Targa News

With the recent conclusion of the coronial inquest held in Hobart, Targa Australia have got back to work in planning to run its signature event Targa Tasmania in 2025, for the first time since 2022.

The return will see the iconic rally run at a different time of the year for at least the next five years with the announcement today of new spring dates, starting on the third Sunday in November.

For 2025, this will see the event start on Sunday 16 November and finish on Friday 21 November.

The time afforded to plan for the event’s return to ensure the implementation of a range of safety changes will also see the greatest single change to the course layout in the history of the event.

For the first time, the event will get underway in Hobart with a Ceremonial Start and various stages across the south to give locals a key chance on the weekend to see the cars in action on several revamped stages.

The event will then head to Devonport for a first-ever overnight stop on Monday 17 November before heading to Launceston on 18 November, where it will remain until the finish and a first-time Official Finish to be held in Launceston on the evening of Friday 21 November, bringing a whole new Targa experience to the northern city.

Targa Australia CEO, Mark Perry said: “The passage of time has given us an amazing opportunity to undertake a detailed review of the event whilst ensuring we can implement the many positive changes to make Targa Tasmania a safer event in the future and continue to inject many millions of dollars into the Tasmanian economy each year.

“The traditional April/May dates provided very challenging weather conditions for competitors and officials, so with the full support of the State Government and Events Tasmania we have decided that moving the event to a mid-November slot can only assist in improved safety outcomes for everyone involved and give our large tour contingent a more pleasant drive around Tasmania.

“It is also great news for spectators and will give us some amazing opportunities to put on more outdoor events for the public at a warmer and drier time of the year.”

The new event dates and course layout will remain in place for at least the next five years as part of the varied five year funding agreement with the State Government, which will see one of the world’s iconic motorsport events continue to at least 2029. 

MEDIA RELEASE

19 April 2024

TARGA has a fifteen year, and highly successful, relationship with Alpine Resorts Victoria, setting up the state’s first multi-stage tarmac rally, TARGA High Country, which ran successfully from 2010 to 2022 with over 180 crews taking part in each event, delivering more than $35million in economic return to the region.

Alpine Resorts Victoria remains a great partner for TARGA during difficult times. This relationship will enter a new phase in 2025 with TARGA announcing that it will hold its first ever TARGA Academy event at Mt. Buller from 31 January to 2 February 2025, as part of a three-year deal to hold TARGA events at Mt. Buller, which will also see the exciting return of TARGA High Country in its traditional time slot of 15 to 17 November 2025.

TARGA CEO, Mark Perry said “Mt. Buller and the High Country region holds a special place in the history of TARGA, being the first of our mainland events. It is a difficult time and the impact of us not attending the region since February 2022 has been felt far and wide, so it is very exciting for us to return next February with the key lead in event to TARGA Tasmania.”

“With the planned return of TARGA Tasmania on 28 April 2025, after a three-year hiatus, it is important to provide additional opportunities for competitors to attend an Academy event, particularly for those competitors who cannot take the extra time off to arrive three days before each TARGA event starts.”

“Mt. Buller provides us with everything we need in having excellent teaching facilities, great accommodation and of course the best mountain road in the country to enable us to provide our Academy program designed to further mitigate risk at future events.”

Alpine Resorts Victoria’s CEO, Amber Gardner, said Mt Buller was thrilled to welcome back TARGA in 2025.

“TARGA has been an important part of our summer calendar for more than a decade, attracting thousands of visitors to the mountain and district.

“We are excited to host the first TARGA Academy and look forward to the TARGA High Country event returning in November 2025.”

Naturally, any event still needs to be fun and engaging for all those in attendance and whilst competitors will spend some suitable time in the classroom on Friday 31 January, the weekend will see on course practice sessions on the Saturday afternoon before the running of the TARGA Academy Sprint on the Sunday, giving all competitors in attendance a great opportunity to fully prepare themselves and their vehicles for the return of TARGA events throughout 2025.

Further details and the opening of entries will be advised in due course.

MEDIA RELEASE

7 DECEMBER 2023

TARGA Australia has announced it will postpone a return of their tarmac rally events until 2025. The 31st running of TARGA Tasmania, initially scheduled for 8 – 13 April next year, will now be held from 28 April – 3 May 2025.

Importantly, the Tasmanian State Government has stated its ongoing commitment to TARGA Tasmania by providing a further extension to its current five-year agreement for the blue-chip event.  This agreement will now cover 2025 to 2029 reassuring all those involved in TARGA that the Government and Tasmanians clearly want the event to continue for many years to come.

TARGA CEO, Mark Perry, said he was extremely disappointed about the further postponement but believes it is necessary to ensure a strong event for the future.

“In recent weeks it has become clear that the full scope of work needed for a successful return makes running the event in April 2024 an unachievable task,” he said.  

“While the further delay of our return will be sad news for thousands of people, we must ensure we get everything right first. This delay will enable us to finalise a number of key components while also fully supporting the ongoing coronial inquest which should see us in a position to implement all relevant recommendations from this process for the 2025 TARGA Tasmania.

“We fully understand that this is a bitter blow for competitors, officials, sponsors, and the Tasmanian tourism industry, but we are taking a long-term view to secure the future of TARGA Tasmania and we appreciate everyone’s ongoing support in the year ahead.

“TARGA will continue to work tirelessly throughout 2024, maintaining regular communications with the many thousands of people around the world who follow the event, with the clear aim of implementing a myriad of positive changes in preparation for a much-anticipated return in 2025.”

TARGA is saddened this week to hear of the passing of Allan Horsley.

Allan’s legacy has been talked about a lot in the motorsport media in recent days, and TARGA CEO Mark Perry paid tribute to Allan’s legacy and his contribution to TARGA Tasmania.

“His passion for the event led to the single biggest manufacturer program directly involved in TARGA,” Perry said.

“A program that delivered great success to Mazda over many years with both the RX-7SP and the RX8-SP, which was specifically designed for TARGA competition. These cars still compete in TARGA in the hands of their current owners.

“Allan’s passion and vision for TARGA led to things like the Showroom competition and his mentoring of myself and Stuart Benson will never be forgotten by either of us.

“For me, it was a rare privilege in my own journey to spend quality time with Allan Horsley. Extremely competitive but kind, Allan always had the time to share his experience with you to ensure the ongoing success of TARGA Tasmania.

“They were special times and whilst Mazda never quite made it to an outright win at TARGA Tasmania, it wasn’t through a lack of trying with a little lady luck never going their way.

“Ten years on since Allan retired, and TARGA has not seen anything like it since and is unlikely to in the future.

“In recent years, Allan would send me regular emails pointing out the crazier side of the world we now live in and they never failed to deliver some laughs. I along with many others will miss Allan and may he always rest in peace.

Sincere condolences to Allan’s family and friends.”

On the weekend of 9 to 11 February 2024, two months before TARGA Tasmania, we will be holding our first ever Spirit of TARGA conference weekend at Mt Buller!

The Spirit of TARGAA conference will be held in conjunction with the fantastic events team at Mt. Buller, who have also been feeling the sadness of TARGA’s absence, and we thank them for their support and energy in bringing this new concept to life.

What is the Spirit of TARGA all about? It is about catching up with old friends over a meal and a wine. It is about learning from each other as to how you have dealt with the tough times, supporting each other, and how we will move forward to a bright future. It will also be a great opportunity for you to have direct input into TARGA’s future and hear from me about what has happened, how we got here and what we have planned for 2024 and beyond. There will also be the largest Q&A session ever undertaken by TARGA.

Naturally, any weekend away must be fun too!

• It will kick off on the Friday night with a Welcome Party where you can have a few more drinks than usual knowing that this is a TARGA event where .00 is not part of the rules. After the party, the TARGA Bar will be open with live music and classic old party tapes on rotation on the various screens around the bar.
• Saturday will see a presentation by myself and others of all the rule changes and their reasons for introduction followed by an extensive Q&A session to ensure complete transparency and knowledge before our return. I will also present the long-term business plan for TARGA, which will include the announcement of an exciting new event not seen in Australia before. It will be worth coming just to get the scoop…
• This will be followed by a long lunch to give everyone plenty of time to catch up and enjoy the amazing panoramic views on offer at the top of Mt. Buller.
• Saturday night will see a dinner held with panel interviews and entertainment, followed by a few beers in the TARGA Bar. 
• Sunday will see a casual brunch held in the Village Square with bacon and eggs aplenty along with great coffee to say your goodbyes and depart Mt. Buller for home.

 Below are some answers to the basic questions:

• Who is invited? Everyone who has a connection to TARGA; competitors & participants past and present, officials, service crews, families, and friends.

• Do you need to come for the entire weekend? No, this weekend is flexible, and you can attend as much or as little as you like. We will release a full itinerary in the weeks ahead to help you plan your trip.

• How much will the conference cost? The only costs will be what you eat and drink throughout the weekend. All other associated activities will be provided by TARGA and Mt. Buller. As each meal will sell out, we will be taking pre-bookings and payments. Bookings will open for these in the weeks ahead.

• Do I need to bring my TARGA car? If you wish to, but we have set this event up to enable you to fly to Melbourne and hire a car if you’re coming from interstate to make it much easier to attend. The Spirit of TARGA conference is about TARGA people, not TARGA cars. Once you arrive there will be no further need to drive until you leave, enabling you to enjoy the festivities more than usual.

We hope that many of you will take this opportunity to enjoy a fun weekend with like-minded friends, to show what TARGA means to so many people. Get your friends together, book one of the amazing apartments on offer and enjoy a fun weekend away ‘on top of the world’ at Mt. Buller.

To get in quick with your accommodation, the team at Buller Holidays are ready to assist at 1 800 810 200, www.bullerholidays.com.au or reservations@bullerholidays.com.au

Two weeks on from TARGA’s announcements regarding the 2023 events and future of TARGA in 2024, we have been overwhelmed with the support, well wishes and crucial conversations happening amongst the Australian tarmac rally community.

The TARGA team has been working hard behind the scenes to start rolling out key pieces of information to excite everyone on the journey ahead.

Today sees the release of the course for the 2024 TARGA Tasmania with five new stages included, along with the return of three others from many years ago.

There will be 37 stages in total (3 of these warm up) covering just over 500 competitive kilometres.

We have combined the previous reconnaissance information with Version 1 of the road book to provide prospective entrants with a level of detail never provided this early before, which will hopefully assist drivers and navigators to get more out of the course reconnaissance and in turn better prepare for the event in April. It will also provide us with great early feedback to fix errors, omissions and add detail to the road book to ensure the end version used at the event is world class in every way. 

Stay tuned for the Event Regulations coming next week, and entries opening soon after that.

A special mention to the Tarmac Rally Competitors Association of Australia for their letter of support to Jeremy Rockliff MP, the Premier of Tasmania, following his recent endorsement and support of  TARGA Tasmania’s return in 2024.

14 July 2023

TARGA Australia has today announced that it will suspend all future motorsport-based events until the full ramifications of Motorsport Australia’s review into tarmac rallying can be quantified and assessed. This means that the 2023 editions of TARGA Tasmania and TARGA Great Barrier Reef have today been cancelled.

The safety review process has been going for 15 months, and with many more months ahead before all the details are released and implemented, there is still too much uncertainty for all stakeholders.

The uncertainty and the lengthy review process has seen a record drop in entry numbers. The reduction of the TARGA Tour speed to just 110km/h has seen the withdrawal of over 80% of tour participants in the part of the event which has sustained TARGA’s commercial viability in recent years.

Due to these unprecedented challenges, TARGA Australia has advised Motorsport Australia that they can no longer align their business with the governing body and will not seek a contract renewal on future events run by TARGA Australia.  

TARGA will now take the time needed to assess what the future holds for one of the world’s largest motorsport event providers.

It is not the first time that TARGA has taken a different direction to running its events. In 2007, TARGA left the then-called Confederation of Australia Motor Sport (CAMS) and ran TARGA Tasmania for four years with the Australian Auto Sport Alliance (AASA) until 2011, before returning to Motorsport Australia under a new agreement, which ensured TARGA’s viability. During this period, both TARGA and the AASA grew substantially with new TARGA events added to Tasmania (TARGA Wrest Point) and Victoria (TARGA High Country) to complement the world’s largest tarmac rally, TARGA Tasmania.

“Our events can only be run with the support of our loyal participants, and on the whole, they are understandably disenchanted with the current landscape, and we completely understand why,” said TARGA CEO Mark Perry.  

“We have waited and been incredibly patient with the process put in place, however this process has now taken a year longer than similar reviews in the past. 

“Competitors have little certainty with what the future looks like for them and are rightly holding off on entering our events. In turn, we have had to make the difficult but necessary decision to cancel our 2023 events and undertake our own review and assessment on the future viability of our iconic rallies.

“While it is another sad day for everyone involved in TARGA, we must now explore every conceivable option available to us to ensure the survival of TARGA and the return of the ultimate tarmac rally, TARGA Tasmania in April 2024”.

TARGA Australia will make further announcements as they are finalised.

14 July 2023

The 2023 TARGA Great Barrier Reef, scheduled for 1-3 September, and the re-scheduled 2023 TARGA Tasmania, set down for 23-28 October, have today been cancelled. 

Despite assurances that the sport would be back up and running by 1 July, the safety review panel process is now into its fifteenth month, leaving the sport of tarmac rallying without a clear future direction at this point in time. 

With the large-scale events just seven weeks and three months away respectively, organisers TARGA Australia have been left with no choice but to cancel its iconic motorsport events to the disappointment of competitors, sponsors, officials and all the TARGA fans across Australia and around the world.

“We have waited and been incredibly patient with the process but there are still a number of outstanding issues that are yet to be resolved,” said Mark Perry, TARGA CEO. “Given we need certainty well in advance of running these events, we have no other choice other than to cancel our 2023 events.”

“Competitors are also waiting on a clear direction of what the future looks like for them, so are rightly holding off on entering our events. This in turn has forced us to cancel our 2023 events, after postponing TARGA Tasmania earlier in the year to hopefully give the process more time to be effectively implemented.

“We have sincerely tried as hard as we can to ensure the return of TARGA this year. It is another sad day for everyone involved in TARGA.

“We will now focus on an exciting return of TARGA Tasmania in its traditional place on the calendar from 8 to 13 April 2024” Perry said.

TARGA is saddened by the recent passing of former competitor, Brian Learoyd.  Our sincere condolences go to Brian’s family and friends.

Brian was a pioneer of the TARGA spirit, being one of the first competitors to bring a late model C4 Corvette to TARGA Tasmania in 1996.  The arrival of the C5 in 1997 saw Brian move to this highly anticipated Vette in 1998.  Brian competed in nine events, winning a Golden TARGA Trophy in 2000 and a Platinum TARGA Trophy in 2003.  Brian also won the Category 8 LMS section in 1998, sitting alongside Greg Waters.

Brian’s passion and desire for TARGA Tasmania, combined with his willingness to bring a uniquely different car to the event each year, helped sow the seeds for what the Ultimate Tarmac Rally would become in the years to follow.

May he Rest in Peace.

• 

• 

One of the great characters of the TARGA family has left us to join other TARGA Legends out on the course in heaven.

Mac Russell will be sincerely missed by everyone involved in TARGA Tasmania and our sincere condolences go to his courageous and loyal wife, Marj, along with all their family and friends.

Mac first competed in TARGA Tasmania in 1993, competing in 27 events (21 with Marj by his side), being inducted into the TARGA Hall of Fame in 2007 before ultimately being inducted into the extremely exclusive Hall of Fame Legends section at the 25^th Anniversary event in 2016.  Marj joined Mac as a Legend in 2019.

