Roscrea's Fogarty crowned MIJRS J1000 champion as crews shine at Laois

15-year-old Conor Fogarty was crowned MIJRS J1000 champion by two points after championship leader James Kelly's off on stage two of the Laois Forest Rally effectively cost him the title.

Fogarty's fifth-place finish alongside Des Sherlock was enough to overhaul Kelly, who returned under super-rally regulations to claim six points but couldn't hold on to his championship lead and had to settle for runner-up in the series.

Up front, Matthew Wray won all but the final stage to take a dominant 40.2-second victory and with it the Irish Forest Rally Championship J1000 title.

It was also a standout day for the series, with three J1000 champions finishing inside the overall top ten: 2022 champion Jack Brennan was fourth, 2025 champion James McShea ninth and 2024 champion Oisin McShane tenth.

Wray led the 20-strong J1000 contingent in Laois from the start, going an incredible 13.6 seconds faster than anyone else on stage one. Frank Wharton was second, with Oscar McShane, starting only his second rally, in third. James Spillane was fourth and Dean Bonner fifth. The margins behind Wray were tiny, with just 7.2 seconds covering third to ninth place. James Travers lost over six minutes after his Up cut out following one of the hairpins.

Wray remained in control on stage two, but Spillane made the first significant move, jumping from fourth to third with a quicker time than McShane.

Spillane continued to climb on stage three, moving from fourth to second in three stages, while McShane moved back ahead of Wharton into third. Wharton lost over ten seconds and dropped to fifth. Less than five seconds covered second to fifth at the halfway point.

Wharton’s third-fastest time on stage four moved him 0.2 seconds ahead of McShane before the latter edged in front again on stage five. The epic duel ended on Laois’s decider when Wharton’s Up retired with engine trouble.

McShane set the fastest time on the final stage to move within 4.3 seconds of second-placed Spillane with Wray cruising home to claim a stunning J1000 win.

Fogarty's 14 points for fifth place lifted him to 85 points in the final standings, two clear of Kelly on 83. Dean Bonner’s fourth-place finish secured a place in the championship’s top three.

As a result of finishing on the championship podium the trio will all receive support for future rallying efforts: €1000 for Bonner, €1500 for Kelly, and €2500 for Fogarty who will also receive coaching.