Irish driver Keith Cronin and co-driver Barry McNulty have successfully defended their MSA British Rally Championship title.
Cronin and McNulty came third overall in the final event, the International Rally of Yorkshire. Cronin, the 2009 champion, only needed to finish inside the top seven to be assured of the 2010 Dulux Trade MSA British Rally Championship title and the TEG Sport team had accordingly prepared the car with an emphasis on reliability rather than raw pace.
At the end of Friday's action Cronin was well placed in third overall with team-mates Adam Gould and Craig Drew in sixth position. Overnight rain made the road conditions treacherous but Cronin did everything needed to bring the Subaru Impreza N15 back to Scarborough unscathed.
The new champion, having spent a day testing with Jimmy Girvan on Thursday, was very subdued at the finish following the tragic news from earlier in the day.
The 56-year-old Scottish driver died after his Subaru Impreza struck boulders and then crashed into trees at a separate event, the McRae Stages Rally.
Stuart Newby, TEG Sport Team Principal, said: 'Keith drove a fantastic rally with no heroics. We played it safe this weekend by running with a tool box and two spare wheels and even so he still finished third overall.
'We've finished second in the championship for the last three years and so it is nice to take the win this time. However it is devastating about Jimmy and all of our thoughts are with his family.'
