The 15th edition of the Targa Tasmania got underway this morning with the two Lamborghini Gallardos that impressed when they competed in last year's rally bidding for glory. Jason and John White in the number 934 example laid down their marker, finishing day one in third place as the big for overall victory with the machine that led the event in the hands of Paul Stokell last year until the Lamborghini Australia pilot dramatically crashed out while contesting the lead. The Australian crew bring plenty of Targa Tasmania experience to go with their new four wheel drive 10-cyl, 5-litre V10 sportscar, as both have competed in the last six consecutive editions of the tarmac encounter with much success.

However while the Whites were dialling themselves in with their new car, South Australian Subaru WRX driver Steve Glenney has today proven that he is the dark horse in this year’s 15th Anniversary Targa Tasmania by making a last-minute attack on the drivetravel.com Modern field, and finishing the first day of competition in equal first along side event favourite, Porsche-powered Jim Richards.

With most of the top competitors completing the days early stages under the assigned base time, competition then geared up in Devonport, the fourth stage of the Matthew Flinders Northern Loop, when Victorian Richards and his Tasmanian navigator Barry Oliver assumed the lead in their twin-turbo Porsche GT-2, equal with defending champion Jason White. “We’re very pleased.  We had a good day - being in front is where we all want to be,” said Glenney who was runner-up in the drivetravel.com Modern Competition in 2003. “The car’s going really well, still sorting out a few handling things along the way, but we’re very happy with it.  It’s great to be back at Targa. I just love it.”

The 29-year-old Wistow-based 2005 ARC Privateer Championship winner, guided by navigator Bernie Webb in a turbo-charged 2002 Subaru Impreza WRX, was sitting in second place at the end of the 16.04km Devonport stage, then advanced on the two front-runners on the third last stage of the day, Sheffield. This stage saw Glenney move on Richards and White, beating them both by 5 and 13-seconds respectively – equalling Richards’ score by the end of the day.
 

Glenney’s Porsche rival was not surprised by the young rally driver’s result today, and also indicated road conditions weren’t ideal for his 100-percent commitment behind the wheel. “There was a lot of blue metal on the road at Sheffield, so we couldn’t go as fast as we wanted to, and that’s where we lost the time to [Glenney].  I expected him to be right up there,” said Richards.

Finishing third was the defending Targa Tasmania champions Hobart’s Jason White and his navigator John White who carefully piloted his US$400,000 V10-engined Lamborghini Gallardo around today’s competition leg. Despite initially sharing a lead with Richards earlier in the day, an in-cabin mishap saw the White’s lose precious seconds and finished 14-seconds further afield. “We lost time in Sheffield and Nook with a slipping clutch drama,” explained White. “We had a couple of bits fall out from under the dashboard and get caught in my feet under the break pedal. But it has kept us on our toes and I think we’ve come through alright.”

The defending Targa Tasmania champion, White had been looking forward to a good opening day after clocking a disappointing time on Tuesday's 'Prologue' finishing 11th fastest, but remaining undeterred, admitting his experience behind the wheel of the 5-litre V10 Gallardo is minimal compared to what he enjoyed in his previous Targa-winning Nissan Skyline. “This car is a hell of a lot of run to drive. I had a smooth run around those tight and squirmy street stages,” said White before the start of Day One.

Despite a shaky start to the opening day, Bathurst master Peter Brock and his navigator Mick Hone finished seventh outright in their 2000 model Daytona Coupe, still managing to impress some crowds along the way. They now sit 35-seconds behind the leaders. “We didn’t do so well in Longford – but, to me, it’s all about putting on a show for the crowd. I’m quite happy with today overall.  I’d prefer harder tyres, but then again we might get cold weather, as it’s been quite hot today,” said Brock. Finishing in fourth today was the Team Mitsubishi Ralliart Lancer driven by New South Welshman Warwick Rooklyn and navigated by Linda Long, also from New South Wales. Fifth fastest was shared by factory Subaru Motorsport driver Dean Herridge, from Western Australia, and Queensland Porsche driver Tony Quinn. Two-time Bathurst winner Tony Longhurst finished an impressive 11th outright today finishing 45-seconds behind the leaders, while Network Ten Commentator Daryl Beattie, despite his inexperience with tarmac rallies, seemed calculated in his approach to today’s stages finishing 1-minute 25-seconds afield in 22nd position. 

The Targa Tasmania field will re-start tomorrow from the Launceston Silverdome and will head down the East Coast of Tasmania via nine competitive stages for what, in 2006, is known as the Captain Nicolas Baudin Eastern Trundle comprising 73.89 competitive kilometres.