For those who have been around TARGA Tasmania for a long time, they will always remember Mac & Marj in their open-top Morgan, smiling no matter what the weather had in store for them and competing in the true spirit of TARGA, always ensuring they were there at the finish and winning a coveted TARGA Plate.

Many won’t know that Mac played in a key role in the formation of RallySafe, an incredible technological marvel now used in rallying all around the world.  With that in mind, we felt it was appropriate for one of RallySafe’s founders, Stephen Sims to share with us his memories of Mac:

It is with great sadness that we have recently learned of the passing of a great legend in ‘Mac Russell’.

Mac has been a long-term friend of mine as well as a mentor and inspiration in so many ways.

I have worked for, competed against, and partnered with him on various occasions.

Many might not know but Mac was an integral part of the birth and creation of ‘RallySafe’.

From early day financial support to becoming a long-time advocate for the technology through to business advising as the company grew outside of the nation’s shores.

By me, my team and anybody that knew him he will be dearly missed.

Have a drink and BIG cigar on Monday 19 June when we say farewell.

May Mac rest in peace having lived an incredible and rewarding life.

Emma Hill has had numerous roles at TARGA since her first event in 2018, including roles as a Vehicle Tracker and Assistant Safety Manager.

She first joined the TARGA family alongside her soon-to-be husband Josh, who is now TARGA’s Operations Manager.

From pulling pranks on actor Shane Jacobson, to a TARGA Great Barrier Reef marriage proposal, Emma’s had plenty of unforgettable adventures on the road, and can’t wait to make more at TARGA events to come – with their new son Carter in tow!

What was your very first TARGA event like & how did you get involved?

My very first TARGA was TARGA North West 2018, an event that doesn’t run anymore. It was fast passed and got me hooked into the car world of TARGA . I got involved in it as my hubby had been a volunteer for years and when we first got together he asked if I wanted to come along and help out so I did and I have been involved in all events since except for High Country. 

What is your fondest memory of TARGA?

Meeting Shane Jacobson. Team Hill, as it was back then, liked to have a bit of fun and as Shane has had many acting roles, each day of the 2021 TARGA Tasmania event we gave him a gift to remind him of his illustrious career.

A penguin for Oddball, a g-string signed by the team for the Full Monty, and a plunger for Kenny. 

Oh and my husband proposed to me while we were in Cairns for TGBR – the most romantic thing he has ever done. We may have made the party tape thanks to Stridey. 

What is a TARGA moment or story you’ll never forget?

There are soo many moments and stories that I can’t tell them all – what happens on an event stays on an event hehe but let’s just say the journey from one stage to another can be long and arduous, but never dull with the banter and songs made up from exhaustion of the week that give us the energy and entertainment to keep on going. 

Are there any significant people who have played an important role in your TARGA experiences?

There are too many to name! When I first started as a TARGA volunteer pretty much everyone was a stranger to me and now I call them my TARGA family.

Spending a week at a time on the road you build a close bond with people and I have been lucky enough that each year the team has stayed the same and each event we pick up where we left off. This also includes volunteers and staff with different roles within the whole event.

It is just so nice to see everyone again each year. 

What was your first car like?

It was a 2006 Mazda wagon, not fancy at all but has been a very reliable car. 

You can only choose one song to listen to while driving for the rest of your days; name that song!

Life is a highway- definitely a singalong 

You have two empty spots in your dream garage; name one classic car and one modern car that you’d park there.

I love a 1960’s mustang GT lots of grit and power. Modern car- Mercedes convertible – girls gotta have power and style right! 

Describe your driving style in three words.

I was a good driver but now I’m a mum driver, much more cautious then I was before having my baby. 

Greg and Vicki Rekers are long-time TARGA Tour Leaders.

Since their first event at TARGA High Country in 2016, Greg and Vicki have become regular faces in the TARGA Tour events, guiding Tour cars along some of the most beautiful and interesting roads in Australia.

While the driving brought them to TARGA initially, it’s the people that have brought them back over the many years.

As we celebrate National Volunteers Week 2023, we caught up with Greg and Vicki to reflect on their fond TARGA memories and some of their volunteering highlights.

What was your very first TARGA event like & how did you get involved?

Dave Thompson had to pull out of THC in 2016, but he had a car there for us (the old XKR Jag) and with little knowledge but a bucket load of excitement we made the best of it and hosted the Delatite Drives club from Mansfield. It was a hoot!

What is your fondest memory of TARGA?

It will always be our first Targa TAS. We found ourselves hosting the past competitors on the Tour, and these champions had more plates and podiums and wonderful stories that quickly brought us into the TARGA family.

What is a TARGA moment or story you’ll never forget?

It was when Shannon’s brought a group of very special guests to Tasmania in some of the most incredible Ferraris, and Lambos. On the first day, our Blue Lambo thought it was a Victa lawn mower and took to a paddock. All was well, the 100kph tape came out (in matching colour) and we were back in the game.

Are there any significant people who have played an important role in your TARGA experiences?

So many! But to name a couple; Gavin James, Michael Mansour, Ian Knight and all that crew, and of course Chris Gough who guided us through our early years. 

What was your first car like?

First car in TARGA was the XKR Jag owned by Tommo, an ex British touring car I think but still had all the characteristics of an unreliable Jag.

Vicki and I are Audi lovers so from that event on it’s been Audis apart from the one time I listened to my family in Mansfield and took our CV8 Monaro for the year, and yes of course it snowed!

You can only choose one song to listen to while driving for the rest of your days; name that song!

Hotel California 

You have two empty spots in your dream garage; name one classic car and one modern car that you’d park there.

1985 Audi Quattro. And Audi R8

Describe your driving style in three words.

Too slow for Gavin and Mike apparently. But it’s a tour, boys !

Brian Edwards has been part of the TARGA Tasmania family for as long as the event has been around!

Over the event’s 30+ years history, Brian has never missed an event, and has held a number of roles across a variety of stages, and most recently is part of the invaluable Lunch Break Crew, ensuring all TARGA Tasmania competitors and tour participants enjoy their TARGA experience.

As we celebrate National Volunteers Week 2023, Brian’s commitment and dedication to TARGA cannot go unnoticed.

We thank Brian, and all TARGA volunteers for their unwavering support.

What was your very first TARGA event like?

My first TARGA Tasmania event was the inaugural one at a time when I was with Devonport Council.  I was on the Devonport Stage, as the Devonport Council was sponsoring this Stage and staff members had the opportunity to spend their work day as a TARGA Official. Who wouldn’t take advantage of that? 

It was very chaotic. Everyone was trying to understand what was supposed to happen, expect the unexpected and do their bit, but there were many aspects that cropped up that were totally unanticipated. Still, the show got underway and from all accounts the Devonport Stage had minimal problems.

How many years have you been a TARGA Official for?

I have been present at ALL Targa Tasmania events. Officially, my record shows I have missed two; the first was the inaugural event (see above) as I did not sign on and the second was the first Oyster Cove Stage when I was there but as a Council Officer not a TARGA official. 

You can only choose one song to listen to while driving for the rest of your days; name the song?

It would probably be Bohemian Rhapsody by Queen; but any Queen songs would do!! 

What was your first car?

My first car was a side valve Morris Minor.

What is your fondest memory of TARGA?

Probably the camaraderie with the other members of our Team. We are a set of married couples, all around the same age and have a lot in common. We travel together in a minibus for the duration of the event. We all know what our jobs are but have experience to help with any other task, if need be.

You have two empty spots in your dream garage; name one classic car and one modern car you would park there.

I have always had a leaning towards a Triumph Stag, so I would choose that as my classic car. My modern car would be a Rolls Royce SUV, but as I couldn’t afford to buy, run or maintain one, it will always remain a dream.

Apart from officiating at motor sport events, what would people find you doing on the weekends?

I enjoy doing wood working and often make bits of furniture for my children, as well as toys for my grandchildren; but there is always work to be done around the house.

What is the best thing about being a TARGA Official?

Apart from a week with friends (and my wife), the hype of the event, seeing the cars, talking to the drivers/navigators all add to an enjoyable time.

I am writing to you as a member of the TARGA family to provide an update on where we currently sit in planning and preparations for TARGA Great Barrier Reef and TARGA Tasmania 2023.

Given the volume of correspondence TARGA has received from participants, it is important we provide you with what clarity we can at this time. 

It is also important that you know we remain upbeat about the prospect of TARGA rallies well into the future.

Background

The Tarmac Rally Working Group (TRWG) was reformed after the 2021 safety review and is tasked with playing a key role in the implementation of the latest recommendations handed down in the TARGA Review Panel report released on 28 February, 2023.

Unfortunately, little correspondence has been released since those findings were handed down.

An Implementation Plan is critical to ensuring recommendations from the report become a reality, however this is yet to be finalised and we have no knowledge as to when it will be released. While the report was only released in February, it should be remembered that the core content of the report was established internally as far back as September 2022, almost  eight months ago.

Without an Implementation Plan, it is impossible to predict what impact will be felt by competitors, event promoters and other commercial stakeholders who want to see TARGA continue to stage safe and enjoyable events.

Your concerns

Given the current environment, many of you have rightly looked to TARGA for answers; for some sort of certainty about the future surrounding our events. We wish we could provide that certainty.

Sadly, we have had minimal input into the process, despite the expert knowledge we have from more than three decades hosting our iconic events.

Some have insinuated our ‘expertise’ may be too commercially-focused, however it should be remembered that following the 2021 Investigatory Tribunal Report, TARGA implemented every recommendation. And we did so immediately, with all recommendations in place for TARGA High Country within four months of the report’s release, and months before TARGA Tasmania. 

This is clear evidence that we are prepared and willing to work within a revised framework to ensure TARGA goes ahead for the TARGA family.

Many of you would know that the Tarmac Rally Competitors Association of Australia (TRCAA) stated in their newsletter that they had put a series of questions to TARGA in relation to our events.

While many of these questions are certainly valid, we simply do not have the information needed to provide concrete answers. The responses below should provide some context as to why:

Q: Will my current GT car qualify?
Motorsport Australia has determined the parameters of qualification and each owner should seek clarification from MA if they think they breach both parameters, which is the basis for future exclusion.

Q: What licence will I need and how much will that cost?
Motorsport Australia has always determined the parameters and costs of licences – not TARGA. MA is yet to advise of their future plans in this space, but as members, we are sure they will advise you in due course.

Q: I won’t enter until I see the course details, stage lengths and number etc. When will these be available?
TARGA has always released the TARGA Tasmania course approximately four months before the event (normally Christmas). This will see the course announced at the end of June to provide the normal amount of time for a pre-event recce before the event in late October. Entries remain open until late September, providing plenty of time for those who choose to wait.

Q: Without full technical regulations, how can I be sure my car will or could be made to qualify?
Motorsport Australia is now tasked with the issuing of technical regulations, not just approving these regulations, so no one – including TARGA – can be sure of eligibility moving forward. If it comes to pass that your car is deemed ineligible, TARGA will refund your entry fee in full.

Q: Will I have the (as yet undefined) qualifications to enter in my preferred category?
Motorsport Australia will be making these decisions to be followed by all tarmac rallies and any advice on this will be provided as and when it comes to hand.

Q: There is no mention in the TARGA release about training requirements. Will these be a requirement for all entrants?
TARGA has never set the parameters for training or licensing. This responsibility sits with Motorsport Australia, hence why there was no mention of it in our release. 

As you can see, many of the questions posed require answers from Motorsport Australia, which are as yet unavailable. Unfortunately, until an Implementation Plan is in place, both TARGA and TRCAA – as well as competitors and other stakeholders – are all in the same boat. We are currently all in the dark as to what the future holds.

What I can assure you of, however, is that TARGA remains as intent as ever to continue staging the successful events thousands and thousands of participants have enjoyed for many, many years.

So, where to now?

While the current lack of an Implementation Plan brings with it uncertainty as to what the immediate future holds, you should know that TARGA remains 100% committed to future events.

For myself and many of you, rarely a day goes by that we don’t reflect on the very fond memories of those we have lost.

However, it is important that we honour Shane, Leigh, Dennis, Tony and their friends and families by continuing to move TARGA forward and stage safe and enjoyable events well into the future.

I am buoyed by our staff who turn up to the office every day and smile, putting their best foot forward despite the circumstances that confront us, to continue to work hard for you.

You may have seen our recent offer to TT30 competitors – those highly-impacted by the events of last year – combined with our release of a technical guide which is designed to help you prepare for the future. This is all in the absence of any formal communication to date from Motorsport Australia, but provides further evidence that as long as there are lessons to be learnt from previous events, we will implement change when it is required.

TARGA Tasmania

In all honesty, cancelling this year’s TARGA Tasmania given the current environment would have saved us many painstaking months of pulling a huge logistical event together at an unusual time.

Cancelling is what some people expected, and some even hoped for.

Cancelling would have been the easiest decision for us to make, but it wouldn’t have been the right one.

Cancelling would have wasted more time, and drained hope from our competitors, officials and sponsors.

Cancelling was not an option we wanted to consider, however postponing was a clear sign of our willingness to fight for our rights to put on these unique events.

With that in mind, it’s important to explain why we are moving forward with plans to stage TARGA Tasmania at the end of October, as I know many people are wondering why that time of year was chosen.

In order to conduct an event of this size, logistics need to support its staging. For us, the most fundamental element surrounding TARGA Tasmania relates to getting people and vehicles to the event, and accommodating them while they’re there. If we can’t do that, there is no event.

To that end, we worked closely with the Spirit of Tasmania, all Tasmanian Councils, Hotel Grand Chancellor and the Novotel who were all incredibly supportive to help us find a window which would benefit all stakeholders. With bookings already strong between Spring and Christmas, we settled on October which has the added benefit of allowing a good period of time in the leadup to next year’s TARGA Tasmania in April 2024.

How you can help

It is little surprise that we are often asked if TARGA Tasmania will happen again.

The simple answer is that if people don’t enter, the event cannot take place.

TARGA Tasmania’s enormous success over three decades, and the reason our sponsors are so supportive of the event, is because so many people want to participate either as competitors or as members of the wider TARGA family.

Staging TARGA Tasmania is an incredible organisational undertaking, and it needs many, many people supporting and taking part to remain viable. 

For many years, this has been its greatest strength. While I am proud to lead a team which continues to stage incredible events which countless people have enjoyed, it is those attending who make it the success it has long been.

Unfortunately, unprecedented times have led to understandable uncertainty. If we are to move forward, we now need your support.

Early Bird entries remain open for TARGA Great Barrier Reef and TARGA Tasmania until midnight on Friday 26 May. We are asking you to have faith in the team which has successfully delivered 62 rallies that have provided many memories for those taking part. TARGA has provided joy to more than 10,000 competitors and participants, who have driven millions of kilometres and injected more than $350m into local economies, along with promoting Australia all around the world.

Our commitment to you

While the uncertainty being experienced right now may be different to times gone by, it is worth remembering that most people have historically registered for TARGA events without knowing all the final details.

For example, the approvals required for each TARGA stage mean courses are rarely fully confirmed before the bulk of entries have already been received.

However, as a show of good faith, if it happens that developments in the future mean you and/or your car are ineligible to compete in your chosen section of TARGA, all monies paid will be refunded. We will then collaborate closely with you to rectify the challenges you may face, so that you can return to TARGA as soon as possible.

