Our Tours - 2010 Targa Tour Report

	Greg & Daryl in the Mazda RX8 lead car

The Dunlop Targa Rally has earnt the reputation of being the longest tarmac motor rally in the world covering 2500km of which 900km are special stages. The event attracts competitors from around the world who recognise that this event is unique, being able to go as fast as you like on closed public roads for 7 days.

The thought of preparing a full blown rally car to do this is a pretty daunting challenge for most (including seasoned rally crews). However the organisers of the Dunlop Targa recognised this fact some years ago and created the "Targa Tour". This concept allows potential Targa competitors to run the entire rally course in a standard car without the usual expensive safety equipment other than a few basics like a tow rope, a safety triangle and a fire extinguisher. A car club membership and a Motorsport NZ club sport licence is compulsory.

After competing in this amazing event every year since 1997 in a variety of cars as both a driver and co-driver (and enduring at least 4 big crashes) I was asked by the Event Director, Peter Martin to assume a role this year as the Targa Tour Leader. This opportunity seemed like a bit of a challenge as this year the tour would be one of the opening attractions and run to rally time completing all the stages 3 minutes behind the 000 car and just 30 minutes in front of the first completion car.

With a near new Mazda RX8 supplied by Mazda NZ in black and a new set of Dunlop race rubber my regular co-driver Daryl Narain and I led the tour consisting of 24 cars southward from Manukau City to the prologue stage at the new Hampton Downs race circuit. We led a variety of interesting tour cars around the circuit. These included a few nice BMW's, an M5, an M3, a Z4 and a Bathurst prepared 130. The rest of the line up consisted of fast Porsches, a very serious Renault Megane, a Toyota Supra, a couple of well set up Triumph's, a 2000 and a 2500. The classic contingent was well supported by an Austin Healey, an Anglia a really nice Alfa 1750 a gorgeous Datsun 240Z and a Peugeot 205 GTI. A couple of rather fast and well driven MX5's complimented the mix. So the Targa is for anyone.

Our RX8 proved to be a rather effective tool for our job, leading the tour at a brisk pace (but not exceeding 160kph......Yeah Right). The car performed well at 10,000rpm, braked well and handled really well according to the photographers on stage. (see the evidence on www.groundsky.co.nz) It was an impressive piece of kit, perfect for the job and very comfortable especially in the very hot weather experienced during the week which the air conditioning handled with ease.

The first day was full of challenges, including stage 1 just north of Hamilton in the thick fog. After a further 3 stages, one of which was 53km long we arrived in the town of Otorohanga for lunch. The tourists (as I will call them) were all intact and no reports of any incidents was encouraging for those of us responsible for ensuring that we provided entertainment but did not hold up the main event with breakdowns or accidents. Unfortunately in previous years the tour has earned a reputation for having its fair share of incidents. This year the driving standards were impressive and the pace was hot, especially at the front. The afternoon presented two very long tough stages via the West Coast to New Plymouth which claimed quite a few main event competitors but our guys came though without an issue although the pace was telling on tyre wear and the Healey went to visit the tyre man for a new set of boots.

Day 2 was welcomed with anticipation with just 4 stages, including the famous Taranaki jumps, and a return journey over the notorious 44km Whangamomona road. I did warn everybody about the jumps and explained that it can be detrimental to suspension components if you get over zealous. They all took my advice except me and some pretty exciting pictures of an airborne RX8 were displayed during the mayoral function that night. The run in and out to Whangamomona certainly lived up to its reputation. We were joined by the lady who owns the famous Whanga pub. She drives a Nissan Z350, drives the road at least 3 days a week and wanted to do it twice more on a closed road. As our guest she slotted in behind the RX8. It did not take long to realise that she really did know her road and her driving skills were right up there. She arrived in Whanga just 350 metres behind the lead car and in a very respectable un published time. Again tyre wear was an issue with the Megane and the Sierra limping out of Whanga with very second hand tyres and needing to visit Beaurepairs the event tyre supplier.

Day 3 started in New Plymouth and finished in Palmerston North. We had a full complement of Tour cars again starting the morning. After a day off the Alfa (in for a brake overhaul) and the Triumph 2500 (head gasket) were enjoying the short but tricky Taranaki stages. The event move further down the coast completing a further couple of stages before the Wanganui lunch stop at St Ann's school. The tour is often joined by competitors that have retired out of the event. At lunch we added John Van de Velden to our ranks. Johns Mazda MPS had been destroyed late yesterday and joined us in his Mazda 3 service vehicle. John from Mazda NZ was the nice chap who had kindly loaned us the RX8 lead car for the week. The 1st stage of the afternoon to Hunterville was a toughie with lots of gravel patches but once again all our tourists survived the challenge all arriving at Manfield race track in the town Feilding for 4 laps of the challenging circuit. This is one of Daryl's favourite circuits and he took the wheel of the RX8 and demonstrated some superb driving skills as did some of our tour front runners including Brent in the Porsche Cayman RS, Graham in the Megane and Richard in the M3.

Today's highlight was going to be "cop corner" so after a briefing and vivid description of the corner and how to deal with it we set off to the town of Matron. We all dealt to cop corner (named after an incident when a police officer totaled his patrol car in the creek in front of a large audience) and proceeded toward the eastern side of the range. However at this point we lost the Healey with a major oil leak from the sump plug which was removed as a result of a severe bump in the road on stage. They temporarily retired to a local workshop to facilitate repairs until a new sump could be sent to Wellington, our night stop tonight. The rest of the day went well with no moments to speak of although yet another breakdown featured in dispatches. This time it was the most modern and most expensive car in the field and the one that was generally glued to the bumper of the RX8. A stone off the lead car punctured the radiator on the Cayman RS facilitating a hasty stop mid stage and a chance to exercise the event safety procedures which all went like clockwork and we were duly commended by the organisers. The Porsche guys, Brent and Peter arrived in Wellington later that evening having used a 20 cent screw to contain water in their expensive engine to get them to Wellington.

The last day was always going to be the most difficult. The roads around the Wellington region are tricky. With 2 runs on each of the iconic Hutt Valley, Moonshine, Paekakariki, and Shelly Bay stages with a single pass through Makara out the back of Johnsonville. At this stage we had not had a single off road excursion and some pressure was on for all to survive the day. The first close call was documented by the in car footage in the 240Z with a wall of death stunt on Moonshine necessitating a quite trip home to Waikanae (close by) to remove some scenery from the wheel rims. The last of the cars crossed the finish line at Taranaki Wharf just after 4pm and received their finishing plates.

What a great week, with a great group of people with their favourite cars on amazing roads. Do join us for future Targa Tours, the Bambina 2 Day event out of Auckland in March, The 2 day Targa Rotorua in June and the main 7 day event, last week in October every year.