The day Eddie Jordan’s car came to Nenagh

By Brendan Murphy

The sad news of the passing of Formula 1 car racing legend Eddie Jordan on Thursday, March 20, sent shockwaves across the world. Eddie passed away at the age of 76 after battling with an aggressive form of prostate cancer.

Born in Dublin, Eddie Jordan had a keen interest in motorsport and climbed his way up the ranks as a recognised race car driver.

This passion for driving would ultimately take him to limits beyond his wildest dreams. It was Eddie’s enthusiasm, passion, and energy that drove him to success and a F1 winning title with his F1 Jordan Racing team.

Eddie first raced in the Irish Kart championship in the 1970s and 1980s in a variety of categories, such as Formula Ford in 1974 and Formula 3 in 1979 under the name “Team Ireland”, and in Formula 2 racing where he was involved in testing for McLaren.

He also raced a BMW M1 in the 24 Hours of Le Mans, which is an endurance-focused sports car race - a race which is really designed for the elite of motor sport.

GREAT REPUTATION

Eddie Jordan had a great reputation for giving budding race car drivers a career start with his F1 team. In 1991 Eddie founded Jordan Grand Prix, with 7Up serving as the team’s title sponsor.

That was the year he famously gave F1 Racing legend Michael Schumacher his F1 debut.

Eddie was determined to reach success in F1, and in 1998 he achieved just that when the Jordan Team drivers Damon Hill and Ralf Schumacher finished first and second at the Belgian Grand Prix.

This achievement for the Irishman was simply amazing, and the scenes after the race of Eddie dancing with joy sums up his character. He was determined, energetic, and full of life. It was a well-deserved victory for the Jordan team who were up against all the heavyweights in F1.

The Jordan F1 Team cars of the late 1990s featured yellow livery and various graphics including a Hornet on the nosecone of the cars. Other images included sharks and snakes. The Hornet became the most famous and most used image on the race cars and team race suits and the name “The Buzzin’ Hornets” became a familiar name in F1.

NENAGH VISIT

During that era the Jordan EJ10, which had the Buzzin’ Hornet graphics, was powered by a V10 Mugen-Honda engine, producing in excess of 770BHP(!) and could reach speeds over 200mph. The F1 car was built using a full carbon fibre chassis and was running Bridgestone tyres on OZ rims.

On August 14 1999 The Buzzin’ Hornet Jordan F1 car made a visit to Nenagh to Sean and Mary McCullough’s, Nenagh First Stop Quickfit Garage on Ormond Street.

Sean and Mary, both big Formula 1 fans, said they were delighted to be able to bring the car to their garage in Nenagh with the help of Bridgestone Ireland, where the people of Nenagh could enjoy and see the amazing F1 winning car.

The F1 Buzzin Hornet car would make a second visit to Nenagh First Stop Quickfit Garage on the October 5 the following year, in 2000, to mark a successful year in Business for Sean and Mary McCullough’s First Stop Quickfit Garage.

I think it is amazing to have this local connection to the great Jordan F1 team that has since been sold and rebranded as Aston Martin. Although Eddie himself was not present when the car was being showcased in the shiny new Nenagh First Stop Quickfit garage at the time, I feel his presence could be felt in the bright yellow Buzzin’ Hornet as it sat there in all its glory in the garage on Ormond Street. It was indeed a very special occasion.

This very young writer was present for the second visit of the Jordan F1 car on the latter occasion, and I recall there was quite a crowd present on the day. Little did I know that 20 years on, and almost to the day, I would become manager of the same garage under new ownership.

I spent three and a half years managing the busy tyre depot in the garage where Eddie Jordan’s EJ10 F1 car had made two special appearances.

The photos of the famous visitor remain on the walls of the waiting room of the garage, which is now called Modern Tyres - formerly Nenagh First Stop Quickfit.

As the F1 legend was laid to rest, it was good to look back on the memories of some of the best days in F1, and to cherish this amazing connection that Nenagh has with Eddie Jordan and The Buzzin Hornet F1 Car.

Rest easy, Eddie, RIP.