Stories from Past Events

Since the inaugural Targa Tasmania in 1992, Tarmac Rally has evolved considerably in Australia. Events have come and gone, regulations have changed. Equipment requirements have become stricter, reflecting the sport’s dangerous reputation, unfortunately based on some sad statistics. My first involvement in tarmac rally in Targa Tasmania 2004 was in my 124CC, prepared as a Standard Specification (SS) car, now referred to as C1. I had another go in 2005, again in SS, before deciding to uprate to Limited Modified Specification (LMS), now known as C2. All along, the car had also been prepared to the specifications for Group S historic racing. The car’s first outing as a C2 tarmac rally car was in Classic Adelaide 2007. We managed to get through the event, but the car struggled through its brittle nature, mainly resulting from attempts to meet both C2 and Group S requirements. At the end of the event, I sat down with the car’s chief overseer, Peter Axford, proprietor of Eurosport Automotive. We resolved that if we were to prepare a fast and reliable tarmac rally car, the Group S concept would have to go. I was reluctant to do so, as Norm Singleton had put a lot of thought and effort into the C2/Group S development. I still believe that the car at that point was about as good as we could have hoped to achieve. But if I wanted a fast and reliable tarmac rally car, it was time to move on. 2008 was the year of development. The big changes for the car involved carburetion and brakes. The engine was rebuilt, using the same head, and again with a 1.5 mm overbore block, but this time with twin Weber 45 carburettors. In so doing, we gained power and throttle response and lost the dreaded pinging that had plagued us before. The brakes were beefed up, with new 15x7 Performance wheels giving us room to fit Alfa 147 ventilated rotors on the front, with 4 pot callipers from an RX-7. The back stayed standard, apart from the substitution of 125 callipers for the 124 version, to provide a bigger piston, helping to balance the front and rear brakes. We had engineered out the brake fade problems experienced in 2007, and the bigger rolling diameter helped to increase the top speed capability, which had been reduced by changing the final drive ratio from 4.3:1 to 4.78:1. The diff had also received a clutch plate style LSD centre, which is kinder to the axles. The car had a couple of runs at Mallala in 2008, which proved to be useful testing. 2009 rolled around, and it was time to use the car, and see whether we had achieved our fast and reliable tarmac rally car. The supersprint season, as well as being loads of fun, was a great testing ground. The car had 5 outings to Mallala, with a fastest time now down to 1:26.25. We also ran it in the 2 day Adelaide Hills Tarmac Rally. The only area that has needed to be addressed all year was the drive train, which needed to be replaced, as the yokes were worn, and prone to chewing the universal joint. Our fast and reliable tarmac rally car was ready for Classic Adelaide 2009. The event started for us with the BEA Motor Show in Victoria Square on Sunday, 15 November. The organisers wanted as many marques as possible, so it was great to have the 124 Sport on display. We scrutineered on Monday and only had to attend to one minor item regarding our harness crutch straps. The car showed how much high quality hard work had been put in at Eurosport. Thanks to all concerned. Wednesday, 18th November – Prologue The Prologue was run up the Eagle on the Hill stage, and results were posted very promptly on the Classic Adelaide website. That augured well, and flew in the face of some pretty average admin to that point, particularly in the communications department. I guess it’s like any big show; it’s alright if it’s alright on the night! The car went very well, but our time had me a little perplexed. Casting an eye down the list at those in our wake, I thought there was some foxing going on! Regardless, the event's only Fiat posted a respectable time to sit mid-field in the event overall. We were pleased with the result, and happy with the car. Can't ask for much more than that! Thursday, 19 November - Day One A stinking hot 43 degree day greeted us for Day One. We started off well, pushing the 124 through Upper Hermitage in what turned out to be a competitive time, placing us 23rd out of 46 cars in Late Classic. I was happy with the stage, but said to Graham that we might just back off a little. We headed onwards through Anstey Hill Plus and Chain of Ponds to meet our service crew, Dale Ashby and Bruno Franchi at morning tea in Gumeracha. Michael Bridges, who has been a vital person in preparing the car at Eurosport, was also at morning tea. The car was handling well, and developing good power, even in the heat. After Gumeracha, we pushed on through to lunch, bypassing Menglers Hill Down, which had been downgraded pre-event due to roadwork. After a long lunch, we toured down to the start of Kersbrook Reverse, and joined a long queue. We then received news from Dale that he, Bruno, and Michael had witnessed a bad accident on the stage, probably fatal. Soon after, news was breaking of the tragic loss of Gary Tierney and David Carra in Car 505, a very competitive 1974 Porsche 911. We were deeply saddened by the news, but continued on in the rally, in the spirit that Gary and David would have wanted. They died doing something they loved, but we share the grief at their passing, and our thoughts are very much with their loved ones. Checker Hill was next, after a re-route, followed by a great run on Castambul, which had been shortened, and was actually the same as Corkscrew in years gone by. Our time of 7:25.1 compared to the 2007 result of 7:42.8 shows just how far the 124 had come. We serviced at Eurosport with a car needing nothing more than a chamois. At the end of the first day, we were 22nd in Late Classic, 23rd in Heritage and holding first place in class and category. Friday, 20th November - Day Two The day commenced with a solemn minute's silence for the crew of Car 505, Gary Tierney and David Carra, before the first car left the start point. Additionally, all cars had a black stripe of tape placed over the left headlight, serving the same end as the traditional black armband in other sports. Although hearts were heavy, our heads needed to be focused as we started the day at Coromandel. It was dry, but the sky was threatening, and there had been overnight rain. At least the temperature had dropped. We progressed steadily through Coromandel, Wickhams Hill and Willunga Hill before morning tea in Yankalilla. Apart from a bit of dampness at the top of Willunga Hill that made it a bit slippery, it had been dry. That came to an end on Inman Valley and Sawpit. Both stages were wet, which slowed us and others down on what were very fast stages. After lunch in Goolwa, we reacquainted ourselves with the dry over Crows Nest and Mount Compass before heading on to Strathalbyn. It lived up to its reputation as one of the best tarmac rally stages in the country. We were all set to continue on Flaxley Plus, but the stage was downgraded due to a lack of officials. It was a shame, particularly for the hard working volunteers that missed out on running their stage. Speaking for all competitors, we are enormously grateful for the time that the volunteers put in during an event such as Classic Adelaide. The car had again performed really well. Apart from a small electrical glitch with the horn, we had nothing to fix, and just buffed it up ready for the Gouger Street Party. Graham had called as well as ever, and we didn't have any hairy moments. All in all, it was a good day. Results wise, we sat 23rd in both Late Classic and Heritage, and maintained our class lead, but dropped back to second in category behind the hard charging black Ford XA GT of Hagen Zerk and Peter Jones. Saturday, 21st November - Day Three We awoke to very gray skies and a threatening look to the clouds hanging over the Adelaide Hills. Our weather concerns were confirmed as we pulled up to the start of Montacute. It was very wet, and low cloud was reducing visibility part way in to the stage. The one bright aspect in the gloom was the smiling face of Sav, another of the Eurosport team. A