48 replies to this topic

[Doug Nye]

I was asked this morning who was Michael Roe??? The name rings clear bells as a relatively recent American driver??? Or are my bells currently disconnected??? This is intensely frustrating. Help my bells someone???

DCN

[ensign14]

Irish driver - didn't he drive for Nissan in IMSA in the late 1980s? He was Can-Am champ in about 1984, and was close to making the Indy 500 in 1985 for Ron Hemelgarn but was bumped late and I don't think he ever had another shot at the race.

[cheesy poofs]

He made 4 starts in the 1985 PPG CART series with a 7th place for a best finish at Portland.

He was the 1984 Can-Am champion with a record 7 wins that year.

[LittleChris]

Didn't he race in UK Formula Ford around the same time as Derek Daly ?

[MoMurray]

Michael Roe was an Irish driver from Naas in county Kildare. He grew up close to Mondello park and that is where he learned his trade. Would probably be 46/47ish now. Was a standout in British formula ford in the classic '77 and '78 seasons. He won the festival in '78 in the factory Van Diemen. Five Irish drivers were the class of the UK fields those years, Daly, Devaney, Roe, Acheson and Kennedy. Came to the states in early eighties and was successful in CAN AM but then disappeared. No idea where he is now. A huge talent but hindered by personal problems I believe.

I might be wrong but I think there may have been an American Michael Roe also (different guy) who raced. I seem to remember something along those lines.

By the way of the others, Daly lives in Indianapolis and does TV commentary for CART as well as owning his racing school in Las Vegas, Devaney works for Jaguar cars in Ireland and his sixteen year old son Michael has started to make a name for himself in FFord in Ireland and the UK, Kennedy does TV commentary for Irish TV, Roe we have talked abaout and I thought I read somewhere that Acheson's cuccessful career in japan and sportscars had been brought to an end through injury in the last year or two.??

[MoMurray]

In '77 of course Daly had moved on the F3 after winning the festival in '76. He won the british F3 championship...

[Doug Nye]

I knew you'd know....thank you very much indeed. The '84 CanAm title was the 99% forgotten fact nibbling away in the back of my mind...I think. Thanks again!

DCN

[petefenelon]

Originally posted by Doug Nye
I knew you'd know....thank you very much indeed. The '84 CanAm title was the 99% forgotten fact nibbling away in the back of my mind...I think. Thanks again!

DCN

He co-drove with David Leslie on the Aston Martin AMR1 too - that's the last I'd heard of him.

pete

[ensign14]

And if he'd shared a car at Daytona with Yorkshireman Richard Dean, South African Luki Botha and sportscar ace Don Shaw, the car would have been driven by:

Michael Roe-Dean-Botha-Shaw.

Hallelujah!

[2F-001]

Ensign - that is truly punful.
But since you have an ear for a tune, one should mention (Kurt) Mollekens' tyre.

[Doug Nye]

Oh dear - just WHAT have I started here......????

[Geza Sury]

Originally posted by petefenelon
He co-drove with David Leslie on the Aston Martin AMR1 too - that's the last I'd heard of him.

The pair participated in two races in 1989: At Donington, they finished sixth, while at Spa they retired with engine trouble.

He competed in the Sportscar world championship for the first time in 1985, when he partnered the late Jo Gartner at the Fuji 1000 km race, the pair driving John Fitzpatrick's Porsche. One year later at the very same event he drove a Toyota with Kenny Acheson. On both occassions Roe was forced to retire.

Michael Roe started Le Mans twice: in 1989 he finished 11th with Costas Los and Brian Redman driving for Aston Martin, while one year later he drove a factory Nissan and came home 17th overall sharing the car with Bob Earl and Steve Millen.

[Jim Thurman]

Yes, Michael Roe dominated the revived Can-Am series. Rather watered down, but nevertheless Roe's dominance was impressive.

