Ronald James Adams (8 March 1916 – 12 April 2004) was a British rally driver from Belfast.

Career

Born into a successful business family, Ronnie Adams was educated at

Rockport School Rockport School is an independent day and boarding school for boys and girls from 2.5 years to 18 years in the British Public School tradition. It is situated in of woodland on the shore of Belfast Lough in Craigavad, near Holywood, County ...

in Holywood, Co Down. Adams won the 1956

Monte Carlo Rally The Monte Carlo Rally or Rallye Monte-Carlo (officially ''Rallye Automobile de Monte-Carlo'') is a rallying event organised each year by the Automobile Club de Monaco. The rally now takes place along the French Riviera in Monaco and southeast ...

, for Jaguar, whose team was the first to come from Ireland to do so, and was the first winner of the

Circuit of Ireland The Circuit of Ireland International Rally is an annual automobile rally, which was first held in 1931 making it the third oldest rally in the world. The most recent event was held in 2016. ''The Circuit'', as it is colloquially known, is org ...

rally in 1936 at the age of 20. During a 30-year motorsport career, Adams was one of the leading Ulstermen at this time, and became a Jaguar works driver following the war. Due to petrol rationing in the 1940s he turned his attention to sailing and nearly made the 1948 Great Britain Olympic team. In 1956 he and his co-drivers Frank Biggar and Derek Johnston had their most successful victory at the

in January in a Jaguar Mark 7. They defeated the Mercedes-Benz 220 A of

Walter Schock Walter may refer to: People * Walter (name), both a surname and a given name * Little Walter, American blues harmonica player Marion Walter Jacobs (1930–1968) * Gunther (wrestler), Austrian professional wrestler and trainer Walter Hahn (born 19 ...

(West Germany) and the Sunbeam Mk3 of Peter Harper (UK). Adams's international rallying career finally ended on medical advice, due to an irregular heartbeat.

Rally results

References

External links

eWRC
1916 births 2004 deaths Rally drivers from Northern Ireland People educated at Rockport School {{Ireland-autoracing-bio-stub Motorsport people from Belfast