nearby resident, Sav always gets to the start of Montacute. It is one of the most demanding stages in terms of length and corner number and type. The co-drivers really need to nail it. Right on cue, Graham had a blinder, and although we progressed cautiously, our time showed how good the Fiat is in the wet, placing us 20th on the stage. Although the wet conditions are challenging, in some ways it was easier to drive, as we were slower, and I had more time. Suffice to say, mistakes could be costly, and thankfully we had a clean run. Piccadilly was similar before morning tea in Balhannah. Next on the menu was Ironbank, followed by Scott Bottom. Both went well on drying roads. After the traditional superb lunch in Macclesfield, we tackled Stafford Ridge. Gorge Road followed, and after a lengthy wait we faced Teringie to round out the day. A new stage, but on familiar ground, as we climbed New Norton Summit Road, before rounding the pub at the top, and heading back down Old Norton Summit Road. The pub corner had stacks of people taking advantage of a great spectator spot. The car was again unscathed, making service light work, before parking the car in The Parade for the inaugural Norwood Street Party. We had a great night eating lovely Thai food at Chabaar, amongst excellent company including Peter Axford and his wife Helen, the crew of Car 443, Richard Woodward and David McCrow and their service crew, and my wife Michelle, and three kids, Tom, Lucy and Ben. At three quarter time in the rally, we sat in 21st place in Late Classic, 20th in Heritage and still first in class and second in category. Sunday, 22nd November - Day Four The final day commenced with an early start, and cloud on the hills. We toured through Torrens, the cancelled town stage near Adelaide Zoo and then headed up to the start of Mount Lofty Plus on Greenhill Road. Michelle and the kids joined up with her brother Craig, his wife Moyra-Anne and kids Jack and Mia, who live near the start. They waved madly to us, and then settled in to watch the 124 launch off the line. The stage was dry early on the steep sections, but damp on the flatter sections at the top, particularly under the cover of trees. After successfully negotiating Mount Lofty Plus, we had morning tea in Mount Barker, and then knocked off Echunga and Macclesfield before starting the longest stage of the event, Paris Creek Long. We had a long wait prior to getting going. Just before leaving, we discovered that the crew starting 30 seconds before us in Car 302, the lovely Mustang of Michael Lamprell and Tas Orme, were unaware of the restricted speed zone (RSZ) being used on the stage. Like a chicane, the RSZ is used to reduce the average speed of the stage to less than 132 km/h. In essence, the car had to pass over 2.25 km in 2.25 minutes, which is an average of 60 km/h. We had it all planned, using a stop watch, the terratrip nav computer, and plain old speedo and tacho readings. Michael and Tas decided to use the tacho, as they didn't have other means. As it turned out, we caught them just as we entered the RSZ. Michael waved us through, and stuck to our tail through to the end of the zone. Problem solved! He said that the 124 looked great as we weaved left and right through some beautiful flowing corners. Paris Creek was an absolute treat to drive, particularly with Graham calling brilliantly. Feeling euphoric, we headed off to lunch in McLaren Vale needing to remind ourselves that we had 3 stages to go, and must not let complacency ruin our rally. Surprisingly, we had an extended lunch break prior to striking out for the finish. Dale and Bruno had met us again, as they did at every break. We arranged a quick refuel on the way to start Chapel Hill. Next we tackled the penultimate stage, Clarendon. Graham produced another flawless call. He had a couple of small lapses during the event, but never when it counted. The only error on Clarendon came when I confused one of his calls, but the visual picture quickly took absolute priority, and we safely negotiated the turn involved. With Clarendon behind us, we headed to Windy Point for one last, brief stage. After a little wait, we took off down the hill in a conservative mood, and then crossed the line with the mood changing to elation. A short tour down to the great new finish spot on King William Road in Hyde Park, and we headed up over the ramp to receive our finisher's medallions. An unexpected and delightful touch was to have Mike Coles on our tail in the X1/9 as we toured through to the finish. A little piece of Fiat camaraderie that made the moment all the sweeter. The crowd were great, and it was lovely to see many familiar faces amongst the gathered throng. After parking the car, and finding that service crew were unable to join us for the traditional beer in the official tent at the finish, we gate crashed the Scuderia Alfa gathering being held nearby. For those not acquainted, Scuderia Alfa is the team name for a bunch of great guys with Alfas, who make a point of excelling at the art of 6 hour regularity competitions. Peter Axford is a member of the team, and had met us at the finish, and offered the Scuderia gathering as an alternative for our end of event beers. The Scuderia guys are a fantastic group, and as Fiat is the parent company of Alfa Romeo, they always welcome the Fiat as one of their own. They are great to sprint with at Mallala, and I couldn't think of a better setting to savour an ale at the end of the rally. Thanks guys. When we headed home to get ready for the Presentation Dinner, we made sure to check the results. We were very satisfied to find that we had ended up 18th in Late Classic, 17th in Heritage and first in class. We were also first in category, which was an outstanding result, although only achieved through the unfortunate demise of Hagen Zerk and Peter Jones in the big black Ford XA GT. Unfortunately, the rear engine seal had let go at the end of the Macclesfield stage, and they had to withdraw. Motorsport is cruel sometimes, and Hagen and Peter, in their first rally, had done such a great job, in a great car and really deserved the win. We'll take the category win, but would like to acknowledge what a top effort it was from all of Hagen's crew. So that's it. A rally of extremes. Extreme weather, extreme tragedy and sadness, and finally extreme elation and satisfaction flowing from our best ever tarmac rally result. I would like to pay tribute, and say a huge thank you to Peter Axford and the Eurosport team of Sav, Michael and Steven. They are mechanics with the old approach that like to fix things, not just replace things. However, they also have the knowledge, experience and equipment to diagnose and fix modern cars. Whether it’s your daily drive, your concourse beauty or your racing car, they have the skills, equipment and contacts to do the job. Amongst the team, they have a diversity of skills and talents that make Eurosport a very capable operation. Add to that service and friendliness that is the best in town, and you have absolutely no excuse to take your car anywhere else. I also want to highlight the efforts of the initial creator of the car, Fiat stalwart and wise mentor Norm Singleton from Queensland. Norm shows the same persistence and standards in preparing cars for others that is so evident in his own list of successes. And that list is long and distinguished. Thanks also for the great encouragement and service from Dale Ashby and Bruno Franchi. Last, but not in any way least, thanks to a youthful looking Standen that people keep calling my brother. He is my father, and I'm very proud to say that he is a great co-driver. Classic Adelaide 2009 contrasted heavily with the 2007 event for us. The much sought after reliability allowed us to concentrate on the important stuff, and enjoy the rally in a more relaxed state. It has occurred to me that our main achievement over the two years has been to turn a Fiat into a Fart. Everywhere I drive the car, people delight in reminding me what Fiat stands for. We’ve all heard the tired old “Fix It Again Tony” line so many times. I’m proud that I can now correct them, and point out that Peter Axford and the Eurosport boys have instead turned the car into a Fart. That is a Fast And Reliable Tarmac rally car!

