Joseph Michael “Joe” Kelly (13 March 1913 – 28 November 1993) was an Irish racing driver, motor dealer and property businessman. He entered the British Grand Prix in both 1950 and 1951, becoming one of Ireland’s earliest participants in the Formula One World Championship.
Driver Bio
| Nationality | Irish |
| Birthplace | Dublin, Ireland |
| Born | 13 March 1913 |
| Died | 28 November 1993 |
| First Grand Prix | 1950 British Grand Prix |
| Last Grand Prix | 1951 British Grand Prix |
| Years Active | 1950–1951 |
| Current/Last Team | Alta |
Racing career
Kelly made his living selling cars in Dublin and used the proceeds to fund his increasingly ambitious motorsport activities.
On 20 August 1949, he entered a Maserati 6CM in the BRDC International Trophy at Silverstone. The meeting was the first to use the former airfield’s perimeter roads rather than its main runways and consisted of two 20-lap heats followed by a 30-lap final.
Future double World Champion Alberto Ascari won the final for Ferrari, but the event was overshadowed by the fatal accident of St John Horsfall.
Kelly stepped onto the new Formula One World Championship stage in 1950 with his privately owned Alta GP—the final example of the model constructed. He entered the British Grand Prix that year and returned for the 1951 edition.
He was not classified in either race and scored no championship points, while his best starting position was 18th. Persistence with the difficult Alta eventually produced a reward in 1952, when Kelly finished third in the Ulster Trophy at Dundrod.
The car was later fitted with a naturally aspirated Bristol straight-six engine and rechristened the Irish Racing Automobile.
Sports cars and the Curragh
Kelly also owned and competed in a Jaguar C-Type, racing it at the Curragh in County Kildare. Better known internationally as the centre of Irish horse racing, the venue also hosted two motor-racing layouts during the late 1940s and 1950s.
The Short circuit opened in 1947 for both cars and motorcycles and remained in use until the end of the following decade. The larger course staged the prestigious International Wakefield Trophy races annually from 1949 through 1954, drawing substantial fields and large crowds.
At one June meeting, Kelly brought a purpose-built Maserati to the Curragh—the first true racing car to appear there in an era otherwise dominated by MGs and home-built specials.
Already popular with the spectators, he delivered a memorable display and established a new circuit record. It stood until 1954, when Kelly himself lowered it by almost 10 mph at the wheel of a Ferrari sports car.
A serious accident at Oulton Park in 1955 brought his full-time driving career to an end. He nevertheless returned for occasional hill climbs later in life, competing in Porsche and Ferrari sports cars at Wicklow.
Kelly’s Jaguar C-Type and Ferrari Monza survived into historic competition and continued to race internationally long after his retirement.
Business career
Racing was Kelly’s passion, but business remained his priority. His interests included motor dealerships and property trading, and he became a well-known figure in his native Dublin.
He was reportedly the first Irishman to receive a royal invitation to the inaugural Formula One World Championship British Grand Prix at Silverstone.
After stepping away from regular competition, Kelly concentrated on his commercial activities, which included holding the Irish Ferrari concession.
Following his Oulton Park accident, he developed a network of car showrooms in England. Kelly sold the businesses in 1969 and returned to Ireland, settling in Athy before building an extensive property portfolio.
During the 1970s and 1980s, he owned several notable estates in Ireland and England, including Old Conna Hill near Dublin.
Later life
Kelly assembled a collection of valuable and exotic cars during the late 1970s and 1980s. The collection included models from Lamborghini, Ferrari and Rolls-Royce.
Although he spent most of his life in Ireland, Kelly died in Neston, Cheshire, England, on 28 November 1993.
Grand Prix Stats
| Race Entries | 2 |
| Race Starts | 2 |
| Did Not Start | 0 |
| Best Race Start | 18th |
| Best Race Finish | – |
| Retirements | 0 |
| First-Lap Retirements | 0 |
| Not Classified | 2 |
| Disqualified | 0 |
| Did Not Qualify | 0 |
Qualifying
| Qualifying Sessions | 2 |
| Reached Q3 | – |
| Q2 Eliminations | – |
| Q1 Eliminations | – |
| Did Not Qualify | 0 |
Stats by Season
| Year | Constructor | Entries | Starts | Wins | Podiums | Poles | Fastest Laps | Front Rows | DNF | Best Start | Best Result | Pts Finishes | Points | Championship |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1950 | Alta | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 19 | NC | 0 | 0 | NC |
| 1951 | Alta | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 18 | NC | 0 | 0 | NC |
