Targa Tasmania organisers have announced a new event for the 2015 motorsport calendar using an iconic stretch of road in Tasmania’s north west.
Targa Hellyer Gorge, to be based out of Burnie, will be held on Saturday, February 7, and offers competitors around 100 kilometres of tarmac rallying in a one-day format.
It’s been designed to offer first time Targa drivers an introduction to the sport and to allow experienced drivers the chance for a hit-out before Targa Tasmania, which will be held from April 27 to May 2.
It is a big win for Burnie, which has not hosted an overnight stop of Targa Tasmania since 2007.
The field will be limited to 100 cars, and event director, Mark Perry, believes the road and the format will have real appeal.
“We wanted to run this event on an iconic, well-known and legendary Targa road,” Perry said.
“The format follows normal Targa rules and ‘The Gorge’ is primarily designed to give first time drivers a taste of real Targa competitions so they can learn what it takes to tackle Targa Tasmania.
“It is important that we created a low-cost way for those that might dream of taking part in Targa Tasmania the chance learn about the sport, to try it out, before jumping in the deep end.”
“For those already with experience, this event provides a great hit-out, being able to test their car and prepare themselves on a stretch of road that they will use in April.
“Hellyer Gorge is also one of everyone’s favourite stages, so to get a chance to drive it in both directions on a closed road is hard to knock-back if you’re a Targa enthusiast.”
The new event completes a revamped Targa program, since new owners took over the event at the start of 2014.
Targa High Country, to be held in Victoria, has been expanded from two to three days, and will be run from November 7 to 9.
Targa Tasmania has also been extended by a day, and will include the roads in the traditional “southern loop” near Hobart in the Huon Valley, for the first time since 2007.
“With the re-introduction of the stages near Hobart on the Saturday of Targa Tasmania, it made sense to bring this new event up to the north west.
“We’re effectively moving what was Targa Wrest Point, with a revamp, north, as we feel returning the southern stages to Targa Tasmania is a better option, and in it's place we have created a fantastic event for first time and experienced competitors alike to help them better prepare for Targa Tasmania.
“Hellyer Gorge is also close to Burnie, so it enables us to again contribute more to the local economy and the Spirit of Tasmania, to make it as easy as possible for our large number of mainland competitors to come to Tasmania to compete."
The Rookie section of Targa Hellyer Gorge will include four class categories – Classic, Early Modern, Modern and All-comers, and the there are also class categories for those with Targa experience.
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