This is our commitment to you.

Sure, the course may have some changes – it always has – but it will remain 500+ competitive kilometres and the total distance will also remain at around 1900km.

We can all agree that without this style of course it simply is not TARGA Tasmania. The overnight move from Strahan to Devonport opens a myriad of opportunities for new excitement and new adventures, but the course length and style must remain.

The legacy and history of TARGA Tasmania must be protected.

Again, this is our commitment to you.

Believe in the future

TARGA, our sponsors and stakeholders continue to move forward every day with the steadfast belief that this year’s event will continue its growth towards TARGA Tasmania’s 35th Anniversary in 2027.

We all have faith that the uncertainty we are currently experiencing will pass and clarity is somewhere on the horizon.

While these are challenging times, we can’t sit on the fence and wait for our destiny to be written for us. Living our dreams, enjoying life as we choose has long been integral to the spirit of TARGA and tarmac rallying more broadly.

We cannot wither away and be left only with amazing memories. We will stand up and fight for you, and we hope you continue to support us. With so much uncertainty, so many questions, we remain loyally in your corner demanding answers from those who have them.

We do so, because the future of TARGA – and the TARGA family – is well worth fighting for.

Sincerely and in faith,

Mark Perry
TARGA CEO

Josh Hill has become a name synonymous with TARGA as our very own Operations Manager started volunteering almost two decades ago, as a Time Card Runner back in 2004.

He became the TARGA Operations Manager in March 2022, but recruited his younger sister Courtney to join the TARGA volunteer family well before then.

Courtney’s bubbly personality and smiling face has become a highlight for drivers and navigators in her roles as a Vehicle Tracker and Assistant Safety Manager over the past 10 years.

At TARGA Tasmania this year, Courtney will step into a new role as a Deputy Stage Director.

We recently caught up with Courtney to reflect on her favourite TARGA memories, which include an awkward encounter with Grant Denyer and making memories with her brother Josh.

What was your very first TARGA event like & how did you get involved? 

So I was 18 when I first started doing TARGA. Josh was the stage director and I thought why not? I get to meet new people and annoy my brother for a week, 10 years later and I’m still kicking about.

What is your fondest memory of TARGA? 

My fondest memory of TARGA is when the team gets back together for one massive week. I’ve tried explaining to people who don’t do TARGA and it’s like this is your job and your family, you’re just finding something to do in between till we get together again.

And probably our famous dress ups on Arrowsmith as a send-off for the drivers and navigators on their last day.

What is a TARGA moment or story you’ll never forget?

One moment I won’t ever forget and get reminded of quite often is when it was my first year, I was doing TC in. I saw Grant Denyer pull up and we exchanged hellos. Not long after he came over to me and said, “you know your flys undone?”  I had to explain it was broken and that’s as good as it was going to get. Every day for the rest of the week he’d greet me with “good morning zip!”

Are there any significant people who have played an important role in your TARGA experiences?

My most significant person who played a massive role in my experience is definitely my brother, Joshy. We’ve obviously been through thick and thin as siblings but we grew to be more like best mates. He’s been there for me for everything in my TARGA career and also our personal lives. He’s been my rock and supported me so much, I couldn’t do most things now if it wasn’t for his love and support. And also the shenanigans we got up to!

What was your first car like? 

My first car was a Kia Rio. It was so reliable until its last service and not long after picking it up from the mechanic, it caught on fire. I wasn’t in the car at the time because I left it for dead but got a call about it. Myself and my eldest child were in it 20 minutes before the call so I went into typical mum mode and counted our lucky stars.

You have two empty spots in your dream garage; name one classic car and one modern car that you’d park there.

One would be a ’69 Mustang and the other a Raptor F150

Describe your driving style in three words. 

Mum gone wild

The longevity and loyalty of TARGA officials sustains the famous tarmac rally, and Sari Makela is one such official.

Sari’s first TARGA experience was twenty years ago as a primary recorder in Derby at TARGA Tasmania.

With several years as primary recorder, starting with manual timing clocks, Sari’s progressed alongside the timing technology at TARGA to her most recent role as Time Control In Operator for the Stage Team.

We caught up with Sari to reflect on her fond TARGA memories and event highlights.

What was your very first TARGA event like & how did you get involved? 

My very first TARGA event as an official was the year 2003 at Derby – as Primary Recorder at the Flying Finish. We had family living at Winnaleah who asked if we wanted to help out as they needed volunteers. I was Primary Recorder at the Flying Finish for a total of 7 years straight, 3 years at Derby, then 4 years at Legerwood.

2010, when the teams started I switched ends and became the Start Timer on Josh Hill’s team for 4 years. During these years I also did the first 3 TARGA High Country events in Victoria where our team was combined with Pontus Reutersward’s team. There were a couple of Wrest Points slotted in there as well. In 2013, I moved to Canada and missed the next 5 years but upon returning to Tasmania in 2019, I was immediately asked by Geoff Pilgrim to join his team. It was great to come back and get involved again. I really missed it while I was away

What is your fondest memory of TARGA? 

My fondest memories are when the day is over, getting together as a group for dinner and bonding with your team members. Also seeing the progression in technology over the years from the manual timing clocks to laptops and now RallySafe. However, at the end of each TARGA, during the final stages, the best memories are when the drivers stop and thank you for your contribution during the week. Knowing how much they appreciate our efforts is what keeps me coming back.

What is a TARGA moment or story you’ll never forget?

There are a few moments that I will never forget! As a spectator – watching Peter Brock limp by in the Monaro as it was running out of fuel, that was heartbreaking to watch.

As an official – at the start watching some brilliant starts in particular the A9X Toranas that used to give us some spectacular shows. 

Memories of the weather playing havoc, gale-force winds, sideways rain, sitting on a chair with a stream of water running under you, trying to keep the laptop dry, finish the event, pack up and start driving to the next location and its brilliant sunshine.

Are there any significant people who have played an important role in your TARGA experiences?

The TARGA Family that you develop more and more each year, these people become your lifelong friends. You may not see much of them during the year but when it’s TARGA time again the friendships continue to grow from the previous years. 

What was your first car like? 

A 1970 yellow Corona, if the passenger wasn’t ready for it they would slide off the seat when the car was going around a corner. Plus I couldn’t drive it faster than 70-80km without it overheating, which was okay while in the city but not so great trying to get from Adelaide to Mt Gambier, normally a 5-hour trip that took nearly 10 hours.  

You can only choose one song to listen to while driving for the rest of your days; name that song! 

As a driving song, Tom Cochrane – Life Is A Highway is the only one that comes to mind right now.

You have two empty spots in your dream garage; name one classic car and one modern car that you’d park there.

1948 Holden (but only if it has the same setup as #215 that used to be in TARGA, I miss seeing that car)
So many modern cars to choose from but most likely a Corvette. 

TARGA Tasmania is excited to announce that it will stay in the City of Devonport for the first time in its 30 year history, boosting tourism and business in the northern city.

The two year deal will see the field based in Devonport for two nights in both 2023 and 2024.

It will see TARGA Tasmania deliver over $4million in direct economic return over the four nights scheduled for the city across that period. As well as being home to the competitors, Devonport will host TARGAfest shows each night in the CBD Multi-Level Car Park, a Ceremonial Start in the heart of the city and the Official Finish of the Rookie Rally event.

Devonport has hosted various parts of TARGA Tasmania over the years and is the home of the majority of competitors arriving in Tasmania via the Spirit of Tasmania. However, it has never been able to host a full overnight stop in the city due to the event requiring large amounts of quality accommodation options, combined with other key infrastructure such as café’s, restaurants, car parks and service stations.

Thanks in large part to the recent opening of Novotel Devonport, TARGA Tasmania organisers can now bring the event to the city for two nights for at least the next two events, with the Hotel operating as event headquarters on October 25 and 26  this year.

TARGA CEO Mark Perry said “Coming on the back of a tough few years, this is amazing news for our event, staying in a brand new location, close to a number of iconic TARGA stages and it will give a new and exciting feel for all those taking part.

“We would sincerely like to thank the Novotel Devonport and the Devonport City Council for their excitement and willingness to bring TARGA Tasmania to Devonport on a scale never seen before.”

Ana Royal, General Manager of Novotel Devonport said, “We are delighted to be working with TARGA, it’s incredible to see Devonport so vibrant and alive with visitors to our beautiful city. It is a huge honour to support our community, our hotel team cannot wait to take care of guests for this important event.”  

Devonport Mayor Cr Alison Jarman said, “It is incredibly exciting for the city to host TARGA Tasmania, in particular to host participants for two nights during the event.  It is testament to the evolution of the city that it is now in a position to accommodate such an iconic event, not just as an event stage holder, but as a stopover point for the participants to base themselves and we welcome the opportunity for the TARGA participants to experience all the city has to offer.”

TARGA Tasmania 2023 will take place in October for the first time, from 23 to 28 October followed by a return to its normal April dates from 8 to 13 April 2024.

Following this exciting partnership with Novotel Devonport and the Devonport City Council, the overnight locations for the next two TARGA Tasmania events have been confirmed.

TARGA Tasmania 2023

• 22 – 24 October – Launceston
• 25 & 26 October – Devonport
• 27 & 28 October – Hobart

TARGA Tasmania 2024

• 7 – 9 April- Launceston
• 10 & 11 April- Devonport
• 12 & 13 April- Hobart

Book your stay at Novotel Devonport today

Donna Campbell made her TARGA debut five years ago as a Vehicle Tracker at TARGA Great Barrier Reef, and was instantly hooked.

Along with her husband Wayne, Donna has been a voice for the volunteer officials in Cairns at TARGA Great Barrier Reef and TARGA Tasmania.

We recently caught up with Donna to share her TARGA experiences, and we we thank Donna for her invaluable contribution to TARGA over the years.

What was your very first TARGA event like? 

My first TARGA event was the very first event of TARGA Great Barrier Reef in 2018. My stepson was going to enter a car (but had to pull out). My husband wanted to be involved to watch his son and asked would I like to help as well.

 What is your fondest memory of TARGA? 

My fondest memory was going back home to Tasmania in 2019 and being an official in TARGA TAS, as I had not been back since I left 21 years ago. The whole time was one big memory.

What is a TARGA moment or story you’ll never forget?

There have been a lot of moments and stories over the time I have been involved with TARGA but the one that stands out was one time during TARGA Great Barrier Reef when it was on Father’s Day and we made a sign wishing all competitors a Happy Father’s Day. The expressions, smiles and thanks were priceless.

Are there any significant people who have played an important role in your TARGA experiences?

There are many people who have played an important role in my time with TARGA. My husband Wayne Campbell has helped me through all aspects of TARGA (whilst learning himself). He helped my confidence grow to become the person I am today. Josh Hill – from the time I first met him he has been a great mentor/teacher. Nothing is a hassle. He welcomed me and Wayne into the TARGA family with open arms.

What was your first car like? 

My very first car was a 1988 Gemini, which I had to triple clutch it to get it into reverse.

You can only choose one song to listen to while driving for the rest of your days; name that song! 

Back in Black would be a song I would choose to listen to everyday.

You have two empty spots in your dream garage; name one classic car and one modern car that you’d park there.

A 1988 Gemini (for the memories) and the latest Mustang are two cars I would have in the two spots of my garage.

Describe your driving style in three words. 

“Get there safe” would be the three words I would use to describe my driving style.

VEHICLE CHANGES & COMPETITIONS GUIDE RELEASED

As part of TARGA’s hard reset for a bright future, TARGA Great Barrier Reef and TARGA Tasmania have both opened for entries today with a complete overhaul of the entry fees to offer more pricing options to its loyal customer base.

Following the release of the Review Panel Report in late February, TARGA events will return at TARGA Great Barrier Reef from September 1 to 3, with the flagship TARGA Tasmania to follow from October 23 to 28, seven weeks later. 

For the first time, entry fees will be based on competitors, instead of the cars they drive, with discounts applied based on time of entry and/or more importantly, years of competition.  Years of attendance discounts start at just five years, which is applicable to people entering their fifth event of the same name and so on through to 30 years.

‘Fully Paid’ pricing also returns for the first time in many years, providing further discounted entry fee options. See the revamped entry fees for TARGA Great Barrier Reef HERE and TARGA Tasmania HERE. Terms and Conditions are available HERE, while all updated documents can be found on the TARGA website and the TARGA online entry portal.

To assist loyal and patient TARGA competitors get prepared over the winter months ahead, TARGA has also released a Vehicle Changes & Competitions Guide, outlining the key changes required to TARGA competition vehicles and the competition structure for future TARGA events. The guide can also be found on the TARGA website under competitor information.

TARGA CEO Mark Perry said “It has been a very interesting period in TARGA’s long and successful history, one no one would have imagined just five years ago.  On the back of the restrictions imposed during COVID, we have had to navigate through multiple tragedies and our sincere thoughts remain with all those affected by these incidents.

“Everyone wants to see a bright future for TARGA, but we can’t sugarcoat the challenges we face, and the reality is that only our customers can ensure our survival.  It has always been an obvious fact that TARGA requires very large fields of cars to operate at the scale it does, so we need them, old and new, to join us on the journey ahead, if we all wish to continue living out our TARGA dreams.”

There is plenty of news to come with course layouts and other exciting innovations due for release in the weeks and months ahead.

The 5^th running of TARGA Great Barrier Reef will be held from 1 to 3 September followed by TARGA Tasmania’s 31^st running in a new October slot after the Spirit of Tasmania and the Tasmanian Tourism Industry got right behind the event, to ensure it could still happen in 2023 at some point.

Tasmanian local Sam Button has been a big supporter of TARGA, first as a spectator, then as a competitor, and most recently as an official.

Having previously competed in the TARGA Wrest Point and in the TARGA Tasmania Rookie Rally, TARGA has been a yearly highlight for Button during his 25 years living on the beautiful Aussie island.

From racing alongside the big names of TARGA as a Rookie, to supporting their journeys as an official, Sam reflects on his fond TARGA memories and the joy it brings the Tassie locals.

What was your very first TARGA event like & how did you get involved?

After spectating at many TARGA events, I first got involved in motorsport through Club Motori Italia, a local club in Hobart. They ran tarmac hill climbs in the area and some circuit events – all you needed was a helmet and a few other basic items to compete.

The TARGA Rookie Rally in Launceston was my first event as a competitor – a great two day mini TARGA that provided a good taster of what the full TARGA event would be like. We had torrential rain on the first day, so it was full of drama as you could imagine. We discovered our windscreen wipers would freeze going at speeds above 140km/h (Lucky for rain x) and our service crew got lost around Mathina with road closures on day 2. We never got to see them until the end of the day… Flying through the streets of Longford was great fun!

What are your fondest memories of TARGA – as a competitor & as an official?

It would have to be racing on the Longley stage near Hobart in TARGA Wrest Point. I know the roads very well being a local, so naturally I took this opportunity to push as it was a stage suited well to our Lancer Evo 3 at the time. I probably pushed a bit hard and remember apologising to my co-driver after the stage, but we both had a good grin on our faces after it.

Having been an official at TARGA events, I’ve always enjoyed the presentations at the end – everyone getting together looking at the cars and having a few beers afterwards.

As a Tassie local, what has been the vibe in your local community when TARGA comes to town?

Living in Tasmania for the last 25 years I have watched TARGA Tasmania most years and dragged my family and friends out to watch in the rain, hail or snow.

TARGA is such a huge event in Tasmania and there is a lot of excitement. It really takes a village to run something like this. It’s great to see people from everywhere donate their time to help put something like this on. 