The American driver is Billy Roe of Arizona. He's raced Super Vee, Atlantics and made some IRL starts in a lengthy, monetarily challenged career that has often seen him working as a mechanic for various teams.


Jim Thurman

[Mac Lark]

Does that make Michael Roe the last Can Am champion?

That's if you call F5000 with mud guards 'Can Am' cars.

[Vitesse2]

Originally posted by Mac Lark
Does that make Michael Roe the last Can Am champion?

That's if you call F5000 with mud guards 'Can Am' cars.

No, there were two more: Rick Miaskiewicz in 1985 and Horst Kroll in 1986. However, there were just 5 races in 85 and only 4 in 86.

Roe won seven out of ten races in 1984 - the other three went to the late Jim Crawford. And the last ever Can Am race, at Mosport, was won by a young Canadian called Paul Tracy ....

[Dave Ware]

a young Canadian called Paul Tracy ....

...who was 17 at the time!

[Fiorentina 1]

Anyone know what Michael Roe is up to? I read his name in the Tommy Bryne thread and it brought back memories. The 84 Can-Ame series was televised in the States and Roe was absolutely brilliant that year. I was looking at him to make an impact on the 85 Cart series, but unfortunatly that never happened.

[Frank S]

Unearthed Michael Roe photos from Riverside 1984







--
Frank S

[EDWARD FITZGERALD]

Michael,
is alive and well living in Naas where he grew up , and I think he works in his brothers garage business .

[Stephen W]

Originally posted by MoMurray
In '77 of course Daly had moved on the F3 after winning the festival in '76. He won the british F3 championship...

That's Derek Daly of course.

Michael Roe made it into F3 in 1979 when he drove the Riva Watches sponsored Chevron-Toyota B47 finishing NINTH equal.

The highlight of the year came when he won the non-championship F3 Race at the Gunnar Nilsson Memorial Meeting at Donington Park.

[Mallory Dan]

The B47 took a lot of momentum out of Roe's career unfortunately, Bernard Devaney also. Great shame I thought.

[Twin Window]

And Stefan too, although luckily for him Big Derek switched to a March before it was too late. Michael's Riva Watches car was also sponsored or entered by Dave Clark Cars I seem to remember.

The last time I saw Micheal was at Tommy's wedding reception at Eammon Duran's in Manhatten, July 1987. He was approximately five feet in the air, completely horizontal and holding on to an ornamental lamp post as two bouncers pulled at his legs in an effort to eject him from the premises.

The weird thing was I'd been talking to him no more than forty-five minutes earlier, and he was absolutely fine! Apparently he'd just flipped and started verbally abusing some females...

There was another ocasion when he rang Tommy in the middle of the night slightly, ahem... worse for wear, and asked TB where he was. That's Michael asking Tommy where Michael was, you understand...

[EDWARD FITZGERALD]

Dave Clark was the money problem , he didnt deliver all he promised .Michael enjoyed life ,the 50s would have suited him .

[Danny Skehan]

This is a link to an interview with Michael on Irish radio a week ago

http://www.rte.ie/ra...en/1075146.html

[Allen Brown]

Programme 3: 20 January 2006
Michael Roe from Naas in County Kildare,won the British Formula Ford Series and added the prestigeous Formula Ford Festival to his CV back in the 1970. Roe then headed to the States to race and win the CanAm series and was all set to got to race in Formula One with Ken Tyrrells' outfit before his career took an unexpected twist.

Interesting. So what was the unexpected twist?

Allen

[Twin Window]

Originally posted by Allen Brown

Interesting. So what was the unexpected twist?

Stefan Bellof staying put?

[EDWARD FITZGERALD]

as I mentioned earlier , Don Walker had Michael under contract, said no , were doing Indy Cars next year . unfortunatley he got locked up before hecould make it happen

[Eric McLoughlin]

I certainly remember Michael Roe racing at the Phoenix Park in the mid-late 70s. Seems that he has had a bit of a sad life since (or maybe not!!!).

