Japan beats Italy in Targa duel
Jason White's outright lead was short-lived as Tony Quinn fights back on Leg OneA battle is already looming for outright honours in this year's Targa Tasmania, as two of the field's quickest and most experienced entrants traded fast stage times on Leg One of the event.
After the George Town Prologue on Tuesday, reigning Targa winner Jason White -- driving a rapid flame-throwing 2010 Lamborghini Gallardo Superleggera -- held sway even though he said his time was some four seconds off his 2010 mark.
But on the eight open-road stages of Leg One from Launceston to Sheffield and back, Tony Quinn in a 2009 Nissan GTR hit back to lead White by just 5sec.
The 2010 Mazda RX-8 SP of Steve Glenney finished third; 29sec further back.
"You can't really ask for better," Quinn said. "The car's going well, but I think everybody is having trouble with bumps and stuff on the roads... But we've been getting through it okay."
Eight-time winner, Jim Richards, in a 2011 Porsche GT2 RS, made a conservative start and finished equal fifth with Dean Herridge in a 2008 Subaru Impreza WRX STi.
Tasmanian David Cooper and his 1977 Holden Torana A9X surprised in the Late Classic Outright category and held a solid 26sec lead over former touring car star Andrew Miedecke driving a 1970 Ford Capri Perana.
Len Cattlin's thundering 1969 Ford Mustang Boss 302 was a further 39sec in arrears, ahead of a Porsche trio in equal fourth position that included legendary German rally star Walter Rohrl driving a 1981 Porsche 911 SC.
In the Showroom category for near standard cars, the Team Skoda carsales Octavia RS wagon maintained second position, keeping rally star Brendan Reeves, in a Mazda3 MPS, honest.
Reeves extended his lead over Sinclair but Leg One's stages didn't particularly suit the Skoda, which is being fine-tuned as the stages progress.
Three Mazda MX-5s make up the top five in the class but all are minutes behind the Skoda.
Other category winners:
Late Classic Handicap: Paul Freestone -- 1948 Holden
Early Modern: Blaise Paris -- 1999 Mitsubishi Lancer Evo VI
4WD Showroom: Tony Warren ¬ 2006 Mitsubishi Lancer Evo IX
Vintage Rallye: John Lawson -- 1938 Alfa Romeo 6C 2300B Mille Miglia
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