What is a TARGA moment you’ll never forget?

 I’ll never forget starting a stage down near Cygnet. Jason White in the Lambo was to start 30 seconds behind me. I asked if he wanted to jump ahead as I was worried he’d catch me on the stage and I might slow him down. He replied: “nah that’s fine”… He then continued to chat with me prior to the stage start…  Such a laid back response and a great character up for a chat with a rookie competitor whom he had never met.

What was your first car like?

My first car was a 1987 Volvo 360 GLT. It was rear wheel drive with no weight in the back and very bad suspension (similar to a pogo stick). I accidentally got it airborne over a bridge… I don’t think you  could do that in any other car. 

You have two empty spots in your dream garage; name one classic car and one modern car that you’d park there.

It would have to be a Porsche GT3 RS. And a Mitsubishi Evolution 3 WRC spec.

This International Women’s Day, and every day, we recognise and celebrate the female drivers, navigators, support crew, volunteers and officials who consistently break the bias and contribute to our success, both on and off the road.

We are committed to providing support and ongoing opportunities for females in the Australian motorsports industry.

One very familiar face in the TARGA family is that of our Chief Competitor Relations Officer, Pam von Stieglitz.

Pam’s first TARGA experience was more than two decades ago as a stage director for the 1999 TARGA Tasmania event. Since her first event, she has become an integral member of the TARGA team, as a stage official, deputy area coordinator and now in her role as the competition liaison – a familiar face that all TARGA competitors know they can come to for any questions, concerns, support, or for a good chat and celebration after a TARGA event.

We recently caught up with Pam to reflect on some of her fond TARGA memories, and to share her love of motorsport.

What was your very first TARGA event like & how did you get involved? 

It was exciting and rewarding being appointed Stage Director back in 1999 for such an iconic Tasmanian event. I was impressed with the quality of training and documentation provided, although there were a few butterflies while waiting at the start for the first cars to arrive. I recall feeling a huge sense of relief and achievement once the road was re-opened and I was hooked!

What is your fondest memory of TARGA? 

In the year  2000 I was promoted to Deputy Area Coordinator to assist Pontus with the running of the Millenium Course in the North of Tas – a 6 day course with a total of 54 stages. We were directly responsible to recruit and train over 400 Officials for the 21 stages being run in our area. It was a relief  to successfully deliver this huge undertaking.  You can imagine we didn’t spend many weekends at home that year!

Probably one of the reasons Pontus became my husband!!

Moving from the Road Activities to the CRO team was an opportunity to meet and liaise more with competitors. In the days of manual timing and one very wet day when we were overnighting in Burnie – it was clear to the results team that there was a significant error in quite a few of the competitor times. After several hours of the results brains not being able to identify the error, at 1am the Results Manager encouraged us to go and get some sleep in the hope that competitor queries about their times the next morning would provide a lead as to where in the field the error commenced and finished. Not one competitor queried their times including those that were negatively impacted and there were up to 50 cars impacted. Those were the days!!

What is a TARGA moment or story you’ll never forget?

Being inducted into the TARGA Hall of Fame

Are there any significant people who have played an important role in your TARGA experiences?

Tom Snooks was Clerk of Course when I joined the TARGA team in 1999 as Stage Commander for the Launceston Stage and when I was promoted to Deputy Area Coordinator I was fortunate to work closely with him. He was a great communicator and leader. Taught me so much – at every TARGA event since I have relied on the knowledge he imparted.

What was your first car like? 

A yellow Holden Gemini SL Coupe

You have two empty spots in your dream garage; name one classic car and one modern car that you’d park there.

Classic: BMW M3 E46 GTR V8 – I enjoy the story that connects this car to the fight between BMW and Porsche 

Modern: E46 BMW M3 – I love a good road trip and even better in the best M3 of them all

If you could have a dinner party and invite any two guests, who would you invite?

Christian Horner and Toto Wolf

Ian has been a committed TARGA Tasmania official for 26 years, and has been a stage commander for a number of years on the infamous The Sideling Stage.

A chance experience with his 13-year-old son introduced him to the TARGA family in 1996, and he has since gotten his whole family involved in TARGA over the years and has a very impressive TARGA memorabilia collection.

Ian shares with us his fond TARGA memories…

What was your very first TARGA event like?

I was a reluctant first time volunteer as my 13 year old son was not old enough to participate on his own and required parental supervision. He was invited at school in 1996 to fill the role of Time Card Runner, so I only took on the role of a Passage Control Post Chief so he could see the cars up close.

We both went to the TARGA Expo at the Silverdome and got to chat with the drivers and service crews working on the cars, and were both hooked by the camaraderie of the event, and the wonderful array of classic cars that were then involved.

My son, daughter and younger son, all got involved as TARGA volunteers with their friends as they turned fourteen.

How many years have you been a TARGA Official for?

My first event was in 1996 and I have been involved every year since then. I took on the Deputy Stage Commander role for the Sideling Stage from 1997 to 1999 under Steve Kingston, then took over as Stage Commander from 2000 to 2009 under Pontus Reutersward, Area Coordinator North. During those years I also did Post Chief, Road Closure, and Spectator Marshalling duties in other northern stages.

What was your first car?

Ah! Easy one to answer, a 1962 Morris 850 that I still own. My sister bought it in 1971, and I learned how to keep it going in exchange for using it on weekends.

When she decided to upgrade to a new Leyland Mini Clubman in 1977, I paid her what the dealer had offered as a trade in. We brought our firstborn home on the back seat in a cane basket, and he learnt to drive in it too.

It needed an engine overhaul in 2000 and I got started, but it gathered dust until early 2018 when my wife told me that it “had to go” by Christmas.

What is your fondest memory of TARGA?

You might think it would have to be of the special cars that make the event what it is, but truly for me it is the passionate people I have got to know and work with as part of a great team that have made the event a success, in spite of the many difficulties faced over the years.

My involvement in the Sideling Stage was also very special, getting to know the families that live along that stage, as well as organising the many officials from a wide range of occupations and locations that looked forward to their annual TARGA involvement.

It was a privilege to have been the ‘face’ of TARGA for the Sideling Stage for thirteen years. I am also reminded every day of TARGA as I pass my Memorabilia on the wall of our stairwell, including all my caps, swing tags, and original event posters.

You can only choose one song to listen to while driving for the rest of your days; name that song!

Now that’s a hard one! The one that first comes to mind is “Shine on You Crazy Diamond” by Pink Floyd.

What is the coolest car you have seen in your years of TARGA?

If I had to pick only one, it would be Craig Wiliams’ 1963 Speedwell Mini Sprint that competed in the Early Classic competition from 1997 until it crashed on the Sideling in 2003.

You have two empty spots in your dream garage; name one classic car and one modern car that you’d park there.

E type Jaguar and the latest model BMW Mini Cooper S

What is the best thing about being a TARGA Official?

Experiencing the friendship of people with a passion for great cars within the TARGA Tasmania family.

Motorsport Australia have released the Review Panel report a short time ago.  As advised last week, TARGA will now take the time needed to fully understand its implications on its tarmac rally events and will aim to release further information next week.  We appreciate the ongoing support shown to us by our customers, officials, sponsors and key stakeholders. Click here to read the full report.

Wednesday 22 February

Following the 2022 TARGA Tasmania event, Motorsport Australia appointed a Targa  Review Panel to investigate the conduct of tarmac rallies in Australia. Due to the board of  Motorsport Australia not yet being in a position to release the Targa Review Panel’s report,  combined with the time it will take to implement any recommendations, TARGA has made  the difficult decision to postpone TARGA Tasmania until later this year.  

Motorsport Australia has advised that once the report is released, all recommendations will  need to be implemented to the satisfaction of the board, meaning the sport of tarmac rallying  will remain suspended in the interim. 

TARGA Australia CEO, Mark Perry, said that his organisation has been left with no option  but to postpone the 2023 TARGA Tasmania event until October 23 to 28. 

“It is disappointing to have to postpone our iconic event,” Perry said “But the reality is that  we have no alternative given that Motorsport Australia has not yet released the report. 

“TARGA is important to the motorsport community across Australia and has a special place  in the state of Tasmania. It has a wonderful history and now our challenge comes to ensure  its future. 

“It will also take time to understand the full ramifications of the Targa Review Panel’s report. 

“Once we have received and reviewed the report thoroughly, we will make further  announcements. We will also take the time to assess the full impact on the event and our  business before making the required short, medium, and long term decisions in the best  interests of all our loyal competitors, officials, sponsors and suppliers.” 

“We are committed to working with all parties on the various challenges that lay ahead with  a view to a return of TARGA at TARGA Great Barrier Reef from September 1 to 3 with the  flagship TARGA Tasmania to follow from October 23 to 28, seven weeks later.” 

Tasmania’s Peter Nunn and co-driver Keith Johnstone have been crowned the Overall TARGA High Country Sprint Champions on Victoria’s Mount Buller today.

The TARGA High Country Sprint 2 was full of surprises, with the top two teams from Saturday’s Sprint 1 withdrawing due to mechanical issues. This opened the field wide up for cars outside of the Dutton Garage Early Modern 4 to come through to secure the Overall victory.

Nunn and Johnstone’s 2016 Porsche Cayman was the car to make the most of the opportunity, winning the Overall and Mt Buller GT Production trophies. Ben Newman and Adam Kudra (2010 Subaru WRX STi) finished second in GT Productions, and Barrie Smith and Anthony McLoughlin (2017 Audi TTRS) third.

It nearly wasn’t meant to be for the Cayman, with a water leak in the radiator after the first run up the mountain on Saturday. However Nunn was able to patch the hole during the brief turn-around in between runs to keep the Tasmanian team in the race.

“We had a problem at the end of the very first run up the hill yesterday with a water leak in the radiator, so we were lucky we patched that up and it stayed good all weekend – we’re very, very happy to win,” Nunn said.

“And bad luck to the other two boys that were leading, but that’s the name of the game I suppose, you have to get to the finish.”

Nunn said the team have really enjoyed the inaugural TARGA High Country Sprint experience.

“After the first run, we were reasonably consistent with our times, which is good. The road in the afternoon when it’s hot is a little bit slippery, but we were happy with our consistency.

“It’s been a great weekend, Mt Buller is always a great palace to come and to be able to race up this mountain is really good. We’re happy we made the trip up from Tassie.”

After dominating on Day 1 to win the first Sprint event, defending TARGA High Country champions Jeff Morton and co-driver Daymon Nicoli experienced mechanical problems with their 2009 Mitsubishi Evolution X, forcing them to withdraw after the first of the eight runs on Day 2.

“We started the first stage and were just cruising through and we got to about two-kilometers from the end, and I thought the car had gone into limp mode, as I’m used to modern cars, but turned out that wasn’t the case,” Morton said.

“One of the valves had dropped out of the cylinder head so it had made a bit of a mess in one of the cylinders. Once we removed the spark plugs, we pretty quickly found that we weren’t going any further,” added Nicoli.

Most expected Liam and Larry Howarth (1995 Nissan Skyline GT-R V) to step into the number one spot, which they did for the first three stages, before experiencing their own mechanical difficulties with an oil pump failure, forcing them to withdraw after the second run.

With Morton/Nicoli and Howarth/Howarth unable to finish Sprint 2, they were out of the running for the overall Mansfield Shire Early Modern 4 trophy, leaving two local teams fighting for the title. It was Allan and Kerry Hines (2008 Mitsubishi Evolution X) who took the Sprint 2 victory with an almost three-minute advantage in Sprint 2 over Allan and Casey Rumble (2008 Mitsubishi Evolution X RS).

Adam Spence and Lee Challoner-Miles (2006 BMW M3) won the Dutton Garage Modern 2 competition, while placing sixth Overall.

With a new co-driver in Dean Lillie, after Samatha Winter withdrew due to illness, Victoria’s Peter Gluskie (1989 BMW 325e) won the Shannons Classic Handicap Sprint 2. As Darryl Bennett and Mary White (1989 Suzuki Swift GTi) won Saturday’s Sprint 1, the tie break for the overall Classic champion was awarded to the team with the fastest stage time in Sprint 2, which Gluskie recorded on the second running of the 7.20km Delatite River stage.

In the trophy classes, TSD Trophy’s Chris Oldaker and  David Greaves (2013 Renault Megane) backed up their Saturday victory for another win in Sprint 2 with a near perfect eight stages, only dropping two penalty points over the day.

Victorians Stephen and Jack Gould won both Thoroughbred Trophy Sprints in their 1985 BMW 323i.

SEE ALL RESULTS HERE

The inaugural TARGA High Country Sprint Day 1 champions have been crowned, after four runs up Mount Buller today.

The new mountain Sprint format has seen Sydney driver Jeff Morton and co-driver Daymon Nicoli take out the Dutton Garage Early Modern 4 and the Overall Standings by a slim eight-seconds, in the 2009 Mitsubishi Evolution X that won the Overall TARGA High Country title in 2021.

The pair admitted the first run was a bit challenging as they worked to become more familiar with the Evo, having only driven it for the very first time on Friday, but by the second run, they were consistently posting the fastest times and on their way to defending their Overall TARGA High Country title.

“I’m feeling really satisfied with how today went,” Morton said. “I haven’t driven a four-wheel drive turbo manual for like 20 years, so it’s totally different to what I’m used to and we worked our way into it.

“All of the competition is really close here, the cars are pretty evenly matched. I think everyone knows their car, and we’re still learning how to get the most out of this car, so we were able to improve during the day and overcome that deficit.”

Morton said the four-run Sprint course will work in his favour, knowing he’s adapting to an unfamiliar car.

“Being able to repeat the same stage means you can try a different thing or learn something from what happened last time, and that’s not normally what happens in TARGA events” he said.

“Usually we only get to do the mountain twice but that’s my favourite stage in the whole of Australia, so when I heard that instead of doing the whole course that it was going to be a Sprint up and down, I was like, ‘sign me up, how I just need to get a car’.” 

The inaugural TARGA High Country Sprint consists of two separate one-day events, where points are awarded for the final results of Sprint 1, which will be added to the points from Sunday’s Sprint 2 results to crown the overall champion.

Close on Morton and Nicolis’ tail for the overall Championship is Liam and Larry Howarth in their 1995 Nissan Skyline GT-R V-Spec, sitting second in the Overall standings.

Liam said he was really pleased with their team’s performances today.

“We love the Mount Buller road so any chance to drive it is a great opportunity,” he said. “We had eight really clean stages and felt fast most of the time and had a lot of fun.”

Liam said he has enjoyed using the Sprint format to experiment with his approach, and looks forward to perfecting his run in Sprint 2 tomorrow.

“[This format] means we can take a couple of different gears through corners that I usually wouldn’t get the chance to experiment with,” he said.

“Normally we’d just be on that stage twice in the event so you just go with the safe option. The experiments worked in a few corners and not in others, but hopefully by the end of tomorrow we will have the fastest way up the hill.”

Third place Overall, but first in the Mt Buller GT Production is Peter Nunn and Keith Johnston in their 2016 Porsche Cayman S. After a clean sweep of all eight stages in Sprint 1, they secured the win with a comfortable 40-second lead.

Tasmanian Darryl Bennett won the Shannon’s Classic Handicap Sprint 1 alongside his co-driver Mary White in their 1989 Suzuki Swift GTi.

While Adam Spence and Lee Challoner-Miles (2006 BMW M3) are the only Dutton Garage Modern 2 competitor, they’re still in the mix for the Overall title, placing seventh in Sprint 1.

