Targa Tasmania
Encyclopedia
Targa Tasmania is a tarmac-based rally event held on the island state of Tasmania
, Australia
, annually since 1992. The event takes its name from the Targa Florio
, a former motoring event held on the island of Sicily
. The competition concept is drawn directly from the best features of the Mille Miglia, the Coupe des Alpes and the Tour de Corse.
In 2008 the course was substantially revised, a number of well liked stages from years previous years are now used (Riana), and a number of all new stages were introduced (Mt Claude and Rossarden). Leg 3 was dropped by shortening the Leg 2 East Coast day ending back in Launceston (rather than Hobart). Leg 3 is another loop north out of Launceston (running through Devonport on this day). Leg 4 now runs from Launceston through the lunch stop at Burnie to the evening end at Strahan. It remains the longest tarmac rally in Australia with no repeated stages. Although a couple of stages will share the same piece of road in opposite directions on consecutive days.
The Targa is one of several Tarmac Rally events to be held in Australia. It also has had international connections with Targa New Zealand and Targa NewFoundland which have evolved since the inception of Targa Tasmania.
, Bob Wollek
, Denny Hulme
, Dick Johnson
, Glenn Ridge
, Greg Crick, Gregg Hansford
, Sir Jack Brabham
, Jim Richards
, Jochen Mass
, Steven Richards
, Michael Doohan
, Murray Walker
, Neal Bates
, Peter Brock
, Peter Fitzgerald, Roger Clark
, Rusty French, Sandro Munari
, Sir Stirling Moss
, Alister McRae
, Walter Röhrl
and Eric Bana
.
Tasmania
Tasmania is an Australian island and state. It is south of the continent, separated by Bass Strait. The state includes the island of Tasmania—the 26th largest island in the world—and the surrounding islands. The state has a population of 507,626 , of whom almost half reside in the greater Hobart...
, Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
, annually since 1992. The event takes its name from the Targa Florio
Targa Florio
The Targa Florio was an open road endurance automobile race held in the mountains of Sicily near Palermo. Founded in 1906, it was the oldest sports car racing event, part of the World Sportscar Championship between 1955 and 1973...
, a former motoring event held on the island of Sicily
Sicily
Sicily is a region of Italy, and is the largest island in the Mediterranean Sea. Along with the surrounding minor islands, it constitutes an autonomous region of Italy, the Regione Autonoma Siciliana Sicily has a rich and unique culture, especially with regard to the arts, music, literature,...
. The competition concept is drawn directly from the best features of the Mille Miglia, the Coupe des Alpes and the Tour de Corse.
Rally format
The rally started as a five day event, and was run as a six day event for the tenth anniversary in 2001. From 2002 it reverted back to its five day course. 2006 was the 15th anniversary and was also a 6-day event. 2011 will be the 20th anniversary.- Leg 0 (Prologue) - George TownGeorge Town, TasmaniaGeorge Town is one of the larger towns in north-east Tasmania, on the eastern bank of the mouth of the Tamar River. At the 2006 census, George Town had a population of 4,266. It is the regional centre of the George Town Council Local Government Area....
to LauncestonLaunceston, TasmaniaLaunceston is a city in the north of the state of Tasmania, Australia at the junction of the North Esk and South Esk rivers where they become the Tamar River. Launceston is the second largest city in Tasmania after the state capital Hobart...
. - Leg 1 Launceston - SheffieldSheffield, TasmaniaSheffield is a town situated 23 km inland from Devonport on the north-west coast of Tasmania, Australia's island state. Sheffield has long been the rural hub for the Mount Roland area. The Sheffield area is well known for its high quality butterfat production via dairy farming. The area is...
- Launceston - Leg 2 Launceston - St HelensSt Helens, TasmaniaSt Helens is the largest town on the north-east coast of Tasmania, Australia, on Georges Bay. It is located on the Tasman Highway, about 160 km east of Tasmania's second largest city, Launceston. In the early 2000s, the town was one of the fastest growing areas of Tasmania, and reached a population...
