Grapevine: Crashed and Byrned wins book award

Autosport Grand Prix Editor Mark Hughes and Tommy Byrne's book Crashed and Byrned has been awarded the prestigious William Hill Irish Sports Book of the Year for 2008.

The highly-rated book tells the story of Byrne's controversial motorsport career - from his childhood in Dundalk through to his brief taste of life as a Formula One driver - and subsequent experiences of drug problems and working for gun-carrying Mexicans in the 1990s.

Hughes was delighted to receive the Award, which was announced in a ceremony in Dublin.

"It may not be the award Tommy was figuring on back in the day, when he was giving Ayrton Senna plenty to worry about on the race track, but it means a lot to both of us and I'm particularly pleased that it will play its part in ensuring this guy and his extraordinary story doesn't get forgotten," said Hughes.

William Hill's Tony Kenny added: "This is a fantastic story from start to finish and is one of the best sports books you will read. To win when up against such a strong shortlist will show everyone how good the book is.

"The judging panel felt the book displayed a level of honesty that many books fail to reach and it was a story which everyone with an interest in sport and further afield deserves to hear."