In the trophy classes, TSD Trophy Chris Oldaker and  David Greaves (2013 Renault Megane) snatched the first place finish after the day’s final stage, with three flawless stages to drop just eight points over the eight stages.

Suren Chandrajit and Darren Soppi (2018 Subaru WRX STi) are guaranteed a title in the Mansfield Shire GT Sports Trophy, while Victorians Stephen and Jack Gould secured a first place finish in the Shannons Thoroughbred Trophy in their 1985 BMW 323i.

All cars will return to the mountain tomorrow for the TARGA High Country Sprint 2, where there’s a cleanslate on the pointboard, and new daily winners could be crowned, before points are calculated for the overall TARGA High Country Champions.

SEE ALL RESULTS HERE

After a frantic week of pulling together a myriad of exciting activities and all the important components, TARGA is excited to release the details for the upcoming TARGA High Country Sprint on 11 & 12 February. 

ENTRY FEE AND INCLUSIONS

Entries are now open until 31 January.  The entry fee is $2,750 including GST for both days, or there is a one-day competition option for $1,950 plus GST.  The two-day fee includes the following items;

• Event entry

• Merchandise pack of two TARGA High Country Sprint sports bags and polo shirts

• Two Welcome Lunch tickets- Buffet lunch with cash bar operating

• Two Welcome Party tickets- Nibbles and drinks included

• Two on-course lunches each day

• Hire of RallySafe device

• Towing Service to the top of the mountain

• Two vinyl door panels and two vinyl number plates 

• Up to six registered service crew

SCHEDULE

FRIDAY 10 FEBRUARY

• Documentation & Scrutiny – 10.00am to 3.00pm – Village Plaza- Mt. Buller

• Welcome Lunch – 1.00pm to 3.00pm- Spurs Mt. Buller

• Compulsory Competitor Briefing – 4.00pm – Mt. Buller Cinema

• Compulsory First Timers Briefing and Q&A – 5.00pm – Mt. Buller Cinema

• Welcome Party – 6.00 to 7.30pm – The Whitt, Mt. Buller

SATURDAY 11 FEBRUARY

• Ceremonial Start – from 7.00am – Mt. Buller Village

• Eight Stages of Competition – from 7.00am

• Mansfield TARGAfest & Competitor Lunch – Mansfield- 2.00pm to 5.30pm

• TARGA Bar – From 4.00pm – Mt. Buller

SUNDAY 12 FEBRUARY

• Ceremonial Start – from 7.00am – Mt. Buller Village

• Eight Stages of Competition – from 8.00am

• Mirimbah Store Competitor Lunch – Mirimbah from 11.30am

• Official Finish – From 3.00pm – Village Square- Mt. Buller

• Finish Party & TARGA Bar – From 3.00pm – Mt. Buller

COMPETITIONS

The rallysprint permit issued for this event will see the following competitions permitted to take part.

• TARGA Tour 120km/h

• Mt. Buller TSD Trophy  130km/h
• Shannons Thoroughbred Trophy 130km/h
• Mansfield Shire GT Sports Trophy 130km/h
• Shannons Classic  200km/h
• Dutton Garage Early Modern 2 200km/h
• Mansfield Shire Early Modern 4 200km/h
• Mt. Buller GT Production 200km/h

Each competition will compete separately, as normal, and trophies for 1st, 2nd and 3rd place will be awarded at the conclusion of stages on Sunday 12 February.  The overall winner and subsequent results for this section will be based on the smallest amount of penalty time scored over the full sixteen stages, covering all vehicles from all competitions, except TSD Trophy.  Classic & Thoroughbred Trophy penalty time will be calculated without handicap for these results only.

Supplementary Regulations are available HERE

COURSE

It was announced last week that the course would include three stages, with one going down the mountain and two going up.  This was based on a three-run maximum allowed under rallysprint rules.  However, during this week, we have been approved to make four runs in the uphill direction, so the course will now be the two uphill stages with four runs each day, making 16 stages in total.

This will greatly assist with turnaround times at Mirimbah in removing the need to flip the lower stage each time. It also means competitors should only need service assistance at the bottom of the mountain, where there will be a formal service park available for use during both days.  

By the very nature that the course needs to be driven just to attend the event, compulsory reconnaissance will not apply.

A course map is shown below

LUNCHES

A first time complementary Welcome Lunch will be held high on the mountain at Spurs from 1.00pm to 3.00pm on 10 February.  Come along and catch up with everyone.  As this is a non-competition day, you can even have a beer.

Lunch will be held in conjunction with TARGAfest in Mansfield on 11 February and on 12 February, lunch will be served at the Mirimbah Store after the second run on this day.

TARGA looks forward to welcoming back its loyal customers to Mt. Buller in just under a month’s time.  

Entries will remain open until 31 January.  Supplementary Regulations are available HERE.

For further enquiries:  Competitions Manager, Blaise Heaney: blaise@targa.com.au  or 03 6144 9504 

TARGA is excited to announce that it will be able to provide some motorsport competition for its customers at TARGA High Country next month, ahead of a planned full event return at TARGA Tasmania from 17 to 22 April. 

Thanks to cohesive discussions between TARGA and Motorsport Australia, a Rallysprint style event will now be held on 11 and 12 February.  Utilising three eight-kilometre stages on the Mt. Buller Road and three runs over each stage, each day, competitors will have 130 competitive kilometres across the two days on one of TARGA’s favourite stretches of road.  Exact stage location details and reconnaissance notes will be released shortly. 

Each day will be a separate competition, giving competitors the option to compete on either day, or both days, as normal.  The overall competition winners will be crowned Sunday afternoon, based on points scored over both days, and the event will see the return of TARGA’s long-used base time penalty scoring system. 

Documentation, scrutineering, briefings, and the welcome party will all be held on Friday 10 February at Mt. Buller. Competitors who have paused their Motorsport Australia licences are asked to contact Motorsport Australia Member Services on 1300 883 959.

Seven competitions (four full speed and three speed-limited) will be run, with GT Outright and Classic GT not being approved for this event.  Classic GT vehicles which meet the Classic technical regulations may enter this competition.  GT Outright vehicles will be allowed to take part in the TARGA Tour. 

The annual TARGAfest event in Mansfield will still take place, as originally scheduled and the TARGA High Country Tour will also run as normal travelling over the entire three-day course announced in September, joining the competition field at the end of Sunday for a run up Mt. Buller to the top. 

TARGA CEO, Mark Perry said “We have remained committed to, and focused on, working with the Motorsport Australia Review Panel to ensure the future success of the sport and our business.  It has taken months of work to complete the review, but as 2022 ended, the already delayed running of TARGA High Country looked in serious doubt. 

“We are now relieved in many ways that we can offer our customers the opportunity to get some competitive kilometres under their belts.  We felt it was important, especially for those planning to compete in TARGA Tasmania, to give everyone an opportunity to drive their cars in a competitive environment as soon as possible.         

“Everyone who attends is going to have an exciting time getting back to competing, catching up with friends and moving forward after a very tough 2022.   

“We urge any competitor planning to compete in TARGA Tasmania to attend this event to ensure they are prepared for the 31^st running of the Ultimate Tarmac Rally in April.” 

Entries will re-open at 9.00am AEDT Monday 9 January, with single day and two-day entry options available.  Entries will remain open until 31 January.   

TARGA looks forward to welcoming back all its loyal customers to Mt. Buller in just over a month’s time.    For further enquiries:  Competitions Manager, Blaise Heaney: blaise@targa.com.au  or 03 6144 9504 

Shayne Andrews is a long-time TARGA official who has done over 25 TARGA Tasmania events.

Shayne is the Fire/Rescue Coordinator for our Medical Incident teams, who help to provide a first response to any incidents on TARGA Stages.

We recently caught up with Shayne to share his fond TARGA memories and passion for cars.

What is your fondest memory of TARGA?

The relationships it forged between the Tasmania Fire Service and Tasmanian Ambulance Service. Before TARGA we were two separate identities that there was animosity between at times. Management from both services have stated in the past that TARGA was the main reason both services came together to forge an excellent working relationship.

You can only choose one song to listen to while driving for the rest of your days; name that song!

Bridge Over Troubled Water – Simon & Garfunkel

What is the strangest thing you’ve found while cleaning your car?

KY gel in an MIV, just to reassure people though, it was part of the medical kit !!!!!

What was your first car like?

It was a Morris Nomad hatchback. It was always a case of fill the oil and check the fuel. As it had the East West motor, the distributor was at the front and the slightest drop of rain would cause issues.

If your car could talk, what would it tell you?

Speed up ……

What TV show are you obsessed with at the moment?

The Crown

You have two empty spots in your dream garage; name one classic car and one modern car that you’d park there.

SLR 5000 and a C8 Corvette

Apart from driving, what would people find you doing on the weekends?

In the summer, most of my weekends are spent running the Fire and Rescue Team at the Carrick and Latrobe Speedways. In the winter, every couple of years I’ll head to the USA for up to 2 months, chasing speedway across the nation.

As we come towards the end of another difficult year, the planning has begun in earnest for the three TARGA events scheduled for 2023, starting with the 13th running of TARGA High Country from 10 to 12 February, followed by TARGA Tasmania from 17 to 22 April and finishing with the much anticipated return of TARGA Great Barrier Reef from 1 to 3 September.

With new members on the TARGA team bringing a new and fresh approach to our iconic events, combined with several necessary changes to be implemented throughout the year and into 2024, you will see a different and exciting TARGA event moving forward.

We remain very focused on supporting the current review process and look forward to the release of the report when this work is completed, before moving into the implementation stage, working closely with the various stakeholders to ultimately ensure a long and successful road ahead for TARGA and tarmac rallying more broadly.

We continue to ask our customers to be as patient as possible, after all, we are paddling the same boat ultimately and in the fullness of time, everyone will have the information needed to make an informed decision on their own destiny when it comes to TARGA and tarmac rally participation.

Entries have been opened for TARGA High Country and TARGA Tasmania to provide the delayed opportunity to enter these events to our customers who are ready to enter.  Likewise, we understand, and totally appreciate, customers choosing to wait until the review report is released and there is a clearer understanding of the reports details and what it all means.

The important thing is that even in the face of unprecedented adversity, we must push forward in a positive way and sincerely appreciate the level of support shown by many of our customers over the last six months who are focused on TARGA’s future success.

TARGA OPENS ENTRIES

Applications for entry are open for both Targa High Country (early bird pricing available until 30/11/22) and TARGA Tasmania (early bird pricing available until 9/1/23). Enter below:

TARGA TASMANIA IS ONE OF THE WORLD’S GREAT MOTORING EVENTS

Even in our darkest period, it is important to remember how amazing TARGA Tasmania is and how it is viewed by millions of people around the world.  There is no event like it in the world today and whilst we are all guilty of taking it for granted at times, right now is the time to focus on how lucky we are to have TARGA Tasmania.

Just last week, we were reminded of how fortunate we are and how the international motorsport community view TARGA Tasmania with none other than Goodwood (the world’s largest and pre-eminent motorsport events provider) posting some amazing words about TARGA Tasmania combined with a brilliantly produced video by Ben Sale and the Other Side Productions team.

These words summed it up;

But, aside from the cars, perhaps the most astonishing part of this video is the scenery these machines pass through. Whether it’s twisting mountain roads, vast bridges over sprawling valleys, or stretches of open wilderness. The TARGA Tasmania has absolutely everything.

And it is this event that we all must fight for; a unique motoring adventure, unlike anything in the world! There are other tarmac rallies, but there is only one TARGA Tasmania.

TARGA WELCOMES NEW STAFF

We recently welcomed two new staff members to our Hobart CBD office. Angela Esquivel has joined us in the role of Event Manager – Tours (angela@targa.com.au) and Blaise Heaney has joined us in the role of Event Manager – Competitions (blaise@targa.com.au).

Angela Esquivel – Event Manager – Tours
I’m a professional event organiser with more than 15 years experience managing massive events, sponsors, branding, ATL and BTL agencies, and artist bookings. I love my job, bringing alive creative ideas, planning, delivering amazing projects and working with partners, the community, and attendees. Producing branded content and high-end events is what I enjoy most. I am excited to be a part of TARGA and continuing to bring you this once in a lifetime event. 

Blaise Heaney – Event Manager – Competitions 
With experience in hospitality and coordination of weddings & conferences, I have a passion for conducting events that are high quality, full of enjoyment and bring people together. I am excited to have begun my journey with TARGA and look forward to connecting with competitors to ensure that each experience continues to allow for the development of memories that last a lifetime.  

TARGA TASMANIA TO WELCOME BACK NIGHT FINISH UNDER LIGHTS

TARGA Tasmania will see the return of a night-time Official Finish in 2023 for the first time since 2013. To be held in the normal location at Princes Wharf 1, the Official Finish will be held on a Saturday night for the first time and will be full of light and colour along with the traditional Champagne Shower.

This will be followed by plenty of fun times in the TARGA Bar for the first ever official TARGA after party where you can expect to see, hear and feel a new level of TARGA excitement whilst outside, a free TARGAfest event will be pumping with music and rides for the thousands of TARGA Tasmania fans and their families to enjoy on a Saturday night on Hobart’s iconic waterfront.

To be a part of it all, you must be at the Ceremonial Start and then go on the journey of a motoring lifetime, ultimately reaching the end to be greeted with a finisher’s medallion and plenty of celebrations long into the night.

Make sure you’re there for the new and exciting TARGA Tasmania Official Finish and TARGA after party.

SHANNONS INKS NEW TARGA DEAL

Shannons have had a close association with TARGA Tasmania since its inception in 1992, an event which saw Robert Shannon compete. Thirty years later and Shannons now support all three TARGA events and the legacy of Robert Shannon continues to burn bright at everything TARGA does.

We would like to take this opportunity to thank Shannons Insurance for again supporting TARGA Tasmania in 2023 for the 31st time as a Major Partner. We look forward to continuing our strong association with one of Australia’s most iconic brands.

NRMA EXPEDITIONS JOINS TARGA FAMILY

After thirteen years of staying in Strahan, courtesy of the Federal Group and in recent years RACT, we are excited to announce a continuation of this support has been finalised with the new owners of Strahan Village, NRMA Expeditions.

With major renovations and upgrades planned, it promises to be an exciting period for the hotel, and we look forward to making it our base again in 2023, for the 14th time. The uniqueness of arriving in Strahan from Hobart for the first time in 2023 promises to add a new dynamic to our stay out on the rugged west coast of Tasmania.

We would like to thank NRMA Expeditions for continuing to support TARGA Tasmania in 2023.

Applications for entry are now open for TARGA High Country 2023 and TARGA Tasmania 2023.

TARGA returns to Victoria’s High Country from 10 – 12 February 2023, with competition and tours driving from Mt Buller, to Whitfield, Eildon and back to Mt Buller over three days, along with another massive TARGAfest being held in the heart of Mansfield.

The iconic TARGA Tasmania will run for the 31^st time from 17 – 22 April.

In July this year, we announced the largest course overhaul since the 2008 event, with the event to start and finish in Hobart for the first time. With overnight stops in Strahan and Launceston, and a number of new stages revealed in the course map last week, it’s set to be another exciting adventure, ending with the return of the night time finish under lights on the Hobart waterfront.

As we get towards the end of another difficult year and await the final list of recommendations,  we urge all of our loyal and long-standing customers to rally together to show their support for our TARGA events.