The 2009 ASP/Cut Price Adelaide Hills Tarmac Rally was held 30-31 May. Run by the Southern Districts Car Club, the event was expanded from 1 to 2 days this year, over 10 stages each day. Saturday had a field of 58, including competitors in Round 1 of the SA Rally Championship, running over the same stages as the Tarmac Rally. The Tarmac Rally itself had a field of 39. There were 2 Fiats in the field, including the Punto Grande Abarth Diesel of Phil Buggee and Paul Freame, seeded 24th, and the 124 Sport CC of Guy and Graham Standen, seeded 36th. The family theme was a Fiat feature, as the service crew for the Punto were Bill Freame and Aiden Buggee. Very much a father/son event! FLCCSA member Andrew Coles was also entered, but unfortunately he had another aborted start in a rally with David Rudzitis in a Subaru Legacy, after the car ran into ignition system problems. True to form, Andrew was his normal cheery self though, chatting with competitors at the Penny’s Hill Winery Service Park in McLaren Vale, and fitting in a bit of spectating. Perhaps next year the rally gods will be kinder!

The first leg ran through stages 1 to 3, taking crews from McLaren Vale south to the Mt Compass area, before returning to Penny’s Hill for service. The rally ran in seeded order, with 1 minute between each car. A to A timing was used, meaning that each crew was given a time to start a competitive stage, then an allowed time to get to the control at the start of the next competitive stage. Penalties were applied for crews entering control either early or late, helping to keep the rally running in order. Willunga Hill 1 was the first stage, flowed by Yundi 1 and Tooperang 1. Willunga Hill was the same stage as used in Classic Adelaide, but Yundi and Tooperang are specific to the ASP Rally. Chicanes were used, and were extremely tight. Both Fiats got away to a reasonable start.

