Targa Tasmania preview, Part one

Targa Tasmania has turned 20, a motorsport milestone! How many entrants in the first Targa in 1992 would have expected the event to still be running two decades later, let alone as one of the premier road rallies in the world.

Few motorsport events, especially those that run on open roads and rely on close government and public cooperation, last as long as Targa has. Inevitably politics or public opinion swing against them or costs spiral too high for competitors and promoters alike.

But that's where Targa Tasmania is different. It has continued to grow year-on-year and is now so popular in Australia and worldwide that just getting an entry is a challenge these days. Almost 400 entries were received for Targa 2011 and the stellar list of regulars has been bolstered by touring car legend Dick Johnson driving a Chevrolet Corvette Z06 and two-time World Rally champion, German Walter Rohrl, in the Porsche 911 SC he raced in the 1981 San Remo Rally. Johnson last competed in 2000 and Rohrl previously competed in 1997 and 2000.

Going for his ninth win is the Targa king, Jim Richards (pictured here on his way to a win in Rally Tasmania), driving a rear-wheel drive Porsche GT2 RS against some heavy all-wheel drive opposition. Richards' record of eight outright victories is unlikely to be broken and only Greg Crick (1992/93), Tony Sullens (2004/07) and local hero Jason White (2005/10) have won Targa more than once. The Whites recently won Targa Wrest Point so they are in ominous form and racing one of the most exotic cars on Targa, a Lamborghini Gallardo Superleggera.

Targa's reputation as one of the toughest, most technical road rallies has attracted some of the finest drivers in the world over the years and alumni include ex-Formula One drivers Sir Jack Brabham, the late Denny Hulme, Sir Stirling Moss and Jochen Mass; rally stars Neal Bates, Roger Clark, Sandro Munari and Alistair McRae and the late great Peter Brock.

Targa Tasmania has even spawned similar rallies overseas. After competing in the tenth Targa in 2001, two Canadians, Doug Mepham and Jim Kenzie, returned home and founded Targa Newfoundland in 2002 and it's still running. The pair return to Targa this year running a locally-prepared Mazda RX-7 SP.

For many, the roads are the real stars of Targa and they are as formidable as you'll find anywhere. Although all rally stages are on sealed roads, conditions can vary depending on the weather and it's not unusual for stages to start dry and end wet. Ice and fog are not uncommon either.

Roads twist and turn and rise and fall and seldom run straight for long and there is little room for error. Surfaces change constantly from worn-smooth to tyre-chewing coarse tarmac and setting quick stage times requires maximum concentration from the driver, who must be in sync with his navigator who has to call pace notes on time and correctly. One wrong or misheard call can result in disaster. But it's a challenge that all who enter Targa relish. Just finishing is an achievement worth boasting about.

But for those keen on tackling Targa stages at a more leisurely pace there are three non-competition rallies -- The Unique Cars Tour, Spirit of Targa Porsche Tour and the Legends Tour -- that follow the competition stages at the speed limit. Tour entrants get to see more of the beautiful Tasmanian scenery than Targa competitors, who are too busy avoiding it!

The first three days of competition begin and end in Tasmania's second city then the rally heads to the picturesque west coast town of Strahan before finishing in Hobart on the Sunday.

Targa honour role -- outright winners

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