Applications for entry will be accepted for cars wishing to enter the various competitions or TARGA Tour events. Please email us at enquiries@targa.com.au for tour package information and pricing.

When you submit your application, you may notice our entry system looks a little different. We’ve been working on upgrading this system over the cold winter months to streamline the entry process and improve your customer experience.

For more information and to apply for entry, simply click on the links below.

TARGA Tasmania course revamp coming for 2023

In what will be the largest course overhaul since the 2008 event, which saw the removal of the double trip to Hobart, next year’s TARGA Tasmania will reset the event for a bright future and an exciting new journey after some difficult years.

Whilst the actual stages and course design are still being worked on, which we are aiming to announce later this year, we are excited to announce today where the event will start and finish along with where each overnight stop will be, to enable everyone making the annual pilgrimage to Tasmania in 2023, the opportunity to start locking away their bookings in each location.

For the very first time in TARGA Tasmania’s history, the Ultimate Tarmac Rally will get underway on the Hobart waterfront on 17 April, competing on stages in the south for Leg One before returning to Hobart for the first overnight stop. In starting the event in Hobart, this will also mean that documentation, scrutineering and briefings will also be held in Hobart on 15 & 16 April.

Leg Two on 18 April sees the field travel to Strahan for the second overnight stop. Yes, you guessed it, some of the world’s best roads in reverse. Not only will this provide some exciting new challenges, it will also assist with the all-important pre-event reconnaissance.

Leg Three on 19 April sees the field travel to Launceston for the first of a two night stay in the `Northern Capital’, competing on a number of the event’s iconic stages to get there.

Leg Four on 20 April sees the traditional East Coast loop out to St. Helens before returning to Launceston for a second overnight stop.

Leg Five on 21 April sees the field leave Launceston and return to Strahan for a second overnight stop, again competing on the event’s iconic stages in the North-West of the state.

And, Leg Six on 22 April sees the field return to Hobart for the Official Finish following the traditional route that competitors have loved every year since 1992.

Trophy Collection and the Presentation Dinner will both be held on 23 April at the Hotel Grand Chancellor Hobart.

In summary, it all looks like this;

• 15 & 16 April – Pre-event activities – Overnight Hobart
• 17 April – Ceremonial Start and Leg One – Overnight Hobart
• 18 April – Leg Two – Overnight Strahan
• 19 April – Leg Three – Overnight Launceston
• 20 April – Leg Four – Overnight Launceston
• 21 April – Leg Five – Overnight Strahan
• 22 April – Leg Six and Official Finish – Overnight Hobart
• 23 April – Trophy Collection and Presentation Dinner – Overnight Hobart

Entries were due to open on 15 August, but this will be postponed and will now open on a date to be advised.

TARGA High Country dates changed

In order to ensure the current review of TARGA style tarmac rallying has the time to complete its review, along with hopefully providing us with a suitable amount of time to address and implement any changes to come from this review, we have made the decision to again put TARGA High Country back to 10 to 12 February 2023.

The last two running’s of the event have been held in February due to COVID lockdowns, so making the decision to do this again makes perfect sense and will release a little pressure from everyone currently involved in the review process.

We, as organisers, feel it is important that we do all we can to run a TARGA style tarmac rally before we all return to TARGA Tasmania next year. This was also a factor in the date change decision to give us every chance possible to ensure that this can happen.

We sincerely thank Mansfield Shire Council and Mt. Buller & Mt. Stirling Resort Management Board for their ongoing support and input into what will hopefully be another successful TARGA event in the High Country region of Victoria.

Entries for TARGA High Country will open in the months ahead on a date to be advised.

Spirit of Tasmania bookings now open for TARGA Tasmania 2023

Bookings can now be made on the Spirit of Tasmania for next year’s 31^st running of TARGA Tasmania. Simply follow the link below in order to make your bookings;

https://www.spiritoftasmania.com.au/offers/targa-tasmania-2023

30th Anniversary TARGA Tasmania TV show broadcast next weekend

It’s that time of the year again where we broadcast our annual TARGA Tasmania TV Show, this year being the 30th Anniversary makes it a must-see show. So don’t forget to set your calendars for Sunday 24 July at 1:00pm to watch the TT30 TV Show on Channel 9. Please be sure to check your local TV guide, as the time may differ in different locations. 

TT30 Officials Dinner

The important and exciting dinner to recognise our all-important TARGA Officials will now be held on 27 August at the Hotel Grand Chancellor starting at 6.30pm.

Like everyone involved with TARGA, the last couple of years have been tough on our officials, so we felt it was time that they had their very own dinner to enable everyone to come together, celebrate their contribution and achievements and enable them to catch up again after the tough event we had back in April.

Some competitors are flying into Hobart for this function, to show their support for our officials and we welcome any of this year’s competitors to also attend.  It promises to be a great night full of cheer along with reflection.

If you competed in this year’s TARGA Tasmania and would like to attend this function, please email Mikala at mikala@targa.com.au for further information.

For those officials invited to attend, please note that we require an RSVP to secure your ticket as we have a venue capacity due to COVID.

TARGA CEO update

With various committees and the review panel now in full swing post this year’s TARGA Tasmania, we are working tirelessly to support the process and have input into the multitude of conversations taking place.

There is no doubt the last few months have been extremely hard on our team.  The uncertainty we are currently faced with is hard to avoid and cannot be hidden, yet our team come to the office every day with a smile on, ready to get things done.  I ask that everyone be respectful and patient in their dealings with our team, as we all now need to be patient in the months ahead, until we have a clear picture on what the future looks like for our events.

We can promise you that the moment we are able to do, say or advise anything, we will, and we are as keen as you all are to see a return to normality, which for our team hasn’t been the case since the 10^th Anniversary running of TARGA High Country in 2019.

As we work our way through a colder than normal Hobart winter, our optimism about the future grows each week, even though we are still bitterly disappointed about not going to Cairns this year.  Last year’s running really helped us in dealing with the tragic events of TARGA Tasmania 2021.

There is plenty of positive news contained in this e-news and as TARGA has done when faced with adversity in the past, we will rise again in 2023, safe in the knowledge that the `Ultimate Tarmac Rally’ continues to have the unwavering support of the Tasmanian State Government, all of the island’s local councils, Tasmania Police, our sponsors and most importantly, the people who call Tasmania home.

We look forward to staying in touch in the months ahead and welcoming many of you to TARGA High Country in February 2023.

Mark Perry
CEO

TARGA Review Panel Survey

The Motorsport Australia Board appointed review panel is currently calling for public submissions. We encourage all TARGA customers to take the time to submit their thoughts and positive ideas. Submissions remain open until Friday 29 July at 5.00pm.  Simply follow the link to the online survey.

The TARGA family are deeply saddened by the passing of our 15-year official, Michael Collinson.

Michael assisted on TARGA stages for several years with his wife Judi, before becoming a foundation member of the first Mobile Stage Team in 2008.

His professional expertise was deeply respected in Stage Team Newcombe at Tasmanian and High-Country events for eight years, as were his many suggestions for improving systems and manuals.

As a former Senior Marine Communications Lecturer at AMC Launceston and Communications Officer for both the Australian Antarctic Division and Australian Marine Safety Authority, Michael made an exceptional tracker, pivotal in teaching many newcomers correct radio procedure and the importance of adhering to communications protocols.

Michael also completed the TARGA Tour with Bob Hallett and competed with Bruce Smee in Regularity, and following his retirement from Stage Teams, continued as a Daily Official for the past six years.

Above all else, Michael was a stickler for rules who had a wicked sense of humour, knew how to have a great time and was an incredible team player.

He will be deeply missed by all who had the pleasure of knowing him.

Michael, we salute you and send our sincerest condolences to Judi and family – Rest in Peace.

An ongoing review into tarmac rallying being conducted by Motorsport Australia, which is not due to be completed until later in the year, will mean that this year’s 5th running of TARGA Great Barrier will not proceed, with a planned return for the Cairns-based event pushed out until September 1-3 in 2023.

TARGA CEO, Mark Perry said while disappointing, all parties remained committed to running the event next year.

“Whilst we are extremely disappointed in having to advise every one of more bad news, it is important that we remain positive and committed to the long-term future of TARGA,” Perry said.

“In order to do this, we must take stock of the challenges being faced and ensure that the reviews currently underway are fully supported, which will in turn go a long way to delivering a bright future to everyone in the TARGA family.

“All our Queensland partners are supportive of the decision and remain committed to TARGA Great Barrier Reef, which has had a huge local impact since its inception in Tropical North Queensland in 2018.

“Rest assured that we will be using this time to create an exciting new TARGA event series for 2023 and beyond.”

Media Enquiries

Ian Chesterman

0417 530 902

Sermons to our loyal customers became a regular part of this year’s 30^th TARGA Tasmania for me.  An event that took another tragic turn, impacting every single person in attendance and many more connected to TARGA, but not on the island at the time.  With some time now past since the event ended, it is such a time again to deliver some words to the wider tarmac rallying community, as you all come to grips with the fallout that has come to light recently.

First and foremost, our thoughts and condolences continue to be with Sandra and her family.  We will also never forget Shane Navin, Leigh Mundy, Dennis Neagle, John Mansell & Ian Johnston.

It is hard to explain how it has been at TARGA since the event finished but the perceived silence is actually a pretty normal thing post event.  Totally invisible to competitors under normal circumstances, the TARGA team always have a week off straight after the event to recharge their batteries after working every day for at least 25 days, just to get you all to the start line, through the event, over the finish line and to the dinner.  This year, given the expanded size of the 30^th event, we had already decided pre-event to have our entire team (myself included) on leave until 16 May, to ensure the team were fully re-charged on their return for TARGA Great Barrier Reef. 

Naturally, the reality of the event made it imperative for the team to be with their family and friends to support them through this difficult time.

Before we had even returned to the office, we were advised on Saturday 14 May by Motorsport Australia that their board had passed a resolution that morning to suspend all tarmac rallying until further notice.  We were advised of this at 3.00pm and the media release was published at 4.30pm.  We had absolutely no indication that this was even a discussion point before this moment of advice.  This decision left us with a mountain of additional items to deal with on our return on 16 May.  All on top of what is already a very heavy workload in packing up TARGA Tasmania.

Personally, I then also needed some further time out after a sudden family illness last week resulting in the passing of my dear old Mum in late May. 

I can categorically say that the period from the cancellation of TARGA Tasmania in 2020 to today is now a period unprecedented in the history of TARGA Tasmania and dare I say, tarmac rallying anywhere in the world.  Yet, we have continued to turn up every day to ensure that we deliver some of the world’s most exciting motorsport events for our customers.  Our dream never fades, our desire to be better never subsides.  We are always doing the best we possibly can, even in the most difficult of circumstances.

We continue to face new challenges every day and have many more to come in the weeks and months ahead.  Key to getting through this time is unity, not division, and I thank the many of you that I have had communication with during and since the event, who have expressed care and concern for the well-being of myself and our amazing team.  People who understand that our only role in the creation of the challenges we now face was to provide every competitor an opportunity to fulfill their dreams.  What competitors choose to do with that opportunity is beyond our control at the end of the day.

As I clearly stated to those in attendance at the competitors briefing, we have done all we can over the last year to implement all of the changes needed and recommended by the Investigatory Tribunal, ensuring that you again get to live out your dreams at TARGA Tasmania.  Ultimately though, we are in your hands. This has been a consistent message from me since I came to this role in 2006. Perspective and the importance of it. 

We need to find a way to continue to work cohesively together to ensure that our dreams can continue to come true in the future. This is not the end, but just a pause in the journey to take stock, and ensure we move forward in the right direction. 

We will continue to work closely with Motorsport Australia and the review committee to re-establish our events as quickly as possible, and insure that tarmac rallying continues long into the future. We will also work closely with the various competitor groups that take part in our TARGA events and the myriad of stakeholders who we need to approve each event.

I know that this period is, and will continue to be, frustrating for competitors, but after 30 glorious years of TARGA events, delivering life-long memories to many thousands of people across the world, patience is now the key ingredient we will all need to have, if we are to continue on this glorious journey to 40 years and beyond.

We will keep you updated as information comes to hand in the weeks ahead.

Thank you for your ongoing support during this most difficult of times.

Enjoy some exciting news below about 2023.

Yours Sincerely

Mark Perry
CEO
TARGA Australia

TARGA recently formalised its new agreement for TARGA Tasmania with Events Tasmania, which will see the country’s oldest tarmac rally be run until at least 2027.

In recent months, we have been talking more about our previously planned move to a March date.  As we come out of COVID, and analysing the tourism landscape in 2022, we have decided, in agreement with Events Tasmania and the various regional tourism bodies around the state, the actual best place for TARGA Tasmania to stay for the next five years, is exactly where it has historically been held; the week after the Easter long weekend.

So, we are excited to announce the dates today for the next five running’s of TARGA Tasmania, which will take the `Ultimate Tarmac Rally’ to it’s 35^th Anniversary event in 2027.

·         2023 – 17 to 22 April

·         2024 – 8 to 13 April

·         2025 – 28 April to 3 May

·         2026 – 13 to 18 April

·         2027 – 5 to 10 April

There is a myriad of exciting announcements surrounding next year’s event to come out in the weeks ahead, including the course (get ready for some amazing changes), the opening of entries, which will be later than normal on 15 August and what you can expect from TARGA Tasmania in the future.

We appreciate your patience in recent times and hopefully the moving back of next years date by a month will assist everyone’s plans to show their support for TARGA Tasmania.  We can assure you all that we will be back better than ever in 2023.

TARGA to work with Motorsport Australia

TARGA Australia will continue to work with Motorsport Australia following that organisation’s decision to suspend issuing permits for any Targa style tarmac rally events.

The suspension follows the tragic death of a competitor, Tony Seymour, during the recent 2022 TARGA Tasmania.

Motorsport Australia’s Targa Review Panel, which was instigated after the loss of lives at TARGA Tasmania in 2021, will investigate the latest incident and make further recommendations on the future of Targa style tarmac rallies.

TARGA Australia CEO, Mark Perry, said his organisation would cooperate fully with the Review Panel and Motorsport Australia to ensure the future of its three events – Targa Tasmania, Targa High Country and Targa Great Barrier Reef.

TARGA West in Western Australia and the Adelaide Rally are also subject to the Motorsport Australia suspension.

“The loss of Tony at Targa this year was a tragedy and our heartfelt condolences go to his family and friends who continue to feel his loss,” Perry said.

“This is a time for further reflection and we will work with Motorsport Australia to ensure our sport has a bright future.”

“This was the 30th running of TARGA Tasmania, and it has such a special place in our state, and has led to the successful creation of events in Queensland and Victoria.”

As this matter is now subject to the Review Panel’s work, and is before the coroner, TARGA Australia will not be making any further statements.

Burnie driver Eddie Maguire has been declared the winner of the TARGA Tasmania 30th anniversary event.

Maguire (Dodge Viper) had climbed to a lead of just under one minute after officials moved to downgrade the event at the end of Day 2 after the tragic death of fellow Outright competitor Tony Seymour.

Reigning TARGA High Country champions Jeff Morton and Daymon Nicoli (2019 Porsche 911 GT2 RS) placed second overall in Dutton Garage GT Outright.

For Maguire, it was a case of mixed emotions winning TT for a second successive year.

“We are glad we had the pace,” Maguire said.

 “After last year’s tragic finish and we didn’t get to enjoy the spoils of winning the event, our main aim this year was to come back and prove that we had the pace.

