'Once a racer, always a racer' - Michael Keohane returns to the track after 20-year hiatus

West Cork racer Michael Keohane testing the McLaren in Donington Park last week. Picture: Jakob Ebrey Photography.

The motorsport adage "once a racer, always a racer" is set to ring true for West Cork racing ace Michael Keohane, who is set to return to the track next season to compete in the prestigious five round, ten event McLaren Trophy Europe series. A 1996 Irish kart champion, Keohane, from Ballygurteen, went on to compete in single seater racing across many categories - Formula Ford 1600, Formula Opel, Formula Renault, British and European Formula 3, Formula 3000 and the Nissan series. His last competitive race was in 2004 while in October 2005, he had a very successful Indy Car test at Fort Worth in Texas, however, a deal with Dreyer & Reinbold Racing didn't materialise and he returned to West Cork to concentrate on the family business (Keohane Readymix) with his sister Eibhlín following the untimely death of their father Paddy.

"It was always something that I wanted to get back to," he declared as he reasoned his return to motorsport. "Firstly, there are very few mornings that when I get up, it (racing) doesn't cross my mind. It's always there and I want to do something before I get too old."