Event and show galleries: Dunlop Targa NZ – Day 4

October 27th, 2009 by NZ Classic Car

Targa NZ 2009 Day 3 07

After leaving Wanganui at the beginning of the third day, the Targa cars looped back up the North Island towards the central plateau and Taihape. They then doubled back and finished the day at Manfeild race-track.

Top five placings in the two main categories at the end of Day Three:

Classic Class:

Barry Kirk-Burnnand/Carl Kirk-Burnnand	BMW M3	05:23:53
Anthony & Joanne Butler	Holden Cheetah	05:25:27
Rex Alder/Ron Bartels	BMW M3	05:30:14
Nigel Patterson/Andrew Patterson	BMW 320i	05:32:52
Nicholas Cooper/Murray Brown	Valiant Charger	05:39:50

Modern Class:

Tony Quinn/Naomi Tillett	Nissan R35GT-R	05:03:01
Clark Proctor/Tony Callaghan	Escort/Nissan	05:07:42
Hayden Paddon/Greg Paul	Mitsubishi Evo9	05:09:56
Jason Gill/Jody Somervell	Mitsubishi Evo9 GT	05:10:21
PeterMilliner/David Mackrell	Porsche GT3	05:14:28

The sibling rivalry that has been a feature of the Classic category was resolved on Day Four when Barry Kirk-Burnnand’s M3 got became part of another driver’s ‘off’ – apparently Japanese driver, Masao Take, slid his Nissan 350Z off the road and Barry smacked his BMW into the 350Z. That’s a pity for Barry, as he has been leading the Classic category since Day One. No word as yet if he will be able to continue.

NZCC’s roving reporter, Ashley Webb, got a good position to watch the cars fly by on SS29, just outside Marton. He was rewarded with some great action – the highlight being when Mike Lowe turned his tiny Abarth onto it’s roof! Spectators and marshalls came to the rescue and pushed the Fiat back onto it’s wheels and Mike, with typical grit and determination, shot off to continue the stage.

Over in the Modern category, Australian Tony Quinn continues to hold onto the overall lead in his all-singing, all-dancing GT-R and, at the end of Day Four, had pulled out a useful lead over the second-placed Escort V6 of Clark Proctor. Hayden Paddon, by now really in Targa-mode, is beginning to show his class as he moves up into third place and seriously begins hunting down Proctor – with less than two minutes separating the two drivers, Proctor can’t afford to make a single mistake.

On completion of the first stage of Day Five – Windmill Alley – Quinn and Proctor were still going at it hammer-and-tongs – with Quinn recording a 6:02 time against Proctor’s 6:06. It would seem that this is one battle that is going to go right to the line.

NZ Performance Car reader, Simon Turner – carrying NZPC sponsorship banners – continues to do well in his Evo3. At the end of Day Four, Simon was holding 18th place in the Modern category – a great first-time Targa drive – with an elapsed time of 05:34:39.

Day Three Extra

31 local drivers joined Targa on Day Two for the one-day Targa Taranaki. Local Wanganui driver, Grant Rivers, made the most of the opportunity, thrilling the crowds and he slid and smoked up his Mustang Fastback through the special stages. Another notable Targa Taranaki competitor was Neil Marshall, who’s Mitsubishi Evo 6.5 was quicker than all the other Targa cars over several of the day’s stages.

Stuart Rose took part in the Targa Taranaki in his 4-litre V8-engine the Toyota Hilux – complete with a toy farm dog attached to the roll bar!

Day Three Accident Report

Allan Lewis’ supercharged, V8 Datsun 204Z narrowly avoided a major accident after a brief encounter with a deer on the special stage to Whangamomona. Fortunately, the Datsun was saved from a big drop by some stout fence posts and he was soon on his way again.

After his ‘off’ Brent Emmerson was back on the road, the right rear of his Commodore repaired with multiple rolls of red duct-tape, no rear window and, at one point, with the Holden’s battered bootlid attached to the roof of the car.

Targa Taranaki entrants Craig and Thomas Korff suffered the indignity of having their Starlet towed all the way back home after their engine shed its cam-belt.

Ron Scanlon’s Evo RS plunged through a fence and down into a paddock on the highest point of the Whangamomona saddle. Ron and his co-driver, Victor Yuen, were checked over by the medical team while the Evo was winched out of the paddock. Both car and crew were given a clean bill of health and they eventually drove onwards.