Carrick-on-Suir was the setting for the sixth round of the Irish National Rally Championship, the Ravens Rock Rally. The event proved to be a happy hunting ground for Subaru driver Alan Ring in 2006, Ring took Group N honours driving an 2006 specification of Subaru Impreza WRX STI spec C from Prodrive, prepared by Dan Cashman Motorsport.

This year, Ravens Rock was one of the most closely contested rounds to date in this season’s championship. One of the highlights of the event was the battle for a place on the podium between the Subaru crews of Alan Ring and co-driver Adrian Deasy and Ian Barrett and co-driver Eoin O’Flaherty. Barrett set the early pace, taking a lead of eight seconds over Ring on the first stage. With stage two cancelled, Ring responded on stage three, cutting Barrett’s lead to five seconds, and by a further two seconds on stage four, to trial by just three seconds at the halfway point.

Ian Barrett then responded to the challenge, increasing his advantage to seven seconds over stage five, only for Ring to reduce to margin to just two seconds after the sixth test. With stage seven cancelled the battle for third place came down to a final stage shootout between the two Impreza drivers. Ring was seven seconds quicker through the stage, to lead Barrett for the first time in the rally and claim the final podium place.

The result leaves the three leading Subaru drivers within just five points of each other after six rounds of the championship, which promises to have a great finish to the season with fousr rounds remaining.

The Irish National Rally Championship now moves on to round seven, in Connacht on 08/07/07.