TARGA: Taking it to the streets

For years, Targa Tasmania crews have enjoyed ‘Leg Zero’. The day is as much a ‘thank you’ to Targa fans as it is an opportunity for the crews to experience their mounts on closed roads for the first time.

Encompassing two ‘prologue’ stages, the times taken from the 6.98km Kayena and 4.81km George Town stages are used to determine the starting order for tomorrow, with the fastest cars placed towards the end of the 220-strong entry.

The George Town stage cuts in and out of the town’s usually quiet side-streets, offering locals an opportunity to watch world-class motorsport passing literally by their doorstep. It is a unique feature of Targa events, dating back to the original Sicilian Targa Florio, which first ran in 1906.

While some driver/co-driver pairings use Prologue day to get their game faces on, others -- like A9X Holden Torana twins Garwood/Allen and O’Keefe/Winton-Monet -- play to the crowds. This V8-powered Aussie tandem ran in close company on the stage, providing plenty of sideways action for fans and stage crews alike.

As ever, Prologue did present trouble for a couple of crews, the fancied Hendy/Sibley R34 Nissan Skyline GT-R and Stuart/Herrod Porsche 911 Carrera RS each stopping on Kayena.

When the dust settled, Jason and John White took the fastest time with their Lamborghini Gallardo Super Trofeo Stradale, ahead of the Sims/Sims R35 GT-R and seven-time Bathurst winner Jim Richards and co-driver Barry Oliver with their 997-model Porsche GT2 RS.

After Prologue, the cars congregated on the lush green fields of George Town’s Regent Square, where fans were invited to get up close and personal with the diverse range of cars (and crews!) in the Targa field.

From the Vintage 1938 Dodge Speedster of Clark/Berriman through to the latest Nissan GT-Rs, the marine backdrop of George Town and the buzz emanating from the fans created a truly unique atmosphere.

For many, Targa doesn’t truly start until Wednesday’s Leg One. Travelling west of Launceston, crews tackle eight competitively timed, open road stages, with a quick lunch stop at Railton... should everything be in order.

The day’s final stage, the 26.89km Mt Roland, picks up the intensity as the first 20km-plus stage of the event, setting the tone for the epic North East Loop that features on Thursday’s Leg Two.