Kelsey Kirby in a relative newcomer to Motor Racing but in the last two seasons has firmly established herself as a genuine front runner in what is arguably the most competitive race championship on the TengTools ICCR bill- the Siltex Safety Fiesta Zetec Championship.
Now aged 28, Kelsey didn’t visit Mondello Park until June 2021, when she says she found out exactly what she was supposed to do, and immediately set about getting on track. Having smashed open the piggy bank, emptied her bank account and searched down the back of the couch on multiple occasions, she proudly purchased her Fiesta Zetec Racecar in January 2022. Realising that, like any competition car, it was need a certain amount or preparation, Kelsey then decided to go back to college and get a qualification in mechanics. Together with her Dad, they do all the pre race preparation and race day fettling to her distinctive purple and black machine. Due to a recent health setback, her Dad may not be as active in the preparation this season, but remains a huge supporter- and no doubt a very proud father!
Like most club racers, Kelsey has a Monday to Friday job, but even that involves Motorsport. She is now the SDO (Sport Development Officer) for Motorport Ireland, and recently outlined her role, what she has already achieved and some of her plans very impressively at the Annual Motorsport Ireland Congress event in Athlone (Below)
So, what does she do in her spare time? Well if she isn’t at a Motorsport Ireland event, or on track in her trusty Fiesta, she is an Instructor at Mondello Park. You really can’t get more immersed in the sport than that!
Incredibly, Kelsey has also been a Formula Female mentor for 3 years in Ireland and also got to go to Indianapolis to introduce their inaugural Sim4Stem programme to their Girl Scouts which she says was an amazing opportunity for her.
Back to her racing exploits, Kelsey took Rookie podiums in first year of racing in 2022, and gradually progressed to 6th overall in the 2025 Championship. Her plans for 2026? To continue this progress and aim for overall podiums and even a top three finish in the Championship. As you can probably gather, she is a determined lady, and it would probably unwise to bet against her!
Kelsey would like to thank Ken Keegan / Ken With A Camera “for taking the best pictures and videos every weekend making sure I always have top level content.”
As the end of the off season approaches, she is currently working hard to secure the financial support required to go motor racing. She says she has had great support on Sponsor Driven where friends/family/anyone can contribute as little as €2 up to however much they want as a once off payment or they can make a monthly subscription – which has been amazing for her. All the funds from this so far has helped to pay for my tyres on some race weekends! https://www.
In 2026, Kelsey started creating YouTube videos covering all of the run up to her racing and all of her race weekends which she says she really enjoyed making! Click on the below video to watch one and, as the kids say, don’t forget to like and subscribe!
The Siltex Safety Fiesta Zetec Championship is a budget saloon car race series, based at and run by LNP/Mondello Park. The 80bhp tin tops are heavily policed by an excellent technical team and, with adjustments very limited, it all comes down to driver skill. Kelsey is one of an incredible eight females in the class, many of whom are Rookies and following in her footsteps as they make their progress up the grid! Chloe Kellett, LolaRose Turley, Freya Burns, Liv Corcoran, Nadine Kavanagh, Tonya Fortune and Elizabeth Downey all competed in 2025 and should be back on the packed grid for 2026. Watch out boys!
