The
official Temco Prologue at Targa Tasmania has confirmed
that the 2010 running of the classic tarmac rally will
be one of the most hotly contested in the 19-year
history of the event.
Jason
White, driving his new street-legal Lamborghini Gallardo
Super Trofeo racer, got off to a blistering start today,
making the point to his rivals that he is determined to
back up his victory from Targa Wrest Point in January.
White, who has been campaigning a Gallardo on the Targa
Tasmania for the last few years has switched to the
specification of the Gallardo Super Trofeo, the one-make
racer introduced by Lamborghini to the European circuits
last year. With changes to the specification of his
Lamborghini, his car appears faster than in previous
events, which will be a major concern to his rivals.
“This
new car has certainly put a grin on our faces. It’s a
hell of a lot of fun to drive and we’ve never really had
a crack at the Prologue before,” White commented. “We’ve
always gone at a reasonable pace, but never recced it or
used pacenotes for it before. The plan was to go slow
and steady, but it all felt nice when we took off, and
we definitely went around there quicker than we’ve ever
gone before. It was a bit of a confidence builder. We
took it to the limit on most of the corners, but being
such a new car as well, you also need to learn how to
drive it. It doesn’t come automatically, and it’s quite
different to the other one. It was quite a confidence
inspiring run. I could put the car wherever I wanted to,
and the suspension was the best that I’ve ever driven
with. Everything just felt as it should be.”
Pre-event favourites White (who is running the Raging
Bull machine in the "Modern" category), Rex Broadbent
(Classic) and Tony Warren (Showroom) have set the
fastest times in their respective categories, in front
of a big crowd of enthusiastic spectators.
The 4.81 kilometre street stage around George Town was
held in fine, dry conditions. While the results
determine road positions for the remainder of the event,
times recorded over the Prologue stage do not count
toward the overall Targa Tasmania results.
Behind White, Queenslander Tim Hendy was a surprise
second driving a 2005 Daytona Coupe, 5.65 seconds back,
with West Australian Steve Jones third in his 2008
Nissan GT-R, 6.36 seconds off the Lamborghini driver.
Last year’s winner, Tony Quinn was fourth and eight-time
winner Jim Richards fifth. Both will now push hard to
make an impact when the rally gets underway in earnest
on Wednesday morning.
Victorian Rex Broadbent was the fastest Classic car over
the Temco Prologue stage. His 1974 Porsche 911 RS was
2.41 seconds quicker than Tasmanian hope, David Cooper,
in his 1977 Torana A9X. Peter Eames, who Broadbent
thinks will be his greatest rival this year, was third,
another 1.39 seconds back in his 1974 Porsche 911
Carrera RS. Broadbent, the defending Classic Outright
champion, is looking forward to the challenge of the
next five days after a late decision to enter the foray.
"A week before the event I decided I'd better do it,”
Broadbent said. “Chris (Randell) volunteered to be my
navigator at the last minute, so it's all come together
rather quickly, but the car felt good today - really
good. We got through cleanly; nothing to worry about and
we didn't knock any wheels off.
Hobart driver Tony Warren confirmed his favourite status
to take the Showroom title. The former winner, driving a
Mitsubishi Lancer Evo 9, heads the newer Lancer Evo X of
motoring journalist Dean Evans by 2.34 seconds. The
Mazda 3 MPS of 21-year-old Victorian, Brendan Reeves,
was third quickest in the Showroom competition over the
short street stage. Quickest Vintage car was the newly
acquired 1938 Dodge Speedster Special of Wayne Clark and
Roger Richardson.
The first full day of Targa Tasmania competition
tomorrow will see the full field of over 270 competitors
head on a loop from Launceston via Sheffield. Eight
Targa stages with a total competitive distance of just
over 56 kilometres make up the day’s total.