Hope all is well with him now. Obviously living the quiet life down in Naas - the town the whole of Ireland bypasses..

[Twin Window]

Originally posted by EDWARD FITZGERALD

as I mentioned earlier , Don Walker had Michael under contract, said no , were doing Indy Cars next year . unfortunatley he got locked up before hecould make it happen

Where did you mention that, Edward? I can't find it!

[EDWARD FITZGERALD]

thought I posted the Don Walker reference after I listened to the prog , maybe not , Next week Eddie Jordan , school nick name , Hedgehog , so I am told by an old school buddy of EJ.

[Alan Cox]

The 1978 Formula Ford season was certainly one to savour due, in no small part to the front-runners amongst the Irish contingent. Here the leading trio of Bernard Devaney, Michael Roe and Kenny Acheson fight for the lead out of Lodge Corner at Oulton Park.


Michael contiues to resist the determined efforts of Acheson

A study in composure

Another Oulton round...

....where he is up against Kenny once more

Finally, one from his F3 season with the David Clark/Riva March

[MoMurray]

WOW. Will the world ever see a race series as great or a collection of racers as hard as British FF had in the late seventies. The pinnacle of motorsport in my opinion.

Mo.

Edit. You know after I posted this I thought to myself, if this was such a glorious era (which I think it was) isn't strange that not of the warriors went on to F1 Championships. Piquet arrived after these times, Mansell was there abouts but a little later but what of the others. Did they peak to early, perhaps?

Mo. (perplexed)

[EDWARD FITZGERALD]

Alan,
I am going to contact Michael to check he is PC friendly , and get him watching ,maybe even contributing .

[Alan Cox]

Good luck. It would be good to hear his story, a la Tommy Byrne.

[EDWARD FITZGERALD]

An amusing story about Michael , back in 1975 he went to an Aintree meeting ( ferryfrom Dublin) , John Murphy owned the bus , 3 cars in the bus , Murphy, Dalyand Devanney ,when rhey landed at Livrerpool Mishaels Crossle 25f was towed behind the bus to Aintree ,today they would need a second artic rig , oh happy days

[Alan Cox]

[EDWARD FITZGERALD]

nice pic alan .

[Andrew Kitson]

Originally posted by Alan Cox
The 1978 Formula Ford season was certainly one to savour due, in no small part to the front-runners amongst the Irish contingent. Here the leading trio of Bernard Devaney, Michael Roe and Kenny Acheson fight for the lead out of Lodge Corner at Oulton Park.

Excellent photos again Alan.
1978, a year I remember very well!

I worked at Royale at the time, in the college holidays and at weekends as the 'go for this and go for that' general dogsbody in the workshop, chief broom operator, car polisher, tea maker, van driver and anything else Alan Cornock could think of to make me do!
Aswell as this I went to the meetings to help out with the works RMC car shown of Kenny Acheson with his mechanic Paul Thompson and designer Pat Symonds, who had taken over from Rory Byrne.
It was a fantastic period for British club racing - paddocks crammed full of competing cars.

The car shown is the Rory designed RP24, the Symonds penned RP26 was not far away. Mick Roe was a great competitor driving for our arch rivals Van Diemen. Just like the '77 season with Trevor van Rooyen, protests came in regularly from our rivals regarding Kenny's ex-van Rooyen engine, but it was always proved legal.

I was really pleased to see Mick have the success in Can-Am but like so many others, thought he should have got more breaks.