After a quick service, the cars headed off to do the first 3 stages again, followed by the first runs through Hindmarsh Tiers 1 and Crows Nest 1. The latter 2 stages have both been used in Classic Adelaide as well. Doing a stage for a second time in one day was new for the Standens, but was actually really good fun. A chance to go again over a stage fresh in the memory gave crews a chance to fix up any glitches from the first run, whilst still keeping the necessary safety margin. After pushing a fraction too hard at the Mt Alma Hillclimb, Guy had the safety margin toward the fore of his thinking! After a solid 5 stages, the crews headed in to Victor Harbor for service. After a quick bite to eat, it was off again for the last 2 stages of the day.

Hindmarsh Tiers 2 and Crows Nest 2 completed the 10 competitive stages for the day, and the crews headed back to Penny’s Hill for service, then put the cars to bed in parc ferme. Both Fiats had good starts to the rally. The Punto was 18th and the 124 21st out of the 27 entrants in the Tarmac Rally that completed all the stages. 12 entrants had fallen by the way side, including 2 withdrawals before the start. Notable exits included Steve Glenney, whose left rear wheel departed company with his Commodore on the second run up Willunga Hill. It had been a great day. Lovely weather, and both the Punto and the 124 had not missed a beat. 3 fathers and 3 sons headed off content with the day’s efforts.

Day 2 kicked off with 3 stages – Blewitt Springs 1, Clarendon Short 1 and Wickhams Hill 1. The first 2 were adaptations of Classic Adelaide stages, whilst the last was a Classic Adelaide stage in its entirety. The carnage, both mechanical and mishap wise, had been significant on Day 1. That continued on the first stage of Day 2, with Nick Streckeisen crashing out whilst pushing for the lead. Overnight leader Sam Brand followed on Wickhams Hill 1. Hamish Gibson was also gone with a head gasket blowing. The Fiats pressed on regardless, and serviced back at Penny’s Hill, prior to the next leg.

On the road again, it was the same menu as the leg before. Blewitt Springs in particular was great to run over again. It is a much better tarmac stage than the Chapel Hill stage in Classic Adelaide from which it has sprung. Photographers seemed to really enjoy the stage, getting some great shots at some of the challenging 90 degree turns. The carnage of the morning subsided, and the Fiats were both among the field on return to Penny’s Hill for the last service of the event.

A longer transport met the crews as they headed out for the last time. The four stages in the last leg included 2 runs each over Macclesfield and McHargs Creek. Macclesfield was a cut down version of the Classic Adelaide stage, starting well in to the stage, and finishing at the same point near Strathalbyn. McHargs Creek was a new stage, and a real little beauty. A twisty up hill start, with a sharp blind crest, then down the hill in to a lovely little valley, before a climb up into the forest, with some really sharp uphill turns to cap it off. The weather threatened, particularly on the last run over McHargs Creek, but the rain held off. All that remained was a long transport back to Penny’s Hill for the finish.

Both Fiats had finished, and placed well. The Buggee/Freame Punto finished 11th, doing the entire event on a miserly 55 litres of biodiesel. Phil and Paul are both great champions of the use of biodiesel. They cop the inevitable ribbing about the fish and chips smells very well, and do a great job of promoting the Fiat. The Standens’ 124 finished in 13th, which was very pleasing given that the car was seeded 36th. Even with all the carnage, there were still quite a few higher seeds that finished behind the little coupe. The event was won by Andrew Burnard and Brian Virgo in a Mitsubishi Evo 8. They had run strongly all event, and were delighted with the win.

In summary, the 2009 ASP/Cut Price Adelaide Hills Tarmac Rally was great. Really well run, with some excellent stages, and many friendly faces amongst the tireless volunteers that made the event happen. The Southern Districts Car Club are to be commended for their excellent management of the event. It is far and away the best value for money tarmac rally available. Fiat wise, the Punto notched up more firsts in its pioneering push into the world of biodiesel motorsport, and the 124 coupe came through a solid workout intact, and seems to be finding some long sought after reliability. If you would like to read more about the event, go to www.asprally.com . There are also quite a few photos around on various sites. A quick search will yield some great shots. The SDCC will be running the event again next year, planning to run 29-30 May 2010. Pencil it in if you would like to spectate.

One Week To Go!!

This time next week, the crew will have completed documentation, and the car will be sailing through scrutineering. Stickers are about to go on, so watch for new photos.

Tues 20th November

Scrutineering went well yesterday. The car has a "Ready to Start" sticker for the prologue tomorrow. Crew Briefing will be on tonight at 1800. We will be arriving at the prologue between 1300 and 1320 tomorrow, probably getting underway around 1400.

Wed 21 Nov - Prologue

The prologue has been run and the pecking order for the rally established. We made it through, but suffered from a mystery loss of power during the early part of our run. As a result, the time was much slower than it might have been. The positive side is that we have now changed fuel filters and pumps, checked the electrics thoroughly, and stripped the carby down. Hopefully, we have put the glitch behind us. All the prologue result does is rank the field for the rally proper. As we are slower, we will start earlier, which has benefits in that we will have less cars chasing us down during stages, and we will finish earlier each afternoon. All in all, not too bad. I just hope we have the problem fixed! Thanks to everyone for the text messages, emails and greetings along the way. Lovely to see the Qld crew in town! Check back again tomorrow for how we have fared on Day 1. The weather forecast is good, and we are ready!

