IT’S THE TARGA!
Glenn Inkster and Spencer Winn (Mitsubishi Evo 8) have claimed their third Targa NZ win in a row, the Auckland pair crossing the finish line, at the end of this year’s fourday/1,602km tarmac road rally in Havelock North on Sunday October 16, over five minutes clear of their nearest rivals, 2013 event winners Martin Dippie and Jona Grant from Dunedin (Porsche GT3 RS).
Both pairings also claimed class wins, Inkster and Winn in andrewsimms.co.nz Allcomers 4WD, Dippie and Grant in Global Security Modern 2WD.
In an event which took a field of 134 from Taupo to Havelock North via overnight stops in Ohakune, Palmerston North and Havelock North, Inkster and Winn fought back after problems with their car on the first day to dominate the second and the third to have a big enough lead to stroke home on the fourth.
Fellow former gravel rally star Chris West and his co-driver Chris Cobham (Mitsubishi Mirage Evo) beat them home on the first day as Inkster struggled with an engine management system issue and traction problems. But with his car back running 100 percent on the second day Inkster wrestled back the advantage and was never again headed.
West and Cobham kept Inkster and Winn honest but late on the third day slid off the road and their event was over.
Targa Rotorua event winners Leigh Hopper and Michael Goudie (Subaru WRX STi) were lucky to get to the finish line, let alone be able to hang on to third place overall and second in the andrewsimms.co.nz Allcomers 4WD class after completing the last three stages of the event without a clutch and running off the road at least once because of the fact.
Also suffering mechanical problems and ending up back in sixth place overall was five-time event winner Tony Quinn and his codriver Naomi Tillett in Quinn’s fivetime event-winning Nissan GT-R35.
The GT-R was never far behind the lighter, more nimble Mitsubishi Evos of Inkster and Winn, and West and Cobham early in the event and
Quinn was swapping times with the Subaru WRX of Leigh Hopper and Michael Goudie when the big Nissan was first slowed then eventually stopped by a gearbox issue on the final day.
In stark contrast, completing a near perfect Targa NZ in his new car was 2013 event winner Martin Dippie and co-driver Jona Grant.
Setting an imperious pace at the head of the Global Security Modern 2WD class the pair topped the class time sheets in 24 of the 25 stages and thoroughly deserved their elevation, thanks to the issues Leigh Hopper and Michael Goudie faced, to runnerup spot overall on the final day.
Also enjoying a near perfect event were standout Metalman Classic 2WD class winners Regan Ross and Shaun Howie (Ford Escort RS1800). Kaikoura contractor Ross topped his class time sheets in 21 of the 25 stages, to beat the BMW E30 M3 of former class winner and pace-setter Mark and father Chris Kirk-Burnnand from Wellington by more than six minutes and end up fifth overall.
The concurrent two-day Targa Regional Rally from Palmerston North to Havelock North was won by Grant Aitken and Caroline Cullimore in a Toyota 86. Second were Graeme and Maree Coley in an Audi RS4, third Jerry Friar/Nick ChibnallWest in a BMW 330ci.
Targa New Zealand events are organised with the support of sponsors AndrewSimms.co.nz, Chicane Racewear, Ecolight, Global Security, Kids In Cars, Metalman. co.nz, NZ Classic Car magazine, Race Brakes, Racetech, TeamTalk, TrackIt and VTNZ.
For more information go to www.targa.co.nz.