“We wanted to race the Whites (Jason and John) and race them fair and square. 

 “Although they had a bit of misfortune at George Town on the first day they had no excuses for the second day so we had them fair and square.

“It is just a shame we couldn’t continue and battle with them for the rest of the week.”

Maguire and his co-driver Zak Brakey claimed five of the six stages on Day 2 with Morton winning the final stage of the day.

After suffering a broken right-rear upright at George Town on Day 1, Jason White went into recovery mode in his Dodge Viper, rocketing up the order to be classified in 14th after starting the day 133rd. White matched Maguire’s time on the Mt Roland stage.

Third in GT Outright was Angus Kennard with Ian Wheeler in their 2015 Nissan GT-R.

Jon and Gina Siddins were classified winners in Shannons Classic GT by 22 seconds after another polished run in their beautifully prepared 1970 Datsun 240Z.

There was an epic battle in Classic Throttle Shop GT Production section with Ben Newman and Adam Kudra taking a 16 second win.

Trevor Macleod, in a 2009 Nissan GT-R with Steve Glenney topped the Dutton Garage Early Modern 4 class.

Peter Gluskie and Samantha Winter (1989 BMW 325e) shared the spoils in Shannons Classic Handicap with Peter and Sari Ullrich (1964 Studebaker Avanti).

 In Dutton Garage Early Modern 2, Adam Spence and his navigator Lee Challoner-Miles (2004 BMW M3 CSL) were victorious with a slender one second margin in a class where less than a minute covered the top five.

Spirit of Tasmania GT Sports Trophy was topped by Steven Sher/Fergal Murphy (2016 Lotus Exige while Matthew Carey/Jason Spotswood (1979 Holden Commodore) took the Shannons Thoroughbred Trophy.

Queenslanders Darryl and Peter Marshall  (2002 Ford Pursuit Ute) edged to a three-point win over Tracey Hoven/Garth Davies (2018 Alpine A110) in the penalty-points based TSD Trophy.

See all results HERE

A strong crowd gathered for the BOSCH Motorsport Official Finish of the TARGA Tasmania 30 Tour at Hobart’s Princes Wharf 1 precinct.

After six days of stages around Tasmania’s most iconic roads, the event ended with a few hundred tour cars and competition cars crossing the finish gantry to collect their much deserved medals.

Competitor Chris Bowden, who drove the multi-million-dollar 1955 Mercedes-Benz Gullwing 300 SL, paid tribute to his fellow Queenslander, Tony Seymour, who was tragically killed on Wednesday.

“It didn’t start out well. We knew Tony (Seymour) really well,” Bowden said.

“One of the great tragedies for him would be that he would be thinking he has impeded on the sport he loved so much.

“But I think the organisers made the right call.

“I know the competitors who stayed and did the Tour have surprised themselves as to how much fun they’ve had.”

Bowden was thrilled at having the opportunity to pilot one of the world’s most iconic pieces of machinery.

“Great food, met some beautiful people. The car just ran perfectly. The only time I lifted the hood was to show people the engine bay.

“Mercedes built these cars to do these kind of events.

“It’s an absolute privilege to be able to pilot the car for a week. I learnt a lot about the vehicle and its immense capabilities.

“I just had to keep reminding myself this car is from 1955. It set the bar so high when it was built.”

TARGA stalwart Glenn Ridge (1995 Mazda RX-7 SP) was thrilled at the support the event received by fans who lined some of the stages on the final day.

“This is my 29th TT and it was the first time I’ve done it in a Tour capacity but we saw some great scenery and met some great people and it was a bit more relaxed,” Ridge said.

“When you are in the competition you are going as hard as you can and you have to prepare yourself for it.

“This is probably the most relaxed I’ve ever been coming into Hobart.

“Anyone who gets to do TT loves it.

“The organisers have done a great job and they couldn’t have done any more than they have done.

“Everyone is very supportive of this event. We came back from Strahan today and there was a lot of people on the side of the roads. It was fantastic to see.”

The event covered more than 2000km and involved 34 stages on closed public roads.

Our team at Otherside Productions was out and about on the road capturing the tour groups on Day 4.

We have compiled a gallery from the route today that took the field to the north-west.
The stages today included:

Mole Creek (4.40km)

Castra (7.68km)

Gunns Plains (14.73km)

Riana (31.81km)

Hellyer Gorge (20.73km)

Rinadeena (34.63km).

Long-time TARGA competitor Tony Seymour has been confirmed as the person who lost his life on the second day of TARGA Tasmania on Wednesday.

Mr Seymour was an experienced driver and had competed in many of TARGA’s suite of rallies over recent years which also include events in Cairns and Mt Buller in Victoria.

The entire TARGA community is deeply affected by Mr Seymour’s death and we extend our deepest condolences to his family and friends.

The 59-year-old was driving a 2013 Lotus Exige in the Mt Roland stage in Tasmania’s north when the car he was sharing with co-driver wife Sandra left the road and went over an embankment.

TARGA Australia chief executive Mark Perry said the loss is being deeply felt by the event. 

“Tony was a much loved member of our TARGA family and we are just crushed by what has happened,” Perry said.

“We are all just devastated by this tragedy and all of our thoughts are with Tony’s wife Sandra and his extended family and friends.”

The Seymours have been regular visitors to the podium in previous events highlighted by a third place finish in GT Sports Trophy at TARGA Tasmania in 2019.

Wednesday 27 April, 2022

Motorsport Australia and TARGA can confirm the remainder of TARGA Tasmania will be downgraded to a non-competitive tour event.

The decision follows the tragic passing of a competitor on Wednesday afternoon.

While cars will continue to drive on closed roads, drivers will now be limited the signposted speed limits for the remainder of the event.

Those who have entered into the competitive stages will be given the opportunity to join the Tour.

TARGA CEO Mark Perry said the decision to downgrade TARGA Tasmania was a difficult one, but necessary so the incident could be fully investigated and understood.

“It has been another tough day for all our TARGA community and we offer our sincere condolences to the family and friends so impacted by this tragedy. Their loss is immense and we feel their pain. This is a very sad time,” Perry said.

“The change to downgrade the event to touring only was a difficult one for all of us to make but one that was necessary in the current circumstances as we work through this difficult time.

“So much has been done to make this sport safer since our event 12 months ago but we have still lost a member of the TARGA family, and we all need time to further reflect.”

Motorsport Australia Director of Motorsport Michael Smith said the governing body supported the decision.

“On behalf of everyone at Motorsport Australia, we offer our sympathies to those impacted by this tragedy,” Smith said.

“We are now working closely with the Tasmanian Police and emergency services, along with TARGA event organisers as the investigation into the incident begins.

“We will continue to offer our support to the entire TARGA community, including our officials and competitors.”

Motorsport Australia and TARGA will provide further information over the coming days.

6:00pm Wednesday April 27, 2022

With great sadness TARGA Tasmania can confirm a male competitor has died in a single vehicle crash on Olivers Road, Mount Roland, this afternoon.

Around 3.30pm today, a vehicle participating in TARGA Tasmania crashed over an embankment on a closed section of the event.   

No other vehicles were involved. 

Police and emergency services were called to the scene, however the man sadly died. The female front seat passenger received non life threatening injuries in the crash. 

Police do not have permission from the man’s family to release his name at this time. 

The crash is being investigated by police. 

The road remains closed while a crash investigation is carried out. 

A report will be prepared for the Coroner.

TARGA Australia CEO Mark Perry said: “The thoughts of our the entire TARGA community are with our fellow competitor’s family and his loved ones at this extremely difficult time. We feel deeply for them all.

“We will work with Tasmania Police and Motorsport Australia to understand the full circumstances of the accident.

“For now, matters around TARGA Tasmania for this year is part of an on-going discussion with our partners, Motorsport Australia, and we will announce more once our plans have been finalised.”

Defending champions Eddie Maguire and Zak Brakey have seized an early lead as the 30th anniversary edition of TARGA Tasmania fired into action today.

Guiding their Dodge Viper through the 4.80km George Town stage, Burnie pair Maguire and Brakey topped the run by seven seconds.

While it was a solid start for Maguire and Brakey, fellow Dodge Viper campaigners and seven-times winners Jason and John White struck oil and hit a kerb, forcing them to limp through the stage to finish down in 43rd, almost 3 minutes 20 seconds from the lead.

Maguire said he also struck the same oil and had a few moments through the stage but was fortunate to make it through without incident.

“It was incredibly slippery,” Maguire said.

“We had a big moment where the Whites went off and hit the kerb but we were lucky enough not to collect the gutter.

“We are a bit devastated because we were looking forward to racing properly and I really feel for the Whites.”

Sydney’s Jeff Morton and Daymon Nicoli (Porsche 911 GT2 RS), who stormed to their maiden outright win at High Country in February, are equal second.

Matching Morton and Nicoli were Angus Kennard and Ian Wheeler (Nissan GT-R).

Sharing fourth overall are Hobart’s Michael Pritchard/Gary Mourant (Ultima RS) and Tony Quinn/Kate Catford (Nissan GT-R).

Topline Shannons Classic GT competitors Jon and Gina Siddins blitzed George Town, covering the 4.80km in 3min16 to lead the popular class by eight seconds.

In Shannons Classic Handicap the experienced Peter Gluskie and Samantha Winter (BMW 325e) scampered to a two second lead.

Dutton Garage Early Modern 2 and Early Modern 4 sees Andrew Bollom/Collins Greaves (Mazda RX-8 SP) lead by six seconds with Jason and Fiona Wright holding the barest of leads in the later category.

Classic Throttle Shop GT Production is topped by Stephen Maguire/Stuart Benson in their 2011 Mitsubishi Evo X.

TSD Trophy is being lead by Tracey Hoven and Garth Davies (2018 Alpine A110).

Matthew Carey/Jason Spotswood (1979 Holden Commodore) go into Day 2 with a 17 second lead in Shannons Thoroughbred Trophy while in Spirit of Tasmania GT Sports Trophy, Steven Sher/Fergal Murphy (2016 Lotus Exige) have a 16 second edge.

After the big field filed through the 3.57km opening stage (Hillwood) without incident, a couple of hitches struck the second stage.

There was a delay on the George Town after New South Wales pair Peter and Tristan Taylor collected a power pole on the George Town stage, walking away without injury.

Their GT Sports Trophy class 2015 Lotus Exige Sport 350 suffered heavy frontal impact during the incident.

Then the 1961 Volvo 122S of Ashley Yelds and John Doble went off as well.

Earlier Brisbane pair Zach Hegde and Sam Kenney (Retromotive 1981 Porsche 911) experienced a mechanical issue before scampering back to rejoin the action and complete George Town in the Thoroughbred Trophy class.

The day featured the ceremonial start from Launceston’s Grand Chancellor hotel before competitors headed out for the first of two competitive stages in the afternoon.

TT30 continues tomorrow with six stages to the north-west of Launceston with the lunch stop at Sheffield.

See all results HERE

One of the mightiest fields in history will battle for a coveted plate trophy at the 30th anniversary TARGA Tasmania from April 26 to May 1.

A hot line-up of Australia’s finest tarmac rally competitors and machines headline a record entry list of 500 cars across 10 categories.

Among the list of GT Outright contenders are defending champions Ed Maguire and Zak Brakey (Dodge Viper), seven-times champions Jason and John White (Dodge Viper) and two-time winner Tony Quinn and Kate Catford (Nissan GT-R).

Sydney brain cancer survivor Jeff Morton goes into the event with impeccable form after his maiden Outright win at TARGA High Country in February alongside Daymon Nicoli in their Porsche GT2 RS.

Hobart surgeon Michael Pritchard adds to the mix at the front of the field with his English supercar, a 2021 Ultima RS, which he debuted at High Country recently with co-driver Gary Mourant.

Other strong combinations in GTO include Luke Anear/Andy Sarandis (Mercedes AMG GT R), Angus Kennard/Ian Wheeler (Nissan GT-R) and Peter Nunn/Keith Johnstone (Porsche GT2 RS).

Amid a host of technical and regulation changes, competitors will be faced with the prospect of arriving for the first time with four wet weather tyres, part of the mandates from Motorsport Australia’s Investigatory Tribunal which handed down 23 recommendations for all Australian tarmac rallies in a 61-page report last September.

“The wet weather tyres are a bit of an unknown but it really comes down to driving to the conditions,” co-driver John White said.

The Classic competition will also hold plenty of interest for TARGA fans.

After campaigning a Nissan GT-R in GTO at TARGA Tasmania in 2021 NSW combination of Michael and Daniel  Bray are back in Classic GT in their 1975 Holden Torana.

They will be pitted against Jon and Gina Siddins (Team 24oz 1970 Datsun 240Z), Adam Kaplan and Aleshia Penney (1988 Giocattolo Group B) while Dan Bowden and Tiffanie Hepburn return in the 1965 Ford Shelby Mustang  GT350.

Experienced campaigner Kaplan had a nervous wait to see if the evocative Giocattolo could be prepared in time for TT30 after the machine experienced troubles toward the end of its comeback run at TARGA High Country in February,

“High Country just highlighted some of the small weaknesses we had in the car,” Kaplan said.

“Some of the major ones we are not going to be able to address before TARGA Tas but the car is ready to compete nonetheless.”

Some of the issues which hit the Giocattolo at High Country related to the sub axle.

Peter Gluskie and Samantha Winter (1989 BMW 325) have been in impeccable form and are one of the top fancies in Classic Handicap.

In Early Modern 2, Queenslanders Paul and Claire Buccini had the perfect build-up after winning both TARGA Great Barrier Reef last year and recently TARGA High Country in their BMW135i. 

Adam Spence and Lee Challoner-Miles (BMW M3 CSL) are looking to improve on their third at TARGA Tasmania last year in EM2.

“We are excited about competing in the 30th anniversary. This is our 15th TARGA Tasmania,” Spence said.

“We want to finish but at the same time we are after a strong result again.” 

Trevor Macleod and Steve Glenney (Nissan GT-R) are looking at back-to-back wins at TT in Early Modern 4 against a field bristling with strong contenders. 

In GT Production, Stephen Maguire and Stuart Benson (Mitsubishi Evo X) are looking to defend their title from TT in 2021 against another hot field.

Earlier this month it was revealed that GTP will be boosted with the addition of Grant Denyer in a Duttons-backed Subaru WRX Sti.

The two-car WRX attack also includes an entry for carsales Editor in Chief and Director of Content Mike Sinclair who will have two-times TARGA winner Julia Barkley calling the pace notes.

The grassroots trophy classes have drawn some cracking fields with TSD Trophy headed by Queenslanders Darryl and Peter Marshall who have proven invincible in their 2002 Ford Pursuit Ute.

Jack Waldron and Gordon Gregory (1981 Mitsubishi Sigma) are again expected to pose a handful in Thoroughbred Trophy while GT Sports Trophy oozes depth with Matthew Gibbens and Timothy Jurd enjoying a last start win at TARGA High Country in their 2020 Lotus Exige 410.