Thur 22 Nov - Day 1

Greetings all. We are through Day 1 without any major hassles. A minor coolant issue, and a small Terratrip nav computer problem, but no big issues. Graham settled in well to the left seat, and called the notes really well. I managed to steer us clear of any trouble. Our slow prologue time had us in amongst the Historic cars. I guess its nice to catch and pass cars, but something built after 1930 would be the shot! We did actually catch a Porsche 356 on the last stage. It might be an old one, but we still cleaned up a porker! No return of our power loss problem from yesterday, so overall, we're really pleased. We are placed 2nd in our class, and 60th in the Late Classic competition. In the Heritage competition, which combines all the fields and has a handicap basis, we are 87th. As our aim is to finish on Sunday, we feel we are on track, and the day was a success. More tomorrow, although a bit later, as we will be in town at the Gouger St Party until after 10 pm. If you are in town, we will be in the Gouger Fish Cafe. Come and say hi!

Fri 23 Nov - Day 2

Sorry I'm a bit later tonight. Back from the street party a bit late after putting the car to bed. Just quickly before I turn in myself, we have had a good day. The car ran well, and we have moved in to 1st in our class, 54th in Late Classic and 81st in Heritage. Some eye-wateringly quick stages today. A few trials and tribulations with mechanical issues, such as losing a bolt that held the alternator in place, and hence flattening the battery. It is charging up now, and will be ready for tomorrow. All in all, we remain on track, with our goal firmly in our minds - finish!! Back again tomorrow.

Sat 24th Nov - Day 3

We're back home safe and sound after a great day's racing. Thoroughly enjoyable, but it seems not very quick. The results show that we have dropped back to 2nd in class. We still have a lead over a BMW2002 and a Lotus Elan, and an Alfa 105 that had a problem earlier in the event. The good news is that we have surrendered the class lead to one of the Alfa 105s in our team. Dale Ashby and Bruno Franchi had a flyer today, and have a 40 sec lead. They have some clutch problems, but the wonderful service crew from Eurosport Automotive will have them up and running again tomorrow, ready for the run to the finish. There has been a bit of carnage today, so we have actually moved up in the overall standings. we are now 50th in Late Classic, and 75th in Heritage. The car is running very well. However, we noticed a thump underneath during the second out of today's nine stages. We continued on, and found at the end of the day that we had broken an upper control arm on the right rear suspension. I'm sure it didn't really hinder us much. We were slower mainly out of respect for some pretty awesome stages! Basket Range was a highlight. So the car is settling in for its last night in the carpark in town, and we are preparing for the final run to the finish. Eight more stages, then the big Finish in East Terrace tomorrow afternoon. If you would like to come down to watch, I'm sure it will be a great occasion. The Finish is from 1400, and we are running at the front of the field, so we should be an early finisher. I'll get an update on here tomorrow afternoon, prior to the Presentation Dinner tomorrow night.

Sun 25th Nov - Day 4

We did it! A great day's driving, with a very stressful conclusion. We finished 3rd in class, 42nd in Late Classic and 66th in Heritage. The day started with a terrific run through Montacute, one of the best tarmac rally stages in the country. Mt Lofty and Piccadilly were also great, followed by Echunga before morning tea. Paris Creek was next, and we flew through the stage, posting our most competitive result for the rally. At lunch, we were within 20 seconds of the class lead. From there, it started to go downhill. The car would not start after lunch. Our alternator was not charging the battery, and it was flat. we did the last three stages on the last few ergs left, experiencing some worrying power losses on Clarendon, where we lost 30 seconds to the class leaders. We limped through Windy Point, and just made it to the finish, with not even enough spare electrons to run the indicators! But we made it. All in all, a great result, with wonderful support from so many people. Our service crew - Michael Bruno from Eurosport, with Peter Axford over the weekend, as well as Neil and Craig Nottage, my brother in law and father in law. Many thanks also to our sponsors, Golding Builders, Turin Imports and Eurosport Automotive. We're off to the Presentation Dinner now, to bring home a Classic Adelaide Trophy! Cheers to all, and thanks for the interest and support.

I have just arrived back from Targa Tasmania 2004. It was a fantastic experience, made possible by many, including some of our membership. I thought I’d write a bit about it, mainly because I really want to acknowledge their support. Here goes…

THE EVENT

Targa Tasmania is a tarmac rally conducted under FIA regulations, running for the 13th time in 2004. For heaps of info have a look at the Targa web site at www.targa.org.au .As a quick overview, the event has four competitions: Modern, Classic, Historic, and Touring Classic. Additionally, there are two non-competitive subsections: Thoroughbred Sport and the Tour. Within each competition, entrants are grouped according to vehicle age, engine capacity and modification status. Categories are groupings according to vehicle age and modification. Categories are broken down further into classes, according to engine capacity.Competition begins with a prologue, held each year in Georgetown, at the mouth of the Tamar River in Tasmania’s north. It consists of a street sprint, about 5 km long.

Competitors start the next day in a “reverse seeded” order, determined by times from the prologue. Five days of gruelling tarmac rally driving follow, with each day divided up into competitive Targa stages, linked by Touring stages. The number and length of stages vary, averaging 9 Targa stages each day, varying from just over 3 km to 47 km in length. Cars are started at 30 second intervals, so on the longer stages, passing does become an issue.

On each Targa stage, competitors are concerned with two times. Firstly, the base time. Each stage has a base time set. That time is then factored depending on the car’s age, engine capacity and modification status – a sort of handicapping system. Base times are used to determine outright placings, and class and category positions. Any time on top of the base time is penalty time. The car with the least penalty time wins. Once penalty time is accrued, it can’t be erased. That is, there is no credit for doing a stage under the base time.

