IRISHMAN Connor McCloskey produced a stunning final stage drive in Speech House to win the 2013 Team GMF Wyedean Rally by seven seconds.

McCloskey and co-driver Francis Regan (Subaru Impreza) went into the last stage in third place, 11 seconds behind race leaders Hugh Hunter and Andy Marchbank (Ford Focus).

However, they blitzed the field over the longest stage of the event to finish well clear of David Wright and Michael Wilkinson (Evo 9), with Hunter forced to settle for third spot.

McCloskey, 26, comes from Kilrea and works in the family business, making kitchens. He was the youngest ever winner of the Northern Ireland Rally Championship in 2008.

He got into the sport through his father, who was also a rally driver in Northern Ireland. This was Connor's sixth race victory.

He said his intention was to do the first three rounds of the BTRDA Series and 'see how it goes'.

Now, following this opening round victory, he is likely to commit to a full assault on the BTRDA Championship.

McCloskey had only entered the Wyedean once before, as an 18-year-old in 2005. On that occasion, he rolled out on the opening stage in Serridge.

He said: "I got into a good groove on the final stage.

"I've not driven on gravel since 2011 so I decided to pace myself and try to pick up my speed as I went on. The car ran perfectly.

"The crowds were mad, they stand in some crazy places.

"Going into the last stage, I thought if I drove well I might get second.

"I would have been happy with that, so to win is unbelievable."

McCloskey did have a secret weapon in his camp in two-times Wyedean winner Nik Elsmore.

Elsmore stopped the Irishman from going to bed on Friday night in order to go through the pace notes at length one more time.

His extra knowledge – particularly in reassuring McCloskey of what speeds to hit the corners at – certainly paid handsome dividends in Speech House where no one could match his pace.

See this week's Forester for in-depth three page coverage of Wyedean Rally, featuring 20+ photographs