Follow all the action during the competition at targalive.com

Targa Tasmania honour roll – outright winners

1992 Greg Crick/Greg Preece, Honda NSX
1993 Greg Crick/Greg Preece, Honda NSX
1994 Andrew Miedecke/Alan Taylor, Porsche 944 Turbo Cup
1995 Neal Bates/Coral Taylor, Toyota Celica GT-Four (ST205)
1996 Jim Richards/Barry Oliver, Porsche 911 Turbo (993)
1997 Jim Richards/Barry Oliver, Porsche 911 Turbo (993) 
1998 Jim Richards/Barry Oliver, Porsche 911 Turbo (993)
1999 Peter Fitzgerald/Michael Mansour, Porsche 911 Turbo (993) 
2000 Jim Richards/Barry Oliver, Porsche 911 GT3 CS
2001 Jim Richards/Barry Oliver, Porsche 911 Turbo (996)
2002 Jim Richards/Barry Oliver, Porsche 911 Turbo (996)
2003 Jim Richards/Barry Oliver, Porsche 911 GT3 CS
2004 Tony Sullens/Julia Rabbett, Subaru Impreza WRX STiS202
2005 Jason White/John White, Nissan Skyline GT-R V-Spec N1 (R34)
2006 Jim Richards/Barry Oliver, Porsche 911 GT2 CS (996)
2007 Tony Sullens/Julia Barkley, Subaru Impreza WRX Type RA (GC8)
2008 Steve Glenney/Bernie Webb, Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution IX RS
2009 Tony Quinn/Naomi Tillett, Nissan GT-R
2010 Jason White/John White Lamborghini, Gallardo ReiterSuper Trofeo Stradale
2011 Tony Quinn/Naomi Tillett, Nissan GT-R
2012 Jason White/John White, Lamborghini Gallardo Super Trofeo Stradale
2013 Jason White/John White, Lamborghini Gallardo Super Trofeo Stradale
2014 Jamie Vandenberg/Dennis Sims, Nissan GT-R
2015 Jason White/John White, Lamborghini Gallardo SquadraCorse
2016 Matt Close/Cameron Reeves, 2015 Porsche 911 GT3
2017 Jason White/John White, Dodge Viper
2018 Jason White/John White, Dodge Viper
2019 Paul Stokell/Kate Catford, Lotus Exige Sport 350
2020 Not held
2021 Eddie Maguire/Zak Brakey, Dodge Viper

Some of the key teams have topped off preparations for the 30th anniversary TARGA Tasmania with several hours of shakedown laps at Symmons Plains racetrack south of Launceston.

A decent spread of entries from the 10 classes put their machines through their paces on a day where lucky punters were also chauffeured around as passengers on hot laps.

Among the entries gunning for Outright honours cutting laps at the 2.4km circuit were seven-times TT winners Jason and John White (Dodge Viper), Luke Anear/Andy Sarandis (Mercedes-Benz AMG GT R), Angus Kennard/Ian Wheeler (Nissan GT-R) and defending TT champs Eddie Maguire and Zak Brakey (Dodger Viper).

The track day was the final chance for crews to fine-tune set-ups and iron-out any bugs ahead of the world’s best and most demanding tarmac rally which starts on Tuesday.

While the day went largely without incident, Maguire’s Viper suffered a differential failure late in the session.

The problem surfaced after Maguire outlined that the Viper had undergone a freshen-up since the successful campaign at TT last year.

Among changes to the American machine is a new engine, driveline, brake and electronics refinements.

The team were confident the car will be repaired tonight after sourcing a part from Melbourne.

“The output shaft on the differential broke but the spare will arrive in time for us to fix it tonight,” Maguire explained.

“We are quite stoked that the problem happened today rather than on the first day of competition on Tuesday.

“It has also brought to our attention a problem we weren’t aware of.”

Maguire confirmed his team had gone for a different brake package to withstand the punishment over the six-day event.

“One of the only new updates has been the brakes,” Maguire said.

“We have swapped out the carbon ceramic brakes and have gone for the AP system with steel rotors.

“Hopefully we  can get a bit more performance out of these.

“They should be a lot more durable.

“There have also been some refinements to the traction control system.”

Almost 500 cars have entered the milestone event across 10 classes with the first of 34 competitive stages set for Tuesday.

Follow all the action on our social channels.

Jason and John White are shining examples of how grit, determination and talent have enabled them to keep pace with the evolution of TARGA Tasmania.

Over the years, the Devonport nephew and uncle have risen to the challenge of various rule changes by conquering the great tarmac rally in machinery ranging from Nissans, Lamborghinis and Dodge Vipers.

The Whites are at the precipice of a record-equalling eighth Outright triumph at the iconic Tasmanian event when the 30th anniversary tarmac rally starts from April 26 to May 1. 

On the surface, matching the benchmark set by Jim Richards and Barry Oliver will be remarkable.

However, it is how the Whites have overcome adversity and significant technical rule changes that makes their story all the more compelling.

Their maiden TARGA Tasmania win arrived in 2005 when all-wheel-drive cars could fight for Outright honours as they guided their troublesome Nissan R34 GT-R home first.

They then switched machinery when an opportunity arose to buy a wrecked Lamborghini Gallardo which they ultimately steered to TARGA Tasmania wins in 2010, 2012, 2013 and 2015.

But when the rules meant that all-wheel-drive powertrains could no longer fight for Outright honours, the Whites took the plunge to campaign a powerful rear-wheel-drive Dodge Viper which has supplied them with TARGA Tasmania wins in 2017 and 2018.

Switching from the flamboyant Italian supercar to American muscle also meant huge challenges for their headquarters in Tasmania’s north as machinery and development had to undergo a considerable change.

Co-driver John White is the owner of the globally acclaimed company Delta Hydraulics which manufactures hydraulic cylinders from its base in Devonport and which also has a factory in Thailand.

White says it is part of the family make-up to rise to challenges.

“You are given a challenge you rise to the occasion,” John White said.

“The rules have changed over the years and it’s just part of the challenge.

“It is what it’s going to be and you just have to adapt to stay within the rules and find improvement in other areas.

“The effort you put into developing a car and finally get it to a position where it’s reliable is huge.”

Ahead of their first TARGA Tasmania win in the Nissan, the Whites were flummoxed by the Skyline’s trait of blowing engines until they found the root cause of the problem.

“We blew four or five engines in the Nissan until we discovered there was a problem with the wall thickness of cylinder No 6 where it was 8mm on one side and 3mm on the other side. 

“Under stress it was going out of round and it was cracking in the 3mm section.

“The effort we put into getting that vehicle to a spot where it was reliable and would finish an event was massive.

“Then it had passed its due date by then and consequently we knew that we had to move on.” 

Enter the Lamborghini Gallardo, a V10-powered pocket rocket, which fed its considerable grunt to all four wheels.

“Circumstances allowed us to switch to the Lambo that (Paul) Stokell drove in the event we won (2005),” White explained.

“It became available and we got that at a discount price after Stokell crashed the car which allowed us to enter a very expensive vehicle into a TARGA event.”

“We had a little bit of a problem with fire with that vehicle for some reason. But we managed to rebuild it after the fire during TARGA Wrest Point in 2014 and we managed to win again.

“But then the rules changed again and the four-wheel-drive cars became also-rans.

“So if you wanted to win TARGA you had to be in a two-wheel-drive and that’s when we put the Lambo up on the shelf and purchased the Viper.”

While the success of the Viper in such a demanding test like TARGA Tasmania with its technically challenging mix of tight, twisty and flowing roads has astounded some, White is less surprised.

“We haven’t been surprised at the success we have had in the Viper. 

“A lot of the electronics have progressed dramatically over the last 10 years.

“The stability we have now with traction control is far, far superior to what it was in the past and hand-in-hand is ABS (anti-lock braking).

“The ability to extract maximum performance from a two-wheel-drive car has been enhanced by the evolution of electronics.

“We have certainly been able to match it with everything else that has been brought out at the moment such as the Mercedes (AMG GT R) and the Porsches etc.

“I think there is still a couple of years left in the Viper.”

The combination of Jason White behind the wheel with John calling the notes has worked well for nearly two decades.

“We have been in an era in the last 15 to 20 years where there are a lot of competitive cars and I really believe Jason has done an incredible job to drive as well as he has under tremendous pressure.”

John White has been vital in keeping the family at the forefront of TARGA’s evolutionary phase.

“It (the TARGA campaign) wouldn’t be happening without the help of Delta Hydraulics.

“I’m in the fortunate position that I’ve got a successful operation here that manages to come up with the funding each year to be able to do it.

“TARGA Tasmania is an incredible event on a world scale and we can’t wait to compete again.”

TARGA Tasmania is part of the Motorsport Australia TARGA Championship that includes TARGA Great Barrier Reef and TARGA High Country.

For more information including spectator and road closures head to targa.com.au

TARGA Tasmania has undergone a major safety review after recommendations released by Motorsport Australia’s Investigatory Tribunal being implemented for the 30th anniversary event from April 26 to May 1.

TARGA has moved to implement all 17 recommendations that fall within its remit while the remaining six are being addressed by Motorsport Australia.

Of those, all but two of the recommendations – numbered 9 and 11 and involving car set-up and licencing – will be in place for this event with the others remaining work in progress.

Motorsport Australia and its Tarmac Rally Working Group are regularly meeting to discuss those recommendations and implement necessary changes, together with TARGA organisers. Motorsport Australia continue to educate competitors across a range of topics regarding vehicle set up and eligibility, including for TARGA Tasmania.

In regard to the new licencing system, it has been noted by Motorsport Australia that this is a complicated process and any long term impacts need to be considered. The intention for the licencing changes was that these changes would be introduced in a phased approach.

TARGA fully cooperated with the Tribunal that was set-up following the tragic deaths of competitors Shane Navin, Leigh Mundy and Dennis Neagle at the event last year.

Following the exhaustive investigation, the  recommendations included a cap on maximum speeds of 200km/h for the top categories, an allocation of four wet weather tyres in addition to the maximum of six tyres for each car, along with course design changes and ensuring cars are fit for purpose.

TARGA has already conducted two events (Great Barrier Reef last September in Cairns and High Country at Mt Buller in February) with some of the recommendations in place ahead of the recommendations being met for TARGA Tasmania.

The Tribunal was Chaired by Australian Institute of Motorsport Safety (AIMSS) head Garry Connelly AM, with Matt Selley and Neal Bates as tribunes.

Importantly, TARGA will also move to tighten-up requirements for competitors to enter the top category, GT Outright, by mandating a superlicence-style system similar to those established in Supercars and Formula 1 from next year.

“Anybody new to the competition will no longer be able to go straight into the Outright class,” TARGA chief executive Mark Perry said.

“One of the points to come out of the recommendations is that you can’t come into a full competition for your first event and you can’t come into full competition at TARGA Tasmania even if you have done a speed limited class at another event.

“So at TARGA Tas you have to do a speed limited class to start the process of progressing through the system.

“For full competition in future you will have to have a Superlicence, a bit like Supercars, to actually do it.

“Over the next three or four years it will mean that you will see your best 20 drivers in the 20 best cars and they will be the only ones allowed in the Outright class.

“So it will look a bit like the World Rally Championship. Everybody else in the event will be doing speed limited (maximum of 130km/h) or involved in the popular touring groups which are speed restricted and not timed.

“Older drivers or people just coming in for the first time, those days are done.

“And that is where GT Sports Trophy is going to grow even more because anyone new will now have to go through that competition structure to get into the full competition.”

TARGA Tasmania involves 10 different competition categories in a six-day tarmac rally which encompasses 35 stages across the length and breadth of the island state.

For full event details about the bumper 30th anniversary TARGA Tasmania including road closures and spectator information head to targa.com.au.

While the automotive world is on the precipice of huge technical change, TARGA has confirmed that full-blown competition will remain the core value of its blue riband Tasmanian event in future.

A view into what the next 10 years looks like will see huge innovation across the TARGA events however the sport’s most senior official has moved to allay any concern that motorsport will become less of a priority.

“I can reassure the competitor base that looking into the crystal ball, motorsport will remain at the heart of the TARGA DNA,” TARGA chief executive Mark Perry said.

“That is not going to change in the next 10 years.”

“But what you will see is the continued growth of the speed-limited categories, like GT Sports, plus those just wanting a TARGA experience in the Tour categories.

“This is already happening. In 2022 we will have nearly 300 cars in the Tour, which is great for the event and great for the economic impact that comes with it,” Perry said.

“What you will also see is the introduction of the 21st century generation cars, i.e. primarily EV but not just electric cars, hydrogen, solar and all the different forms of propulsion.”

Many of the world’s leading manufacturers are committed to EV technology and hydrogen fuel cell cars remain firmly in focus for some brands. 

Already Korean giant Hyundai has announced it will spearhead a push into the electric vehicle component of TARGA Tasmania next year, and will dip its toes in the water at the 30th anniversary event by entering a Genesis GV60 EV as part of the non-competitive tour section.

All of this technology outside petrol and diesel engines is headed to TARGA within the next 10 years.

Along with many manufacturers, Hyundai, as well as having the EV Genesis G60 up and about, has other electrification examples growing with its IONIQ 5 rapid-charging model claiming a range of up to 450km and a 10-80 percent recharge in less than 20 minutes while it is also showcasing the NEXO, the world’s first hydrogen fuel cell SUV.

Porsche recently indicated that by 2025 half of all-new sales will come from either full electric or plug-in hybrid while by 2030 the share of all-electric drive will be more than 80 percent of all new vehicle sales.

“I’m not saying we are getting out of petrol cars but at some point it is going to manifestly change,” Perry says.

“There will be a lot more touring and speed limited but I don’t think there will be less racing. 

“I think people need to recognise that motorsport will remain our heart and soul.”

TARGA’s willingness to explore new future mobility powertrains opens up a window to a Le Mans-style Garage 56 concept.

“The Garage 56 analogy nails it, because we mightn’t have enough uptake with electric vehicles to have a full-blown competition,” Perry said. 

“So what we are doing with Hyundai is for example; is they are bringing down their Genesis brand EV to showcase it and ultimately they want to compete in the next generation cars.

“We’ve done that a few times over the years like Mazda had their RX-8 SP petrol car which we let race as a showcase car, much like a Garage 56 idea.

“There is no denying that great change is already here.

“We are now working with the office of climate change which 10 years ago we would never have done.”

TARGA, according to Perry, will remain a leading tarmac rally but it will also be a mobile exhibition for new technology. 

“We don’t want to be seen as a cavalcade of motoring history, we need to be seen to be moving forward and not living in the past. 

“So we need to be a mobile showcase for the future as opposed to a showcase for the past.”

“There will definitely be EV tour cars, so with EV tour cars they need to have their own unique course because charging and distance will play out differently for them.

“Because of the technology that RallySafe tracking system can give us, you can run multiple courses at once if you want to.

“That’s where the events will evolve, you will have cars on the east coast and the west coast at the same time. That’s where our 10-year vision is.”

“It is exciting that an event already 30 years old is facing such a bright future.”

The 30^th Anniversary TARGA Tasmania will take place from April 26 to May 1.

The Motorsport arm of automotive electronics heavyweight Bosch has joined TARGA Tasmania as an official partner. 

The sponsorship coincides with an important milestone for the world’s most highly regarded tarmac rally which celebrates its 30th anniversary from April 26 to May 1.

As part of the arrangement Bosch will attach its name to the official finish at Princes Wharf 1 in Hobart which will be known as the Bosch Motorsport Official Finish.

Gavin Smith, President and Chairman of Bosch Australia, said the adjustable ABS which Bosch develops is crucial for the varied challenges created by Tasmania’s unique roads.

“As a past TARGA Tasmania competitor, I have a personal appreciation for how gruelling this event is, and what it takes to not only finish, but to finish well,” Mr Smith said.

“With the extreme variety of road surfaces and weather conditions across the six days, Bosch’s in-car adjustable Motorsport ABS will give competitors using it an important edge. I wouldn’t want to compete without it.”