Secondly, the Trophy time. It is set to be well outside the base time, and quite achievable by all, thus the handicapping is not applied. The Trophy time is amended by road condition though. If a competitor manages to complete every Targa stage under the Trophy time, they qualify for a Targa Trophy. If they come back year after year, and continue to qualify for the Targa Trophy each year, they receive a Gold Trophy after 3 in a row. If in the future they string another 3 in a row, they receive a Platinum Trophy. Another 3 in a row at some point, and it’s a Diamond Trophy. The ultimate thus far is the Golden Diamond Trophy, achieved by adding a fourth string of 3 trophies. That remarkable achievement has only been achieved once – this year in fact, by Reg Kenny in a Jaguar Mk2.

THE CAR

Our entry in Targa 2004 was #529, a 1973 Fiat 124 Sports coupe, categorised 5SSB. I found the car listed in “The Courier Mail” in June last year. It was unregistered, but in pretty reasonable condition. I decided it was “the car”. Not knowing where to start with the daunting project of preparing the car for Targa, I rang Italia Spares to get some advice. Half way through my spiel about the project, James stopped me, and recommended Norm Singleton. I rang Norm to run the idea by him, and in due course, the car arrived at his workshop. So we started. Building a Targa car from scratch is a big task. Decisions were needed all the way regarding modification status, with regular referral to the regulations to make sure the car was compliant. Choosing the right gear was important, both for the complete overhaul of what we started with, and addition of new stuff, such as seats, harnesses, wheels, tyres etc.

The plan was to build the car to Standard Specification (SS) in Targa, and also to be log booked as a Group Sc historic race car. That meant having to consider two sets of regulations. SS in Targa is quite strict, meaning that SS cars are very original, with minimal modification allowed. That then gives a time advantage over Limited Modified (LMS) and Modified (MS) cars.

The car was initially prepared just to get it out on the track and use it, then as Norm said, “to see what fell off”. After several months, the car had a full roll cage, seats and safety equipment fitted, and a good going over mechanically, but still using what we started with. The interior had all been done, albeit to a race car standard, not a concourse one! It was then registered (carrying the plates OOH 124) and log booked for historic racing.

We then started out with a run at Queensland Raceway at a GEAR day. Golden Era of Auto Racing (GEAR) hold track days about 4 times a year. The days are excellent value for money, loads of fun, not competitive, and a great way to start out in motor sport. The car ran well, in fact nothing fell off! So we continued, with the first competitive outing being the Noosa Hill Climb in November 2003. That was the first event for both driver and car, but we managed to avoid the dreaded walls, and recorded a best time of 71.37, which was second in class.

At that point, we decided it was time for the big rebuild. Engine, gearbox, clutch, drive train, diff, brakes and suspension all had to be done. I think it speaks volumes for the versatility, knowledge and skill of Norm Singleton that he did almost all the work. His advice and experience proved absolutely invaluable throughout the project, but doubly so during the rebuild.

The car was ready for action again in late February 2004. I then competed in a supersprint at Morgan Park and the Historic Mt Cotton Hill Climb 2004. The latter event was only a month out from Targa, which meant keeping it on the black stuff was vital. On thinking about it, that really is excellent preparation for Targa! It was all about avoiding the dreaded “red mist” that seems to afflict novice drivers.

HOW WE DID IT

So!! We were ready. The car passed the pre-event inspection up here in Queensland, and I stated to pack up ready for the journey to Tassie. All the stickers went on, and it started to really look like a Targa car! Most of the stickers were from Targa, but others were made, including for my sponsors, Ultimate Positioning (a GPS surveying equipment company) and Harvey Norman Tasmania. We also had a sign for Norm’s new outfit Fiat Abarth Classic Racing. Have a look at his new web site at www.fiatabarthclassicracing.com.au.

The logistics of doing a Targa are enormous. Just getting there, three locations in Tassie, service crew, accommodation, spares, tools – quite a lot to think about. I took Norm’s advice and trucked the car to Sydney, then embarked on Spirit of Tasmania III for the journey to Devonport. The weather was fine on the way down the NSW coast. I enjoyed a lovely red with dinner and retired to my cabin for a good night’s sleep. Being a pilot, and not having ever had airsickness problems, seasickness didn’t appear to be a problem. WRONG!!! Maybe the wine didn’t help, but cutting across the 8 metre swell was too much for me. Not much fun at all. I would highly recommend medication for anyone considering the crossing down the track.

We finally reached Devonport. I drove off the boat full of anticipation. Targa people welcomed us, and I set off for Launceston. Halfway there, the bonnet catch let go! Only one catch needed on a front-hinged bonnet, but they still do fly up. That area will receive some attention on my car. I had it welded up by a kind friend-of-a friend in Launie, and it was fine from there on.

On arrival in Launie, the logistics planning all started to come together. Having been raised in Tassie, I was fortunate to be able to accommodate all crew with friends and family all around the state. I am most grateful to all involved. It really says something about the generosity of the Tassie people that they were prepared to put up total strangers. They really pitched in for the cause!

The first real Targa stuff started on Sunday, 25th April. Documentation and Scrutineering. That was also the first meeting with my navigator, my sister Alison. My father Graham, a service crew member came along too. Quite a big show, with six stations, each checking different areas on the car. Vehicle weighing, crew weighing (gulp!), ID’s to pick up, meal coupons, service crew info, function tickets and a memorable moment – putting on the Targa number plates! We made it through the whole process drama free, and headed off to the welcome function. That event featured “party tapes” from previous years that highlight, amongst other things, some big prangs. As Alison pointed out, just what a slightly nervous new crew wanted to see!!

