Corkman is hot rod world champion

After a decade of racing and three second-place spots, a young Irish racing driver has finally made history after being crowned world hot rod champion.

Jubilant Shane Murphy, 30, from Ovens, Co Cork, was still celebrating last night after becoming the first driver from the Republic to win the National Hot Rod World Championship following an incident-packed race in Britain at the weekend.

As world champion, he can now paint the roof of his high-powered Vauxhall gold, and he will travel to Cape Town in South Africa next month to represent Ireland in one of the world’s biggest hot rod races.

“Words can’t explain it,” a delighted Shane said last night.

“It was my 10th year racing in the world championship.

“I’ve been second three times so it was just an amazing feeling to cross the finish line and know I’d finally won. To be honest, it hasn’t really even begun to sink in.”

There were emotional scenes at the Foxhall Stadium racetrack in Ipswich afterwards as Shane was congratulated by wife Paula and their 18-month-old son, Iain.

Hot rod racing is a version of the multibillion-dollar Nascar racing in the US, with drivers competing on a quarter-mile oval track. The formula has been described as “jet fighters in a gymnasium” given the high speeds reached on such a tight track.

It is very popular in Britain, continental Europe, and in South Africa.

Shane, who drives for Team Tervas Gas, his father Sean’s commercial and domestic gas business, began competitive hot rod racing in the junior classes aged 12.

He graduated to 1,600CC hot rod class at 16 and drove in his first national hot rod race aged 19.

After qualifying for this year’s world championships, he and his team travelled to Ipswich last week, and secured pole position for Sunday’s final in his finely tuned 2-litre petrol 250BHP Vauxhall Tigra.

He set off with dozens of other drivers to complete the 75-lap race, hitting speeds of up to 145km/h entering the circuit’s tight corners and up to 160km/h on the short straights.

When 2012 champion Glenn Bell squeezed past him a few laps into the race, it seemed as if Shane was destined for another second-place spot. But he reeled him in and was right on his tail by the halfway mark.

“I wasn’t prepared to be second again this year,” he said.

He spotted a small inside gap, powered through into first place, and never looked back — winning by half a lap.

It was a particularly proud moment for his team, including mechanics Vincent McGrath and Anthony McCullough, backed up by Keith McCullough; his cousin Rory Murphy; and his father, Sean, as well as for officials at his home track in Rosegreen, Co Tipperary.

Once he competes in South Africa, Shane said his focus will switch to defending his national title later that month, and to defending his world title again next year.