FROM THE NAVIGATOR’S SEAT
IF YOU ARE EVER OFFERED THE NAVIGATOR’S SEAT FOR A TARGA VCC TIME TRIAL, TAKE IT, IS THE ARDENT ADVICE OF FIRST-TIME NAVIGATOR GED (GERALDINE) HAACK
My husband Jon has yearned to be involved in a Targa rally but always thought it beyond reach. I’m an armchair enthusiast, having watched years of Targa, World Rally Championship, and any other stage rallying I could lay my eyes on.
At a Ruapuna race meeting Jon had a chance meeting with Rod Corbett, who introduced the idea that the new Targa Vintage Car Club (VCC) Time Trial category would be a perfect event to enter with the 1970 Triumph Spitfire.
Jon did all the car prep and enrolment and handed me the invoices to pay. With every payment, my excitement grew. At last, I was going to be out of the armchair and participating.
On arriving in Taupo for scrutineering we were greeted by Rod and Anne Corbett, who nursed us through this process, and the five days of the rally. I considered them to be our camp mother and father. We will be eternally grateful for their tireless attention to detail that ensured a safe and enjoyable event.
Other than safety and compliance, I had little interest in the nitty-gritty of what was involved. I was eager to get the rally signage on the car, the briefing done, and head for the closed roads at pace. I was so blinkered in this vision that the finer detail, or even the main idea, of what the Time Trial stood for eluded me.
Days one and two in the Triumph Spitfire had a definite theme to them. Jon as driver was responsible for safety and not breaking the car. I was in charge of instructions, most of which were “Go faster!” or “Hang the tail out on this corner!” No room for the ‘fun police’ in this two-seater. If there was a prize for demerit points, we were in contention. Turns out there were plenty of other teams also competing for this glory and having immense fun doing so.
By the end of day two I had started to get a little intrigued as to how this demeritpoint thing worked. I listened to the more experienced, who were totally open and willing to share how they achieved good results. Out came the calculator and scraps of paper, and with those came late nights calculating the time/distance/speed for each stage.
Day three driving was spent noting our driving and navigating and analysing how it translated into demerits.
Day four we put into practice what we had learned and even managed to win one stage and score second in two others. Very satisfying, having learned new skills.
Would I do it again, and why? Yes, in a heartbeat! The VCC Time Trial has been established in such a way as to be inclusive. Even those who had the misfortune of their cars breaking down were welcome to carry on in an alternative vehicle, be it vintage or not.
The support for Race4life and local communities by the Targa family was extraordinary. The generosity of Mark Errington and Peter Cameron in allowing their car to be used for donor parts, enabling those poor souls who had breakdowns to continue in original cars was inspirational. The fun of Fraser and Daniel aka ‘The Beach Boys’ kept me smiling. The discipline and sportsmanship of the winners, Russell Yates and his daughter Alise Inger, was beyond reproach. There is so much more that could be written but I really think it best that you go online, fill in the entry form, and prep your car, so you can come and experience this amazing event for yourself.
Lastly, a huge thank you to my driver / husband / best friend Jon for taking me on this adventure.
Roll on Northland Targa 2020. See you there!