Monday was school day. First timer’s briefing followed by the main crew briefing. All sorts of stuff presented, most of it quite well, but I can’t say I learnt all that much. Perhaps I was well prepared. All that time talking to Norm must have knocked some sense into my thick skull. Not only had he prepared the car, he had prepared the driver. Without Norm as my mentor, I don’t think I could have been anywhere near as prepared. Preparation brings understanding, and the chance to clear the mind ready for the challenges ahead. I can’t thank Norm enough for that. We also had our first get together with all the service crew. My father Graham, Bob Anderson and Col Gabbedy teamed up as one half, with David and Kathy Wyvill, Jed Macartney and Mel Steer the other half. Col and David each had mechanical know how, with the other guys filling in as helpers, taxi drivers, mental health officers, parts and food purchasers etc. Overall, the aim was to have fun, so the team split into halves, with one lot working, the other lot touring. Don’t worry I said, you’ll probably only have to chamois it down each day. More on that later!

Tuesday! We finally get to drive! An early start from the Silverdome, where all the cars are parked overnight, for the short drive to the Launceston Country Club for the Official Start. The Governor of Tasmania waved us all away, and we headed up the Tamar to Georgetown. As we found for the rest of the week, driving a Targa car around Tassie is hard on the arms for both driver and nav. So much waving to do! The people of Tasmania get out in their thousands to support Targa. It really is a humbling and a privilege to be able to wave back. We parked the cars, did a bit more of the obligatory waiting around, then it was in to it. We were allocated a mid field start, which meant we were able to watch the latter part of the field. The drive itself was uneventful, with a reasonable time. Most importantly, the car was intact. We had already heard many times that you can’t win Targa, or even a Targa Trophy at the prologue, but you can sure lose it! It was great watching all the quick guys, not so great waiting for the presentations afterwards, and then off to Launie again. On arrival at the Silverdome, we were met with long delays to get in. Traffic everywhere! Once the car was finally washed and put to bed, we could relax and think about the next morning. We had a very big, long day for all of 4 minutes driving!

Wednesday. We’re into it! But not before a bit more ceremony down in the Launie city centre. Another early start. We paraded our way through that, then headed off along the west bank of the Tamar for the first stage. Octagon, the organisers of Targa Tasmania, make sure that the first few stages are pretty tame. Plenty of opportunity to settle in and get in to a routine. Just as much opportunity to go too hard and crash too! That’s the red mist bit! We settled in well, getting the hang of all the time controls and making sure we could work together. A smooth, even reasonably quick morning, followed by lunch in Devonport. The stages hotted up a bit in the afternoon. We negotiated the first two strongly, then met with drama half way through the next one. On a gentle lefthander up a hill, at about 80 km/hr, the car slumped down to the right. I exclaimed that we had lost a wheel. Alison at the same time asked what was wrong. She then quite rightly pointed out that we had to stop. A few expletives later, we pulled up on the side of the road. Quick, out with the safety triangles, and display that OK sign! Cars whizzing by every 30 seconds or so. Right, what has happened? The wheel was still with us, but on a pretty sad angle. The lower control arm on the wishbone had snapped around the ball joint. Oh well, nothing we could do. We just jacked it up and waited for the stage to finish. No mobile phone coverage, so we couldn’t even let the team know. Poor Graham, who unbeknownst to us was at the next stage attending to an accident victim, noticed that we didn’t come through, and spent some anxious time wondering what had happened

After a gloomy couple of hours, after all the cars had passed, the recovery team came through, and we loaded the poor little car on to the truck. We then hitched a ride back with the crew. They had to cover the rest of the course, so it was a long ride to the Silverdome. At least we finally made contact with the crew. We were safe, and the car was fixable. More than some others could say at that point. Targa is an endurance event, and many were now starting to understand that. The crew received the car at the Silverdome and had made contact with the Bits of Italy crew. Many of you may know Phil Buggee from Victoria. He drives a white and black Fiat 124 CSA, and incidentally had a blinder this Targa, winning class and category, and finishing 21st outright in Targa Classic – an outstanding result. He very kindly helped us out with parts, which made it possible for us to continue. I can’t thank him enough. By the time Alison and I arrived, work was underway. There were a group of interested onlookers – pretty knowledgeable ones too! Mike and Alison Ruckert and Jim and Colleen Berry. Advice, support, contact numbers, and friendly faces were absolutely fantastic! Thanks guys, it meant heaps. In a funny way, the disaster that I thought was wrecking Targa for us seemed to have a silver lining. We were OK. The car would be right to go in the morning. Through adversity, we had experienced a different side of the wonderful event. The Targa Trophy might be gone, but there was still a lot of fun to be had. We knocked off at 11.30 pm, and all headed off to bed. Alison had done the preparation for the next day, so I just left it at that.

