Irish Rally Championship

Rd.5 Cavan Stages Rally

SUBARU TRIO IN TOP SIX IN CAVAN

29 June 2007
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Round five of the Irish National Rally Championship saw the teams head to Cavan, a rally which last year featured two Imprezas on the podium. Willie Fannin took Group N honours in his N12 from Prodrive and Alan Ring finished third.

In total 131 crews started this year's event, which was contested over nine special stages. The opening stages of the rally were closely fought as predicted, last years' winner, Fannin, set the pace among the Impreza drivers but was prevented from making a sustained challenge for the rally victory, when a puncture on stage 4 cost him over a minute in lost time.

Changeable conditions, which included rain and even hail on some stages made tyre choice more difficult, drivers who had opted for slick tyres found themselves struggling for grip as the stages became increasingly slippery on the second loop of stages.

Denied a certain podium after suffering the puncture, Willie Fannin battled back to take fourth place in the Group N category, setting the fastest time through stage six. Fannin was followed home by fellow Subaru drivers Ian Barrett, who posted another solid result in fifth place and Alan Ring who's sixth place finish was enough to move him up to fifth position in this years driver standings.

The Irish National Rally Championship now moves on to round six, Raven's Rock Stages Rally on 24/06/07.


Pos. Class Driver Car Time  
1 8 Aaron McGale Ford Focus 1:20'40  
2 8 Patrick Elliott SUBARU 1:20'41  
3 8 Michael Barrable Ford Focus 1:21'26  
4 8 Glenn Allen Toyota 1:21'59  
5 8 Niall Maguire SUBARU 1:22'30  
6 8 Sean Gallagher SUBARU 1:23'28  
7 8 Kevin Barrett SUBARU 1:23'29  
8 4 Mike Curran Mitsubishi 1:24'08  
9 4 Seamus Leonard Mitsubishi 1:24'30  
10 4 Kevin Kelleher Mitsubishi 1:25'45  
11 4 Willie Fannin SUBARU Impreza 1:26'22  
13 4 Ian Barrett SUBARU Impreza 1:26'41  
15 4 Alan Ring SUBARU Impreza 1:27'05  
Pos. Driver Car Name Points
1 Mike Curran Mitsubishi 47
2 Seamus Leonard Mitsubishi 40
3 Kevin Kelleher Mitsubishi 35
4 Willie Fannin SUBARU 20
5 Alan Ring SUBARU 15
6 Ian Barrett SUBARU 14
2007 Season Point Standings after Rd.5