by Geoff Mayes
Rob Swann ends the 2007 Tesco 99 Octane MSA British Rally Championship with a career best fifth overall after enduring a mixture of adventures on the three-day long Wales Rally GB.
With this years final round split into two different point scoring events, Swann was keen to have a good run and was all set to finish fourth overall on Friday, after battling through atrocious weather conditions all day long but when he broke a driveshaft on the start of SS4 all the hard work was undone.
The Revolution Wheels-backed man dropped around 6 minutes limping through the final three stages back to service and he was eventually classified in seventh for round 6.
With the clocks reset for Saturday's stages Swann pushed on, knowing that he needed a good run to improve on his championship position. Despite gearbox woes throughout the afternoon stages his times were good and he completed the day fourth in class.
Swift work by Geoff Jones Motorsport saw the gearbox replaced with plenty of time to spare and Swann headed out to Sunday's stages aiming to consolidate his position. Once more strong times kept him comfortably in fourth position and he looked set to end the year tied with season long rival Wyn Humphries until misfortune struck in the final loop. Two punctures in the last two stages cruelly cost the Subaru pilot nearly 2 minutes, demoting him to fifth position.
“That's twice in this rally that we've had fourth in the BRC in the bag and lost it on the last stage,” he reflected. “I think it is a sign of how we've improved this year though that I can actually feel disappointed at having missed out on fourth overall in the 2007 championship.
“It has been a great year, interspersed with disappointment but then that is rallying for you. We'll be back in 2008 much stronger again!”
Swann's co-driver, Darren Garrod meanwhile was also happy with how the season went and he claimed sixth spot overall in the co-drivers' championship.