- LauncestonLaunceston, TasmaniaLaunceston is a city in the north of the state of Tasmania, Australia at the junction of the North Esk and South Esk rivers where they become the Tamar River. Launceston is the second largest city in Tasmania after the state capital Hobart... - Leg 3 Launceston - DevonportDevonport, Tasmania-Sport:The Devonport Football Club is an Australian Rules team competing in the Tasmanian Statewide League. The Devonport Rugby Club is a Rugby Union team competing in the Tasmanian Rugby Union Statewide League...
- Launceston - Leg 4 Launceston - UlverstoneUlverstone, TasmaniaUlverstone is a town on the northwest coast of Tasmania, Australia. It lies at the mouth of the Leven River, on Bass Strait. It is on the Bass Highway, west of Devonport and east of Penguin....
to StrahanStrahan, Tasmania-See also:* Convicts on the West Coast of Tasmania* Macquarie Harbour* Railways on the West Coast of Tasmania* West Coast Piners-Further reading:* *... - Leg 5 Strahan - New NorfolkNew Norfolk, Tasmania-References:5. Fellowship of First Fleeters.6. New Norfolk's History and Achievements by Joe Cowburn and Rita Cox 1986-External links:* has extensive local information, history, photographs, resources and attractions...
- Hobart
In 2008 the course was substantially revised, a number of well liked stages from years previous years are now used (Riana), and a number of all new stages were introduced (Mt Claude and Rossarden). Leg 3 was dropped by shortening the Leg 2 East Coast day ending back in Launceston (rather than Hobart). Leg 3 is another loop north out of Launceston (running through Devonport on this day). Leg 4 now runs from Launceston through the lunch stop at Burnie to the evening end at Strahan. It remains the longest tarmac rally in Australia with no repeated stages. Although a couple of stages will share the same piece of road in opposite directions on consecutive days.
The Targa is one of several Tarmac Rally events to be held in Australia. It also has had international connections with Targa New Zealand and Targa NewFoundland which have evolved since the inception of Targa Tasmania.
Modern Competition
| Year | Driver | Navigator | Vehicle |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1992 | Greg Crick | Greg Preece | Honda NSX Honda NSX The Honda NSX, or Acura NSX, is a sports car that was produced between 1990 and 2005 by the Japanese automaker Honda. It is equipped with a mid-engine, rear-wheel drive layout, powered by an all-aluminium V6 gasoline engine featuring Honda's Variable Valve Timing and Lift Electronic Control ... |
| 1993 | Greg Crick | Greg Preece | Honda NSX Honda NSX The Honda NSX, or Acura NSX, is a sports car that was produced between 1990 and 2005 by the Japanese automaker Honda. It is equipped with a mid-engine, rear-wheel drive layout, powered by an all-aluminium V6 gasoline engine featuring Honda's Variable Valve Timing and Lift Electronic Control ... |
| 1994 | Andrew Miedecke | Alan Taylor | Porsche 944 Porsche 944 The Porsche 944 is a sports car built by Porsche from 1982 to 1991. It was built on the same platform as the 924, although 924 production continued through 1988. The 944 was intended to last into the 1990s, but major revisions planned for a 944 S3 model were eventually rolled into the 968 instead,... Turbo Cup |
| 1995 | Neal Bates Neal Bates Neal Bates is an Australian rally and racing car driver. Throughout his career Bates has been associated with Toyota in the Australian Rally Championship and for 19 years his Neal Bates Motorsport outfit ran Toyota's official rally program in Australia... |
Coral Taylor Coral Taylor Coral Taylor is an Australian female rally co-driver.She began her motorsport career at the age of 18, when she co-drove for her father, Norm Fritter, in the 1979 Repco Round Australia Trial, sparking a passion that lives to this day.... |
Toyota Celica GT-Four Toyota Celica GT-Four The Toyota Celica GT-Four is a high performance model of the Celica liftback, with a turbocharged 3S-GTE engine, and full-time AWD. It was created to compete in the World Rally Championship, whose regulations dictate that a manufacturer must build road-going versions of the vehicle in sufficient... (ST205) |
| 1996 | 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 911 Turbo (993) |
| 1997 | 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 911 Turbo (993) |
| 1998 | 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 911 Turbo (993) |
