Teddy Fahy

Theodore Daíthí "Teddy" Fahy (born 17th February 1948) is an Irish rally driver, who competed predominantly for Datsun / Nissan in the World Rally Championship, teamed with co-driver Alex Lonergan. Fahy became well known for his success on the African rounds of the World Rally Championship in the late seventies, but also competed in the Paris-Dakar rally for Peugeot. Fahy still competes in local Irish events.
== Early Life ==
Theodore Daíthí Fahy was born on 17th February 1951 to parents Tom Fahy and Siobhan MacHale, in Donegal, Ireland. His father Tom ran a successful mechanics shop in the area.
== Career ==
=== Early Career ===
Teddy is the son of Tom Fahy, a national rally winner in Irish rallying. Teddy Fahy made his competitive debut at hillclimb events in 1965 while working as a delivery driver, but would wait enter his first official rally event until 1972, at the inaugural Donegal International Rally. Fahy would finish the event in seventh place in a 1970 Hillman Hunter.
Fahy would compete exclusively at the Donegal International rally until 1974, wherein he debuted in the Irish National Rally Championship, fielding a Ford Escort RS 1600 MKI. Fahy would have a moderately successful 1974 season, but 1975 would see the Irishman get his first rally victory at the prestigious 1975 Circuit of Ireland Rally. Fahy was commended for level-headedness in the chaotic rally, winning by just 4 minutes over the chasing Porsches after 900 kilometres.
Fahy won the 1976 Irish National Championship, this time driving for Callaghan Performance in an Escort MKII. The performance saw the Donegal local sign for the Triumph team for several rounds of the 1977 World Rally Championship season, the team adorned with local dealers' logos.
=== WRC Career ===
==== 1977 ====
Fahy would debut in the WRC at the famous 1977 1000 Lakes Rally in Finland. Initially Fahy would run in the midfield, with local man Pentti Lehtinen taking an early lead in his Saab 99. Danish driver Trude Vestergaard was next to take the lead in his Porsche 911, however Fahy took an emphatic first stage victory in SS6, Ouninpohja. Vestergaard and Lehtinen both made errors in the stage, leaving Fahy to take the stage win, and lead of the rally, by over a minute. Fahy then took several stage victories in a row, before spinning on SS12. Vestergaard would take 2 further stage wins, but Fahy proved dominant after Lindblom, Lehtinen, Cavalcante and Owens hit trouble, taking the victory in his first WRC event over Vestergaard, who finished the event 7 minutes behind. Perrot would take third for Opel, over an hour behind.
Category:Irish
Category:Rally
Category:Drivers