Thursday. Very early. Had to get the car back inside the Silverdome by 6.30 am. Unfortunately, that then meant sitting around for an hour or so before getting going. And it was a big day ahead. The first stage was The Sideling. A notorious stage over slippery road, with switchback corners. They had declared it to be wet. Nothing silly, stay on the black stuff. It would be dreadful to waste all last night’s work with a dumb “off”. It was like driving on glass. The little coupe is great in the wet, but we went very carefully indeed. A couple of twitchy moments, but the car was intact. Not our fastest for the week, but one of the most challenging. The next few that morning were not dissimilar. We wound our way up St Mary’s Pass, waved to Mike, Alison, Jim and Colleen on the way through St Mary’s, then wound back down Elephant Pass. A lightning quick lunch in Bicheno (thanks service crew!), and we were back on the road for the afternoon. A lot easier than the morning. Nice flowing, fast stages and a town stage. On in to Hobart for the evening. All going well…. except for a dud starter motor. A reconditioned effort, but it was letting us down early in its new life. The guys fixed it, and on we went. Still hadn’t had a night of just using the chamois!

Friday. The Southern Loop out of Hobart, down through the Huon and back. Another parade start through Salamanca Place, so another early start. Had the opportunity to wave to the family though. All went well. Some very pretty scenery, and some fair to middling times from the little coupe. Lunch in Cygnet, and then the afternoon back to Hobart. Longley seemed like off road rallying. The thoughtful council had resurfaced and left lovely new blue metal everywhere. We could hardly hear ourselves think! Completed it, only to hear that it was later downgraded. Some very angry people, with nasty stone damage. A bit of a stuff up really. The starter motor had packed it in again, so unfortunately the “only a chamois” line was again proven to be false. A new starter motor from Eurotech and we were underway. The guys down there in Hobart seemed to know a few Brisbane people. They said something about James from Italia Spares being ugly, though, so they must only talk on the phone!!

Saturday. Through the Midlands for lunch in Mole Creek, then on through to Burnie. Domain town stage in Hobart first up – beware the cold tyres! We were careful, but reasonably quick. Another town stage further up at Ross. Mike popped out from behind a bush again, which was great. On to Symmons Plains Raceway for a stage that is actually a flying lap. It involves a complicated system of indicating this way then that way, and through all of that, the idiot driver switched off after crossing the line, had a lock up into the next corner, shocked the poor nav who then missed calling the exit, so we had another lap for free! No penalty, so it ended up as just a good laugh. After lunch, we faced possibly the most impressive stage all week – Cethana. About 35 km starting out up a range, flat out across a plateau, down a sharp descent, then back up the other side. We had perfect weather, and it was awesome! Had a great dice with the HR Premier that started ahead of us. Caught them down the hill only for them to out grunt us up the other side. Very sportsmanlike behaviour for all the passing, and exhilarating for all concerned. A real highlight. The good conditions stayed with us through to Burnie. Just to show what Tassie weather can do though, later cars through Cethana put up with driving rain and hail. It can change very quickly! Speaking of which, it was freezing in Burnie that evening. Talk turned to the following day, and forecasts of snow down to 700 metres. Very sobering! Oh, I nearly forgot. All we did to the car that night was run the chamois over it!

Sunday. The last day. Down the West Coast, lunch in Queenstown, then through to Hobart for the finish. The first stage through Hellyer Gorge was wet and slippery, and claimed a few victims. Much like The Sideling earlier that week, it had my respect, and we didn’t push it. We had a stage downgraded after a big wait because some goose decided to go for a drive on the closed road. Not good. Saw the crew in Queenstown at lunch, then headed off up the hill. A daunting stage. Not a good idea to look down, especially if afraid of heights! On to the next stage, the longest of the week, Mt Arrowsmith. The weather was getting bleaker, with snow on any peaks we spotted through the low cloud. By the time we reached the top, we were driving in sleet. Not much later on, the faster guys were driving through snow that was settling on the road. All wheel drive heaven! Sleeted for us through much of the next touring stage. Almost tougher to drive than a Targa stage! Just the last few to go. Tarraleah, Ellendale, then the final stage through the town of New Norfolk. Unfortunately, that was downgraded due to time constraints. So we had done it!! We all regrouped and headed to Wrest Point Casino in Hobart for the official finish. Bright lights, medals around our necks, friends and family cheering – quite a feeling. Mike, Alison, Jim and Colleen were there again, which was great, They even made me sign a poster, which was a tad embarrassing! If any of you see it, please forgive “The Flying Fiat” line. I thought that as I fly aircraft for a living, I had some entitlement to it!

So we made it. Funnily enough, we managed to win our class, too, as the only other car in the class had more troubles than we did. It was another coupe, and they battled a blown diff and brake problems. They made it though, as did all the 124 coupes, Phil Buggee’s rampaging CSA, and all the other Fiats in the field. All in all, a pretty successful Targa for the marque. I think things look bright for the future, too.

Finally, I would just like to thank everyone for their interest and support. My wife Michelle, and kids Thomas and Lucy, for putting up with the time it has taken, the not small cost, and the worry! Alison for her great navigating. All the kind Tasmanians that helped with accommodation and meals. The service crew, who were the greatest Tonys ever to “Fix It Again”!. Mike and Alison Ruckert and Jim and Colleen Berry for their presence in Tassie, and associated help and support. James at Italia Spares for his advice and efforts. Angelo Frangiosa for the loan parts. Carl Neilsen for an on going interest in the car. And last, but certainly not least, Norm Singleton for building a great little car, and guiding a very raw novice driver. A true friend and mentor. And whilst thanking Norm, I must mention Kath Singleton as well. Sorry about all those phone calls Kath! Thanks for all the work that you put in to the business, and the support you’ve given me along the way.

P.S. Next year?! A little too early to say yet, but they do say it gets in to your blood…