Has anyone read 'Crashed and Byrned'?

There's an article about him in a Dutch magazine that I just read (promoting this book). It says that he had ten times the personality of his fellow countryman Eddie Irvine and was more naturally talented than Schumacher or Senna! Quite some claim but his test at McLaren did produce amazing lap times (and consistent too).

 

I have known Tommy for about 9 years, but we've lost touch. He had wonderful stories of his F1 days. Never got the ride he needed. The book must be somewhat similar to Flat Out and Flat Broke, I imagine. Hard to make a living in this business. The last I spoke with him, he called asking if I wanted to be a co-driver in the Daytona 24 with him in a Mazda. I said yes, but never heard back. One of his patrons turned out to be a total fraud and confidence man. I wonder if any of those stories made it into the book. I have a couple of great ones about that guy.

Will have to pick up a copy.

CW

 

I know Tommy Byrne, and have ridden in a car with him driving on a skid pan...

Amazing car control abilities.

 

ive known TB since he was driving for Teddy Yip!!and spent quite a bit of tme with him during his indy light years!!yes its a great read and pretty much everything made it into the book!!

 

Not too long ago, Byrne was an instructor at the Mid Ohio School. Very funny, very entertaining. If the book reflects his personality, I'd imagine it's a great read.

 

WCH,

I think you likely know and remember the con man in question, too...

CW

 

Still is an instructor there, and his son is going to start instructing there soon last i heard.

 

Regrettably, Kram, I know all too much about Millman. He's dead, btw.

I'm very intrigued to read the book now. I'd like to know what Tommy thought and knew at the time. Millman was a complete con man. I have some exceptional stories about him, but I don't know what's in the book. I checked Amazon.com, but it's not available in the States. Yet. That man was a plague. And, I don't use that term lightly or casually.

CW

P.S. Here's a little background for you...http://kreindler.com/kreindler-press/pdf/Forbes.com-NowYouSeeItNowYouDont-6-16-08.pdf

 

WOWOW??!!! Richard Millman died? was a conman? I raced with him. Well..he didnt race...he was really really slow. PM me info if you dont want to post about the conman stuff..I have more to say but want to be cautious in a public forum

 

Ron,

I knew that a couple of Challenge drivers would eventually chime in. Millman was a moving chicane and involved in a number of incidents during the years that he "raced". You know, for all of his faults, though, he really was a charming and engaging man. That's probably why he was so successful. He worked in tandem with an attorney, playing good cop/bad cop. Once you saw it, you recognized it for what it was. The attorney's also dead. They used economic and legal threats to bully and coerce people. It was quite sad for a number of entrepreneurs, really, who were sucked in and ended up losing their companies/ideas and potential. Of course, people didn't like being strong-armed, so they eventually left and all of these great little ideas ended up going nowhere.

Due to my family's business dealings with him, I know a great deal about what he was up to. We were even sued by him once and threatened other times. And, in another case involving a whole bunch of Challenge owners/drivers, we were co-defendants. Total clusterfnck. The man was involved in every shady deal he could get his hands on. So glad we parted ways. It pays to be on the up-and-up, and in every single case we dealt with him, we prevailed. But, it cost a fair bit in attorney's fees to get our vindications.

A rather funny story involved his purchase of a pricey cello for his at-the-time-girlfriend. Instead of having it shipped back from Europe, he purchased a one-way, first class ticket on his flight back. The cello flew in a seat in first class. He was a showman of sorts.

CW

 

If anyone wants to see what Millman looked like, here you go. Back row, second from left...

Another funny story, when he purchased his street 360, he had an extra large seat installed, which isn't surprising, but the factory installed extra-stiff springs on the driver side to adjust for "ballast".

FYI...credit for this picture to Chris McNeil.

CW
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One last one...

Millman on far right.

Again, credit to Chris McNeil.

CW
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2001 shot. Im back row..8th from left

btw..where can I buy this book?

Amazon UK is the only one so far?

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Crashed-Byrned-Greatest-Racing-Driver/dp/1848310285

 

om*g..haha..yes I will have to buy the book. Guess in my own little way I was a part of history

btw..I count now at least 3 challenge drivers from 2000/2001 that are either in jail or a (dead) conman.

 

The book is distributed in canada by Pengiun Books Canada.
If you employ the 'look inside' facility on the amazon UK link the second page displayed has that info, address etc. It also has the ISBN number which will fascilitate a book search greatly what ever region you're in.

 

If buying from amazon uk consider the Perry McCarthy book add-on offer too.
He’s raced in Formula One, competed in the legendary Le Mans 24 hours and battled for honours at Sebring, but in the career of Perry McCarthy – dubbed by some as ‘the world's unluckiest driver’ – the ultimate irony must be acheiving his greatest fame as the ultimate unknown driver.
Yep, Perry was the original Stig.
Many a man might've stayed and parleyed the position into a comfortable life, driving exotics and coaching interesting people but PM moved on after the first series. Shooting for series two conflicted with his racing and that came first.

 

Does the book have the episode from Watkins Glen when he stuffed the car in the guardrail igniting the fuel tank? He actually sued SpA under a product liability cause of action. To make it go away, IIRC, SpA gave him a new car.

CW

 

sounds interesting. that's a pretty quick rise and fall in the racing world alright

 

This man had NO business being in the driver's seat. NONE. And, GrandAm gave him a competition license and permitted him to race in the GT class (Porsche GT3R)! He drove a car with Orbit Racing.

CW