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.