Letterkenny’s Shaun Gallagher claimed the 2007 Junior World Rally Championship title

Letterkenny’s Shaun Gallagher claimed the 2007 Junior World Rally Championship title when he finished runner-up to the Citroen C2 of Yoan Bonato of France the Rally of Catalunya in Spain on Sunday.

Gallagher, who also drove a Citroen C2, looked set to wrap up the class but, with just two stages remaining, the Irish driver had a heart-stopping moment when his fuel pump broke as he headed into service.

His World Rally Team Ireland crew fixed the car with three minutes remaining and Gallagher was able to complete the final two stages and take the rookie series.

Gallagher had a consistent year in his 1600cc Citroen finishing all six rounds in which he competed and his second place finish in Spain cemented his title win.

Gallagher now plans to move up to the Super 1600 class in 2008 and compete for the overall Junior crown, which another Irish driver, Kris Meeke, won back in 2005.

The FIA Junior World Rally Championship, which runs at selected WRC events, is reserved for drivers taking part in Super 1600 Group A Kit Cars, which have front-wheel drive and a normally aspirated engine that gives an entry level to younger drivers who want to experience WRC events at a fraction of the cost.

Gallagher, who is also employed as an instructor at John Haugland’s Winter Rally School in Norway, joined the newly formed World Team Rally Ireland outfit at the start of the season and they entered the 27-year-old into the junior category of the WRC.

He also plans to compete in Rally Ireland in November.

Eamonn Boland from Wexford was the other Irish driver taking part in Spain and he finished an excellent 16th overall in his Subaru Impreza S12.

Boland, who was fifth in the recent Cork 20, behind World Rally champion Sebastian Loeb, competed in his second WRC event of the year having finished 20th in the Monte Carlo Rally.