Paddy Hopkirk facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Paddy Hopkirk
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| Born |
Patrick Barron Hopkirk
14 April 1933 Belfast, Northern Ireland
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| Died | 21 July 2022 (aged 89) |
| Occupation | Rally driver |
Patrick "Paddy" Barron Hopkirk (born April 14, 1933 – died July 21, 2022) was a famous rally driver from Northern Ireland. He was known for his exciting driving style and his big win at the Monte Carlo Rally.
Paddy was given an award called the MBE (Member of the Order of the British Empire) in 2016. This award is for people who have made a big difference in their field. He also became an ambassador for safe driving for older people.
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Paddy's Early Life
Paddy Hopkirk was born in Belfast, Northern Ireland. He went to school at Clongowes Wood College and later studied at Trinity College, Dublin. However, he found school a bit tough because he had dyslexia, which makes reading and writing harder.
Paddy learned to drive at just nine years old! A local clergyman left him a special small car in his will. Later, he got a motorcycle with a sidecar. When he went to college, he bought an old Austin 7 car. This was the car he used for his very first rally race. He loved cars so much that he left university to work at a car dealership. There, he bought many used Volkswagen Beetles and started entering them in races.
Big Wins and the Monte Carlo Rally
Paddy's first win was in 1953 in a Volkswagen Beetle. He quickly started winning more races. In 1955, he won a class at the Circuit of Ireland rally. He also won the Hewison Trophy three years in a row. This trophy goes to the best Irish rally driver of the year.
He started driving for big car companies. First, he drove for Standard Motor Company. Then, he joined the Rootes Group. He won the Circuit of Ireland rally twice, in 1961 and 1962. He also did well in other races, showing he was a very talented driver.
In 1962, Paddy finished third at the Monte Carlo Rally. This was a very famous and difficult race. He then joined the British Motor Corporation (BMC) team. He started driving the famous Mini car.
Winning the Monte Carlo Rally in a Mini
In 1964, Paddy Hopkirk made history! He won the Monte Carlo Rally in a small Mini Cooper S. His car number was 37. This was a huge surprise because the Mini was much smaller than many of the other cars in the race.
His win made him famous around the world. He even got messages from the UK Prime Minister and the Beatles! He also appeared on a popular TV show. This victory showed that a small car, with a great driver, could beat bigger, more powerful cars.
After his Monte Carlo win, Paddy continued to race. He drove in Australia in the Bathurst 1000 race. He also won the Circuit of Ireland Rally again in 1965 and 1967. He won the Alpine Rally in 1966 and 1967, and the Rally Acropolis in 1967.
The 1968 London-Sydney Marathon
In 1968, Paddy showed amazing sportsmanship during the London-Sydney Marathon. This was a very long and tough rally race. Near the end of the race, another team, who was in the lead, crashed their car. The car started to burn.
Paddy and his teammate, Tony Nash, stopped their own race to help. They pulled the injured drivers out of the burning cars. By doing this, they probably saved lives. They also drove back to warn other drivers about the crash. Because they stopped to help, Paddy and Tony lost their chance to win. But they still finished the rally in second place. This act of kindness is remembered as one of the greatest moments of sportsmanship in rally history.
Later Racing Achievements
After the London-Sydney Marathon, Paddy continued to race for a few more years. He finished second in the Rally de Portugal in 1968. In 1970, he came fourth in the London to Mexico World Cup Rally. After this, he decided to step back from full-time racing.
However, he still took part in some special races. In 1977, he raced in a revived London to Sydney Rally and finished third. In 1982, he won a special historical race called the RAC Golden 50. He even raced in the Monte Carlo Rally again in 1994, thirty years after his big win! He drove a newer Mini Cooper and finished 60th, which was impressive against much faster cars.
In 2010, Paddy Hopkirk was honored by being one of the first four people to be put into the Rally Hall of Fame. This is a special place for the greatest rally drivers of all time.
Other Interests and Life
Besides racing, Paddy Hopkirk was involved in many other things. He had his own brand of car accessories, like roof bars, called "Paddy Hopkirk." He also helped import Toyota cars into Northern Ireland.
He even started a driving school to help people learn to drive safely. Later, he set up a marketing company. He also worked as a consultant for BMW, helping them with their new Mini cars.
Paddy was a big supporter of WheelPower, a charity that helps people with disabilities play sports in wheelchairs. He also helped create a comic strip in a newspaper that taught people how to be better drivers.
Personal Life
Paddy Hopkirk married his wife, Jennifer, in 1967. They had three children named Katie, Patrick, and William. They also had six grandchildren. His wife, Jennifer, was also a very important person in their local community.
Images for kids
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Hopkirk's original 1964 Monte Carlo winning Mini Cooper S.
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Hopkirk (second on the right) at the 1965 1000 Lakes Rally
