MOTORSPORT: Targa opens entries

The Targa Tasmania and Targa High Country tarmac rallies have officially opened for entries.

Touring and competition categories alike are open for entries for the mainland and island state-based events.

Entries for the closed-road rallies were suspended earlier in the year following a Motorsport Australia decision to suspend tarmac rally events.

The decision came after a fatality at this year’s Targa Tasmania in April.

The 2023 Targa High Country will take place from February 10-12. The event is based at Mt Buller in the Victorian Alps and includes a number of stages centred around Mansfield.

The 2023 Targa Tasmania runs over April 17-23. But in contrast to recent years, the 2023 event starts and finishes in Hobart.

A comprehensively revised course has been set for next year’s event with a blend of new as well as classic stages that will be variously shortened, reversed and repeated.

In addition to the course changes, vehicles eligible for the events are likely to change.

The revisions in vehicle eligibility are expected to be handed down by Motorsport Australia as part of a suite of recommendations from a post-Targa Tasmania enquiry.

carsales understands new regulations will exclude supercars and instead encourage a blend of high-performance vehicles akin to production car circuit racing ranks.

No date has been announced for formal tabling of the Motorsport Australia recommendations. The move by Targa to open entries for the events suggests, however, that the announcements are imminent.

In recent years around two-thirds of Targa participants have entered speed-restricted categories and/or the increasingly popular tours.

The 2022 30th Anniversary Targa Tasmania attracted a record field of almost 500 cars.

Go to targa.com.au for entries and more details.