| 1999 | Peter Fitzgerald | Michael Mansour | Porsche 911 Turbo (993) |
| 2000 | 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 911 GT3 CS (996) |
| 2001 2001 Targa Tasmania The 2001 Targa Tasmania was the tenth running of the Tarmac Rally event and saw the event extended to a six day format to mark the decade milestone. It was held between 18 April 2001 and 24 April 2001 on 54 competitive closed road stages in the state of Tasmania, Australia.-Stages:-Modern... |
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 911 Turbo (996) |
| 2002 | 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 911 Turbo (996) |
| 2003 | 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 911 GT3 CS (996) |
| 2004 | Tony Sullens | Julia Rabbett | Subaru Impreza WRX STi S202 |
| 2005 | Jason White | John White | Nissan Skyline GT-R V-Spec N1 |
| 2006 | 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 | 2003 Porsche 911 GT2 Porsche 911 GT2 The Porsche 911 GT2 is a sports car built by the German manufacturer Porsche since 1994. It is based on the 911 Turbo, and uses a similar twin-turbocharged engine, but features numerous upgrades, including engine upgrades, larger brakes, and stiffer suspension calibration... CS (996) |
| 2007 | Tony Sullens | Julia Barkley | 1999 Subaru Impreza WRX Subaru Impreza WRX The Subaru Impreza WRX is a turbocharged version of the Subaru Impreza, an all-wheel drive, four-door passenger vehicle. It is available as a sedan or wagon.... Type RA |
| 2008 2008 Targa Tasmania The 2008 Targa Tasmania was the seventeenth running of the five day Tarmac Rally event. It was held between 15 April 2008 and 20 April 2008 on 38 competitive closed road stages in the state of Tasmania, Australia... |
Steve Glenney | Bernie Webb | Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution IX RS |
| 2009 | Tony Quinn | Naomi Tillett | Nissan GT-R Nissan GT-R The Nissan GT-R is a sports car produced by Nissan released in Japan on December 6, 2007, the United States on July 4, 2008, and the rest of the world in March 2009.-History:... |
| 2010 | Jason White | John White | Lamborghini Gallardo Lamborghini Gallardo The Lamborghini Gallardo is a sports car built by Lamborghini. The Gallardo is Lamborghini's most-produced model to date, with over 10,000 built in its first seven years of production... Super Trofeo Strata |
| 2011 | Tony Quinn | Naomi Tillett | Nissan GT-R Nissan GT-R The Nissan GT-R is a sports car produced by Nissan released in Japan on December 6, 2007, the United States on July 4, 2008, and the rest of the world in March 2009.-History:... |
Classic Competition
| Year | Driver | Navigator | Vehicle |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1998 | Peter Fitzgerald | Michael Petersen | Porsche |
| 1999 | Robert White | Angus Macleod | Sunbeam |
| 2000 | Jeremy Browne | Stella Plenderleith | Lancia |
| 2001 2001 Targa Tasmania The 2001 Targa Tasmania was the tenth running of the Tarmac Rally event and saw the event extended to a six day format to mark the decade milestone. It was held between 18 April 2001 and 24 April 2001 on 54 competitive closed road stages in the state of Tasmania, Australia.-Stages:-Modern... |
Paul Stuart | Mark Connolly | Porsche |
| 2002 | Rex Broadbent | Michael Goedheer | Porsche |
| 2003 | Graham Copeland | Jon Siddens | Datsun |
| 2004 | Nick Ellis | Tracy Williams | Ford |
| 2005 | Michael Conway | Simon Gardiner | Ford |
| 2006 | Ian Morris | Alex Molocznyk | 1981 Alfa Romeo GTV6 |
| 2007 | Rex Broadbent | Michael Goedheer | 1974 Porsche 911 RS Porsche 911 classic The original Porsche 911 was a sports car made by Porsche AG of Stuttgart, Germany. The famous, distinctive, and durable design was introduced in autumn 1963 and built until 1989... |
| 2008 2008 Targa Tasmania The 2008 Targa Tasmania was the seventeenth running of the five day Tarmac Rally event. It was held between 15 April 2008 and 20 April 2008 on 38 competitive closed road stages in the state of Tasmania, Australia... |
Rex Broadbent | Lilleyman | 1974 Porsche 911 RS Porsche 911 classic The original Porsche 911 was a sports car made by Porsche AG of Stuttgart, Germany. The famous, distinctive, and durable design was introduced in autumn 1963 and built until 1989... |
Notable competitors
Notable past and current competitors have included Andrew Miedecke, Barry SheeneBarry Sheene
Barry Stephen Frank Sheene MBE was a British World Champion Grand Prix motorcycle road racer.-Early life:...