[Andrew Kitson]

Originally posted by EDWARD FITZGERALD
An amusing story about Michael , back in 1975 he went to an Aintree meeting ( ferryfrom Dublin) , John Murphy owned the bus , 3 cars in the bus , Murphy, Dalyand Devanney ,when rhey landed at Livrerpool Mishaels Crossle 25f was towed behind the bus to Aintree ,today they would need a second artic rig , oh happy days

Edward great story.
Who was it around the late 70s who came across from Ireland on the ferry and arrived in Donington very early on a Sunday morning looking for the race circuit? Driving around and around waking up the locals with their coach transporter only to realise they were in sleepy Donington village in Lincolnshire not Castle Donington! Wish I could remember who, but we had a good laugh at the time - not EJ and Vivian Candy 'Marlboro Team Ireland' by any chance?

Also in '78, there was a race at Mondello when all of the top drivers in the British FF Championship
took part. I did not go to this one but enjoyed the stories afterwards, such as the one about the local competitor who lived just down the road.

He drove from his house in his Formula Ford along the public road straight into scruitineering, did the practice session, drove back home for breakfast with the car parked on his front drive and off again in the afternoon for his race!

[EDWARD FITZGERALD]

could have been , will check , was it the irish formula atlantic race meeting , as there is an even better story which I will come to shortly

[Keir]

Michael and I raced at Lime Rock during the July 4th weekend a number of years ago - he was a tad faster than I !!

[Mallory Dan]

Originally posted by Andrew Kitson


Excellent photos again Alan.
1978, a year I remember very well!

I worked at Royale at the time, in the college holidays and at weekends as the 'go for this and go for that' general dogsbody in the workshop, chief broom operator, car polisher, tea maker, van driver and anything else Alan Cornock could think of to make me do!
Aswell as this I went to the meetings to help out with the works RMC car shown of Kenny Acheson with his mechanic Paul Thompson and designer Pat Symonds, who had taken over from Rory Byrne.
It was a fantastic period for British club racing - paddocks crammed full of competing cars.

The car shown is the Rory designed RP24, the Symonds penned RP26 was not far away. Mick Roe was a great competitor driving for our arch rivals Van Diemen. Just like the '77 season with Trevor van Rooyen, protests came in regularly from our rivals regarding Kenny's ex-van Rooyen engine, but it was always proved legal.

I was really pleased to see Mick have the success in Can-Am but like so many others, thought he should have got more breaks.

That 78 FF season was great, those 3 drivers each in a different chassis. Perhaps not quite as good as 76 though, with the yellow Hawkes against the Royale's, and the Kennedy Crossle.

[Mike Lawrence]

The story I heard was that Michael Roe was tailed by cops in Indianapolis in the mid-1980s. He had been drinking to an extent that would have impressed his forebears. The cops put on their lights and Michael ran a red light. He lost them, of course, Michael was a superb driver. They got his number plate. According to my source, he made so many traffic infringements that he cannot return to Indiana. If you are not allowed in Indiana without going to gaol, you cannot take part in the Indianapolis 500, so your career in America is over.

I hope my source is wrong and there was a simple misunderstanding, but my source once employed the guy.

[John B]

IIRC one of the 1984 Can-Am races Roe won was the support race for the USGP at Dallas....that event tore up the track badly on Saturday and set the stage for the repaving farce that took place on GP race morning!

[ensign14]

Was not a farce, Peter Charles got a couple of points.

[275 GTB-4]

Originally posted by Doug Nye
I was asked this morning who was Michael Roe???

I heard that his mother once contemplated marrying one of the famous De Boata-Shaws

[Twin Window]

Waaaaaaaaaaaay too slow, 275!

Originally posted by ensign14 on August 27th, 2002

And if he'd shared a car at Daytona with Yorkshireman Richard Dean, South African Luki Botha and sportscar ace Don Shaw, the car would have been driven by:

Michael Roe-Dean-Botha-Shaw.

Hallelujah!

[275 GTB-4]

Originally posted by Twin Window
Waaaaaaaaaaaay too slow, 275!

I'm a baaad boy....slinks away suitably crushed and humbled

[Stephen W]

Originally posted by 275 GTB-4


I'm a baaad boy....slinks away suitably crushed and humbled

Hopefully to get a humour transplant!