Targa New Zealand
Encyclopedia
The Targa New Zealand is a tarmac rally
held annually on public roads throughout the North Island of New Zealand
. The main Targa each year begins in the last week of October and is a week-long event which covers around 1500 km of touring and 750 km of closed special stages. http://www.nzherald.co.nz/motoring/news/article.cfm?c_id=9&objectid=10531427 Smaller one or two day events are usually run during the year and have been variously titled Targa Bambina, Targa Dash, Targa Rotorua and Targa Tauranga.
Originally intended as an event for owners of classic performance cars to display and race their vehicles, it has evolved into a serious competition event with modern purpose built race cars usually taking top honours.
The race started in 1995 http://www.nzherald.co.nz/motoring/news/article.cfm?c_id=9&objectid=10531427 and continually growing in popularity with over 200 cars entering the 2005 Dunlop sponsored Targa rally.
Racing is divided into classes to give everyone a chance of honours of some sort. These classes are based around age and engine size of the vehicles. Younger drivers are encouraged to compete in a controlled manner in a safe environment. Crashes happen but it is a very low percentage. Race cars need to have roll cages and safety gear except the Narva Targa tour for first-time competitors. They drive under the guidance of the Narva tour leader. Local groups providing hospitality areas, fundraising activities such as car washes, barbecues and 4000 lunches. http://www.nzherald.co.nz/motoring/news/article.cfm?c_id=9&objectid=10531427
Classes
Rallying
Rallying, also known as rally racing, is a form of auto racing that takes place on public or private roads with modified production or specially built road-legal cars...
held annually on public roads throughout the North Island of New Zealand
New Zealand
New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...
. The main Targa each year begins in the last week of October and is a week-long event which covers around 1500 km of touring and 750 km of closed special stages. http://www.nzherald.co.nz/motoring/news/article.cfm?c_id=9&objectid=10531427 Smaller one or two day events are usually run during the year and have been variously titled Targa Bambina, Targa Dash, Targa Rotorua and Targa Tauranga.
Originally intended as an event for owners of classic performance cars to display and race their vehicles, it has evolved into a serious competition event with modern purpose built race cars usually taking top honours.
The race started in 1995 http://www.nzherald.co.nz/motoring/news/article.cfm?c_id=9&objectid=10531427 and continually growing in popularity with over 200 cars entering the 2005 Dunlop sponsored Targa rally.
Racing is divided into classes to give everyone a chance of honours of some sort. These classes are based around age and engine size of the vehicles. Younger drivers are encouraged to compete in a controlled manner in a safe environment. Crashes happen but it is a very low percentage. Race cars need to have roll cages and safety gear except the Narva Targa tour for first-time competitors. They drive under the guidance of the Narva tour leader. Local groups providing hospitality areas, fundraising activities such as car washes, barbecues and 4000 lunches. http://www.nzherald.co.nz/motoring/news/article.cfm?c_id=9&objectid=10531427
Classes
- Historic
- Pre-classic
- Classic
- Post classic
- Metalman super classics
- Metalman all-comers
- Early modern
- Honda riders contemporary
- Super GT
Past winners
| Year | Driver | Co-driver | Car |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1995 | |||
| 1996 | |||
| 1997 | |||
| 1998 | |||
| 1999 | |||
| 2000 | |||
| 2001 | |||
| 2002 | Anton Tallott | Anne Tallott | Mazda RX-7 Mazda RX-7 Series 1 is commonly referred to as the "SA22C" from the first alphanumerics of the vehicle identification number. This series of RX-7 had exposed steel bumpers and a high-mounted indentation-located license plate, called by Werner Buhrer of Road & Track magazine a "Baroque depression."In 1980... |
| 2003 | Tony Quinn | Keith Wenn | Porsche 996 Porsche 996 The Porsche 996 is the internal designation for the Porsche 911 model manufactured and sold between 1998 and 2005. It has since been replaced by the Type 997... Turbo |
| 2004 | Jim Richards Jim Richards (race driver) Jim Richards is a New Zealand racing driver who has spent most of his racing life in Australia. While retired from professional racing, Richards continues to compete in the historic category Touring Car Masters while running a team in the Australian GT Championship... |
Barry Oliver | Porsche GT3 |
| 2005 | Jim Richards | Barry Oliver | Porsche GT3 |
| 2006 | Joe McAndrew Joe McAndrew "Smokin'" Joe McAndrew is one of New Zealand's most successful rally drivers with a record three national championship titles, won in 1993, 1994 and 1996. He also won the 2002 World TWE Marathon, and has over 25 national event wins to his name.He resides in Wellington with his wife Andrea, who... |
Sue O'Neil | Nissan Skyline Nissan Skyline The first Skyline was introduced in April 1957, by the Prince Motor Company, and was marketed as a luxury car. It featured a 1.5 L GA-30 engine producing 44 kW @ 4400 rpm. It used a de Dion tube rear suspension and was capable of 140 km/h . The car weighed around 1300 kg... GT-R R34 |
| 2007 | Joe McAndrew Joe McAndrew "Smokin'" Joe McAndrew is one of New Zealand's most successful rally drivers with a record three national championship titles, won in 1993, 1994 and 1996. He also won the 2002 World TWE Marathon, and has over 25 national event wins to his name.He resides in Wellington with his wife Andrea, who... |
Sue O'Neil | Nissan Skyline Nissan Skyline The first Skyline was introduced in April 1957, by the Prince Motor Company, and was marketed as a luxury car. It featured a 1.5 L GA-30 engine producing 44 kW @ 4400 rpm. It used a de Dion tube rear suspension and was capable of 140 km/h . The car weighed around 1300 kg... GT-R R34 |
Well known Targa entrants
- Jim RichardsJim Richards (race driver)Jim Richards is a New Zealand racing driver who has spent most of his racing life in Australia. While retired from professional racing, Richards continues to compete in the historic category Touring Car Masters while running a team in the Australian GT Championship...
- Tony Quinn
- Chris AmonChris AmonChristopher Arthur Amon MBE is a former motor racing driver. He was active in Formula One - racing in the 1960s and 1970s - and is widely regarded to be one of the best F1 drivers never to win a championship Grand Prix...
- Murray WalkerMurray WalkerGraeme Murray Walker, OBE is a former Formula One motorsport commentator...
- Peter BrockPeter BrockPeter Geoffrey Brock, AM otherwise known as "Peter Perfect", "The King of the Mountain" or simply as "Brocky" was one of Australia's best-known and most successful motor racing drivers. Brock was most often associated with Holden for almost 40 years, although he raced vehicles of other...
- Grant DaltonGrant Dalton-Background:Grant Dalton is a professional sailor who started sailing at the age 8 in the P Class and soon started racing as a member of Maraeti Beach Boating Club...
- Steve MillenSteve MillenSteve Millen was a New Zealand IMSA racecar driver. In the 1970s and 1980s, Millen raced in hillclimbing and Formula Ford before doing stadium off-road racing in the United States in the Mickey Thompson Entertainment Group . He then began sports car racing, winning numerous championships in IMSA...
- Adam Spence