, Bob Wollek
Bob Wollek
Bob Wollek , nicknamed "Brilliant Bob", was a race car driver from Strasbourg, France. He was killed on March 16, 2001 at age 57 in a road accident in Florida while riding a bicycle back to his accommodation after the day's practice sessions for the following day's race, the 12 Hours of...
, Denny Hulme
Denny Hulme
Denis Clive "Denny" Hulme, OBE was a New Zealand racing driver, the 1967 Formula One World Champion for the Brabham team....
, Dick Johnson
Dick Johnson (Australian auto racing)
Dick Johnson is the owner of the V8 Supercar team Dick Johnson Racing and a former racing driver. As a driver, he was a five-time Australian Touring Car Champion and a three-time winner of the Bathurst 1000...
, Glenn Ridge
Glenn Ridge
Glenn Daryl Ridge is an Australian television presenter and owner and managing director of the Q Media Group, a production company which produces television specials and documentaries....
, Greg Crick, Gregg Hansford
Gregg Hansford
Gregg Hansford was an Australian motorcycle and touring car racer.-Racing career:Hansford began racing motorcycles in Australia, winning the 1973 500cc Unlimited title, as well as competing in the New Zealand Marlboro Series in 1975/76 and 1977/78 on Team Kawasaki 750s. He also won one leg of the...
, Sir Jack Brabham
Jack Brabham
Sir John Arthur "Jack" Brabham, AO, OBE is an Australian former racing driver who was Formula One champion in , and . He was a founder of the Brabham racing team and race car constructor that bore his name....
, 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...
, Jochen Mass
Jochen Mass
Jochen Richard Mass is a former race car driver from Germany.He participated in 114 Formula One World Championship Grands Prix, debuting on July 14, 1973 at the British Grand Prix...
, Steven Richards
Steven Richards
Steven Richards is a New Zealand racing driver, currently competing in the with the team. He previously raced in the V8 Supercar series for Ford Performance Racing....
, Michael Doohan
Michael Doohan
Michael "Mick" Doohan AM is a former Grand Prix motorcycle road racing World Champion, who won five consecutive 500 cc World Championships. Only Giacomo Agostini with eight and Valentino Rossi with seven have won more.-Biography:Originally from the Gold Coast, near Brisbane, Doohan attended St...
, Murray Walker
Murray Walker
Graeme Murray Walker, OBE is a former Formula One motorsport commentator...
, Neal Bates
Neal Bates
Neal Bates is an Australian rally and racing car driver. Throughout his career Bates has been associated with Toyota in the Australian Rally Championship and for 19 years his Neal Bates Motorsport outfit ran Toyota's official rally program in Australia...
, Peter Brock
Peter Brock
Peter 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...
, Peter Fitzgerald, Roger Clark
Roger Clark
Roger Albert Clark, MBE, was a British rally driver during the 1960s and '70s, and the first competitor from his country to win a World Rally Championship event when he triumphed at the 1976 RAC Rally.-Biography:...
, Rusty French, Sandro Munari
Sandro Munari
Sandro Munari is a former motor racing and rally driver from Italy.-Career:Born at Cavarzere, Veneto, Sandro Munari began rallying in 1965 and won the Italian Rally Championship in 1967 and 1969, adding the European Rally Championship title in 1973. In 1972 he won the Targa Florio sports car...
, Sir Stirling Moss
Stirling Moss
Sir Stirling Craufurd Moss, OBE FIE is a former racing driver from England...
, Alister McRae
Alister McRae
Alister McRae is a Scottish rally driver, who competed in the World Rally Championship. He is the son of the five-time British Rally Champion Jimmy McRae and the younger brother of the late 1995 World Rally Champion, Colin McRae...
, Walter Röhrl
Walter Röhrl
Walter Röhrl is a German rally and auto racing driver, with victories for Fiat, Opel, Lancia and Audi as well as Porsche, Ford and BMW.-Career:...
and Eric Bana
Eric Bana
Eric Bana is an Australian film and television actor. He began his career as a comedian in the sketch comedy series Full Frontal before gaining critical recognition in the biopic Chopper...
.