PURE TASMANIA MODERN COMPETITION
1. Jason White (TAS) / John White (TAS), 2010
Lamborghini Gallardo Super Trofeo Strada
2. Tim Hendy (QLD) / Daniel Wilson (TAS), 2005 Daytona
Coupe, +5.65s
3. Steve Jones (WA) / Ben Searcy (WA), 2008 Nissan GT-R,
+6.36s
4. Tony Quinn (QLD) / Naomi Tillett (SA), 2009 Nissan
GT-R, +6.87s
5. Jim Richards (VIC) / Barry Oliver (TAS), 2010 Porsche
911 GT3 CS, +8.77s
6. Kevin Weeks (SA) / John Allen (QLD), 2009 Lamborghini
Gallardo Superleggera Type R, +9.28s
7. Jamie Vandenberg (TAS) / Simon Vandenberg (TAS), 2006
Mitsubishi Lancer Evo IX, +9.33s
8. Dean Herridge (WA) / Glen Weston (QLD), 2008 Subaru
Impreza WRX STI, +10.26s
9. David Scott (QLD) / Michelle Berardo (QLD), 2005
Subaru Impreza WRX STI, +11.68s
10. Ray Vandersee (QLD) / Cameron Reeves (QLD), 2009
Skelta G-Force S/C Spec A, +13.52s
SHANNONS CLASSIC OUTRIGHT
1. Rex Broadbent (VIC) / Chris Randell (VIC), 1974
Porsche 911 Carrera RS
2. David Cooper (TAS) / Jason Dann (TAS), 1977 Holden
Torana A9X, +2.41s
3. Bill Pye (NSW) / Grant Geelan (NSW), 1974 Porsche 911
Carrera RS, +3.80s
4. Simon Froude (TAS) / Andrew Scott (TAS), 1973 Porsche
911 RSR, +5.32s
5. Peter Eames (VIC) / Will Logan (TAS), 1974 Porsche
911 RS, +5.95s
6. George Pethard Jnr (NSW) / Adrian Johnstone (NSW),
1976 Porsche 911 Carrera 3, +5.97s
7. Peter Ullrich (NSW) / Sari Ullrich (NSW), 1963 Jensen
CV8, +6.69s
8. Jon Siddins (QLD) / Darren Ferguson (QLD), 1970
Datsun 240Z, +6.81s
9. Barry Faux (ACT) / Therezia Mihajlovic (ACT), 1979
Mazda RX7, +9.67s
10. Hans De Corti (WA) / Mark De Corti (WA), 1974
Porsche 911 Carrera RS, +11.16s
PURE TASMANIA SHOWROOM COMPETITION
1. Tony Warren (TAS) / Natasha Deniese (VIC), 2006
Mitsubishi Lancer Evo IX
2. Dean Evans (NSW) / Simone Bachmann (VIC), 2008 TMR
Evolution X Club Spec, +2.34s
3. Brendan Reeves (VIC) / Rhianon Smyth (VIC), 2009
Mazda3 MPS, +12.34s
4. Scott Millar (QLD) / Christopher Dean (QLD), 2008
Mitsubishi Lancer Evo X, +14.10s
5. Greg Burrowes (QLD) / Rhonda Burrowes (QLD), 2008
Mitsubishi Lancer Evo X, +15.96s
SHANNONS CLASSIC HANDICAP
1. Rex Broadbent (VIC) / Chris Randell (VIC), 1974
Porsche 911 Carrera RS
2. David Cooper (TAS) / Jason Dann (TAS), 1977 Holden
Torana A9X, +2.41s
3. Bill Pye (NSW) / Grant Geelan (NSW), 1974 Porsche 911
Carrera RS, +3.80s
4. Simon Froude (TAS) / Andrew Scott (TAS), 1973 Porsche
911 RSR, +5.32s
5. Peter Eames (VIC) / Will Logan (TAS), 1974 Porsche
911 RS, +5.95s
PURE TASMANIA EARLY MODERN
1. Jeff Beable (VIC) / Nerida Be able (VIC), 2000 Nissan
Skyline GT-R V-Spec N1
2. David Ayers (TAS) / Robbie Bolton (NSW), 1997 Nismo
400R, +0.10s
3. Andrew Bollom (VIC) / Jon Roberts (VIC), 1997 Mazda
RX7, +1.80s
4. Gavin James (VIC) / Tim Kulhanek (TAS), 1989 Porsche
944 S2, +5.76s
5. Brendan Manion (TAS) / Travis Dean (TAS), 1995 Nissan
Skyline GT-R V-Spec N1, +5.87s
PURE TASMANIA ROOKIE RALLYE MODERN
1. Adam Newton (VIC) / Daniel Lemish (VIC), 1997
Mitsubishi Lancer Evo IV RS
2. Andrew Barlow (VIC) / Andrew Re (VIC), 2000 Porsche
911 Turbo, +7.51s
3. Robbie Maher (TAS) / Peter Roberts (TAS), 1993 Mazda
RX7 SP, +13.49s
4. Stephen Spada (NSW) / Christine Condon (NSW), 1999
Mitsubishi Lancer Evo IX RS, +13.84s
5. Danny Traverso (VIC) / Jarrod Smith (VIC), 2005
Mitsubishi Lancer Evo IX, +16.70s
PURE TASMANIA ROOKIE RALLYE CLASSIC
1. Stephen Barrand (VIC) / Tim Manion (TAS), 1981 Volvo
242GT
2. Robert Clayton (TAS) / Diane Wilkinson (TAS), 1972
Bolwell Nagari, +6.45s
3. Wayne Mercer (VIC) / Graeme Parker (VIC), 1976 Holden
Torana A9X, +8.96s
4. Justin Quinn (QLD) / Stuart Paine (TAS), 1973 Holden
HQ, +10.27s
5. Peter Edwards (TAS) / Barbara Edwards (TAS), 1977 MGB
Roadster, +11.65s
