From Minis to Championship Glory: Ricky McGimpsey’s Motorsport Journey…
For Ricky McGimpsey, motorsport isn’t just a hobby—it’s a lifelong passion that began at the tender age of 13. Growing up in a family deeply rooted in the sport, Ricky’s early experiences were shaped by his father’s involvement in vintage car trials and club events. What started as auto tests in a humble Mini evolved into a career spanning decades, filled with engineering ingenuity, fierce competition, and a relentless pursuit of speed.
Short Bio
Name: Ricky McGimpsey
Age: 40
Location: Newtownards
Years Competing: 27 (since age 13)
Championship Titles: 1 Overall Hill Climb Championship (2025)
Runner-Up Finishes: Estimated 7+ times across various classes
Specialty: Hill Climbs and Sprints
Notable Cars: Turbocharged Mini, V8 Dutton, Formula Ford-based single seater, Clubman’s car, OMS 2000M
Early Days: Minis and Auto Tests
Ricky’s first taste of motorsport came through auto tests, where precision and control mattered more than outright speed. His first car—a blue Mini—was a dual-purpose machine, serving as both a competition car and his first road car. “We built it ourselves,” Ricky recalls, “and that taught me how to fix things and keep them running.” The Mini featured a 1275cc engine, which Ricky later supercharged and eventually turbocharged—a testament to his growing technical skills and curiosity about forced induction.
Climbing the Ladder: From Tin Tops to V8 Power
After mastering the Mini, Ricky and his brother Ryan stepped up to a Dutton kit car powered by a V8 engine—a significant leap in performance. This car became a regular at sprints and hill climbs, including the legendary Spelga Hill, where Ricky battled Lawrence Gibson’s Metro 6R4 for overall honors, missing out by just a tenth of a second. Unfortunately, the Dutton met its end against a wall at Spelga, but Ricky salvaged the engine and transplanted it into a lightweight chassis, continuing his journey with home-built machines.
The Red Car Era: Formula Ford Roots
Next came the iconic “red car,” a Van Diemen single-seater originally built in 1984 for Formula Ford racing. Starting off with a Crossflow Kent engine, Ricky and his dad, Robert used the car a lot in Southern Ireland. Before Robert transformed it radically—first fitting a Honda Blackbird engine, then when Ricky was using it more, a Suzuki Hayabusa engine, and eventually turbocharging it. “It was crude but effective,” Ricky admits. Despite its age and limitations, the car delivered class championships and multiple records, proving that ingenuity could rival big budgets over around a decade of campaigning the car.
Clubman’s Car: A New Challenge
Always eager for something different, Ricky moved to a Clubman’s car—a hybrid between a single-seater and a Caterham-style machine. With slicks, wings, and a bike engine mounted far back in the front of the chassis for optimal balance, the turbocharged Suzuki Hayabusa engine fitted to this car allowed Ricky to set numerous class records and finish runner-up in the championship twice. “Second seems to be my lucky—or unlucky—number,” he jokes, having finished as runner-up an estimated seven times across various classes. Beating a most of Gerard O’Connells class records from the Dungiven man’s time in a Radical V8, it was a season to be proud of for Newtownards driver, McGimpsey.
OMS 2000M: The Championship Winner
In 2025, Ricky finally clinched the overall hillclimb championship in an OMS 2000M—a purpose-built single-seater from 2001. Initially powered by a tuned Honda Blackbird engine, Ricky later swapped in a standard Gen 2 Hayabusa 1340cc powerplant just weeks before the season finale. “It was a month of late nights in the garage,” he says, describing the complex conversion. The result was worth it: a car with improved torque, better drivability, and the performance needed to secure victory. Finally the Bride!
Engineering and Setup
The OMS runs Wilwood brakes and ProTech suspension—upgrades Ricky chose after years of battling unreliable shocks. Aero tweaks included removing excessive rear wing elements to suit the engine’s power output. “You try to make the most of what you have,” Ricky explains, highlighting the balance between power, grip, and drag.
Competitors and Camaraderie
Throughout his career, Ricky has faced some of Northern Ireland’s fastest drivers, including Graham Thompson, Tim Woodside, Gerard O’Connell, and Chris Houston. Despite fierce competition, especially from Scott McMullan in the 2025 season who finish just one point behind McGmipsey, the hillclimb community remains friendly and supportive. “When you’re behind the wheel, all the talking stops,” Ricky says. “But off the track, everyone helps each other. It’s one of the last true club-level disciplines.”
Championship Glory
Knocking on the door for around two decades, Ricky finished the season with one 6th, one 3rd, two 2nd, and two 1st to claim a well deserved championship win making it the third time that a McGimpsey features on the engraved panel as the family name already sits on the trophy twice. With Robert winning the hillclimb championship in 1986, with the youngest McGmipsey, Ryan stamping his authority on 2023 series. Interestingly, the Woodside’s are the only other family to have a father and two sons all win this championship throughout its history.
Acknowledgments
Ricky credits his father for teaching him the fundamentals of engineering and motorsport. “He showed me how to weld when I was ten,” Ricky recalls. He also thanks his wife for her support—and jokingly adds, “If anyone wants to sponsor me, go ahead!”