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Willie Fannin recorded the third successive victory for SUBARU in this year's Irish National Rally Championship, with maximum points on the Clare Stages Rally. The event has been a happy hunting ground for SUBARU, with Alan Ring taking Group N honours in last years event driving an N12 Impreza.

With all three of the SUBARU drivers in good form heading into the rally, this year's event promised to be one of the most competitive of the season. Alan Ring set the early pace, recording the quickest time through the first test, ahead of fellow Impreza drivers Ian Barrett and Willie Fannin. Separated by just ten seconds after the first stage the rally remained close, Fannin edging ahead of Barrett on the second stage and the two crews recording identical times on stage four.

Stage five was cancelled following an accident, with all crews being allocated identical times. Alan Ring maintained his lead through stage six, still pursued by Willie Fannin, 14 seconds adrift and Ian Barrett 32 seconds off the lead. Ring's bid for back to back victories on the event was hit when he unusually encountered transmission problems on the penultimate stage, leaving Fannin and Ian Barrett to lead home the rest of the Group N runners, recording a one - two for Subaru, with Alan Ring just off the podium in fourth position.

SUBARU drivers enjoyed further success away from Group N; Tim McNulty won the rally outright in his S11 Impreza World rally Car and was joined on the podium by Patrick Elliott in his S11, who finished third. Kevin Barrett brought his S11 Impreza home fourth overall.

The Irish National Rally Championship now moves on to round ten, for the Skibbereen Rally on 28/10/07.