The streets of Adelaide will come alive this September with classic vehicles making a return to South Australia for a new annual rally.
Tourism Minister John Rau has announced that the State will play host to a new classic car rally called Classic Targa Adelaide, which will be held this year from September 15 to 18.
Classic Targa Adelaide will be open only to classic cars and will be part of the classic series, the Australian Targa Championship, which includes the prestigious rallies, Targa Wrest Point, Targa Tasmania and Targa High Country.
The Classic Targa Adelaide will be run by global sports and event marketing group, Octagon and will mark the triumphant return of classic cars to the streets of Adelaide since the Classic Adelaide Rally ended in 2009.
“South Australia has an excellent track record for staging major events, including an ever-growing line-up of sporting events such as the Santos Tour Down Under and the Clipsal 500 Adelaide,’’ Mr Rau said.
“I am proud to say we can now include the Classic Targa Adelaide on our exciting calendar of events.’’
A course for the rally has yet to be finalised, but there are plans to incorporate Adelaide and regions including the Adelaide Hills, Barossa and the Fleurieu Peninsula.
“Events like this are a great addition to South Australia’s tourism offering,’’ Mr Rau said.
“They provide valuable media coverage, attract participants to the State from interstate and overseas and provide a great spectacle for the public, whether they are from Australia or overseas.’’
Minister for Motor Sport, Kevin Foley, said he was thrilled a classic car rally would once again grace the streets of South Australia.
“We are committed to motorsport as a tourism drawcard and we are extremely delighted to see a classic car rally back on the streets of South Australia,’’ he said.
The South Australian Tourism Commission, through its events arm Events South Australia, went through an extensive process to ensure the company heading up the new classic car event would add value not only to this event but to the State going forward.
Octagon manage $3 billion in rights fees and activations over 400 events and 800 athletes globally. They also have a 27-year history in Australia, including 22 years of motorsport experience.
Octagon’s Australia Managing Director, Sean Nicholls, said the company was “delighted to be working with Events South Australia and the SA Motor Sport Board to bring a Targa event to South Australia’’.
“The event will be a unique addition to the Australian Targa Championship as it will be the only event that is 100 per cent dedicated to Classic cars.
“The State has a great history of hosting world-class events and we look forward to adding Classic Targa Adelaide to that list,’’ Mr Nicholls said.
Octagon, which has offices in Sydney, Melbourne and Hobart, will soon open an office in Adelaide.
“As an integral part of our commitment to Classic Targa Adelaide, together with our desire to extend our South Australian based business, we are pleased to announce that we will be adding Adelaide to our growing list of Australian offices,’’ Mr Nicholls said.
The Classic Targa Adelaide will be held on September 15-18 2011. This will be a week before the Bay to Birdwood Classic event on September 25, making September a fabulous month for classic car enthusiasts to be in South Australia.
Although routes and participation details will be finalised in the coming month, parties can register their interest by visiting www.classictargaadelaide.com.au
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