TARGA: MOTORSPORT: Targa Tasmania under scrutiny

The Tasmanian state coroner and Motorsport Australia are launching investigations into the deaths of three competitors in the tragic running of the 2021 Targa Tasmania event last week.

Shane Narvin was killed when his Mazda RX-7 rolled on the Mount Arrowsmith section and Leigh Mundy and Dennis Neagle died when their Porsche hit a tree at high speed on the Cygnet stage.

The deaths overshadowed the victory by the Dodge Viper crew of Eddie Maguire and Zak Brakey, who were quickest on 12 of the event’s 37 stages to score a 1:57sec win over Angus Kennard and Ian Wheeler in a Nissan GT-R. Trevor Macleod and Steve Glenney finished third overall in another GT-R.

Treacherously wet conditions marred the early days of the event and claimed former winners Jason and John White, who crashed their Viper on day two of the event while battling for the lead.

Maguire was able to control the event from the front once the Whites were gone, as the Tasmanian crew led for all six days. 

“This has been a devastating few days for the Targa family,” said Targa Australia chief executive Mark Perry.

The Motorsport Australia inquiry will be headed by the most senior Australian motorsport official, Garry Connelly, who is the chair of the Stewards in Formula One. Connelly is also a former deputy-head of the FIA Institute for Motorsport Safety and currently sits on the FIA Safety Research Strategy Group.

“An Investigatory Tribunal will allow Motorsport Australia to look closely at all aspects of the incidents and determine a number of recommendations that will be put to the Motorsport Australia Board for consideration,” said Eugene Arocca, CEO of Motorsport Australia.

The deaths took the toll at Targa Tasmania, which has been run since 1992, to five people with the most recent fatality in 2013.