by showing them the ropes and assisting them as a few kind co-drivers did for me when I was totally clueless. In 2006 I plan that XLR8 Motorsport will set up some form of a co-driver scholarship award that will benefit a willing and able young co-driver.

The future of rallying

Which up-and-coming rally driver can you recommend?

***** Kevin Kelleher is also a talented guy with a superb attitude, he has been recognised by Motorsport Ireland and the Billy Coleman award and I believe he can go further still.

**** Peter Wilson is one of the best young drivers competing in Ireland at the moment and I would love to see him get into a bigger Group N car.

*** Stuart Jones. I think he has fantastic talent and hope he gets the lucky breaks he deserves.

Which up-and-coming rally co-driver can you recommend?

****** There are lots of good guys on the Irish scene, it's hard to name one, but up and coming would be a young chap Paul Gibbons, he stands out as having the enthusiasm to back up his ability and dedication so I would recommend him to anyone.

***** Having worked with Andrew Purcell as his gravel crew and now in partnership running the XLR8 Motorsport Rally Idol scholarship I can first hand say he is an excellent co driver, but now he has a national championship under his belt I cant really call him up and coming.

There are lots of good guys on the Irish scene, but J.P Kilmurray stands out as having the enthusiasm to back up his ability and dedication so I would recommend him to anyone.

What would be the best tip you could give to other co-drivers?

***** Check and double check everything. Keep switched on at all times to what's happening, 2 seconds' daydreaming can miss you something which can cost you dearly. I just wish I would follow my own advice sometimes!! The top co-drivers are sharp every second of an event; that's why they are there. Always ask questions or watch and learn from others who are more experienced than you. However, most of all, enjoy it while it's happening - it's a great sport.

posted 30/3/03
updated 20/2/04 (items marked *)
updated 17/6/04 (items marked ***)
updated 26/2/05 (items marked ****)
updated 25/2/06 (items marked *****)
updated 19/12/06 (items marked ******)

*** Thanks to the staff at rallycodriver. It's an excellent site and the day wouldn't be the same without checking it for all the news and gossip; it's better than a soap opera!

***** Don't forget to check out the rally idol site at www.xlr8motorsport.com

As you can see in 06 I managed to convince yet more drivers to bring me in a rally car to take the total now to 41 - some other more senior co-drivers now refer to me as "a slut!!" I now aim for 50!! The changes marked ****** above allow me to brag about my new found status as a co-driver of loose morals!

Martin
19/12/06

In 2005 I am starting the Northern Ireland Championship with Cahal Arthurs in the Hyundai WRC, and the Dunlop National Championship with Damien Finneran in a Hyundai Accent WRC.

However the biggest event of all is August 1st Bank Holiday Monday when Laura and I are getting married!! Busy year!!