Tasmanian drivers Eddie Maguire and Peter Nunn have dominated the fifth running of Targa High Country to take victory in the Modern and Classic categories of the tarmac rally.
Driving a Mitsubishi Lancer Evo 9 with former Targa Tasmania winner, Steve Glenney in the co-driver’s seat, the talented 28 year-old Maguire won comfortably by two minutes 15 seconds, while Nunn also took his first Targa win by six minutes 13 seconds to see off a hot field of classic cars.
In 4WD Showroom, Angus Kennard triumphed in his Subaru WRX STI after a nail-biting battle with the Mitsubishi Lancer of Stewart Liddle, while seven-time Bathurst 1000 winner, Jim Richards, proved too strong in the Showroom competition in his Porsche Cayman S.
The final day of Targa High Country saw competitors leave the resort village of Mt Buller and head to Eildon via four stages, and then back again, with a competitive distance of 126 kilometres.
Maguire had a late drama when his car became stuck in fourth gear during the morning’s stages, but quick work from his service crew soon had the Lancer repaired and back on the road to victory.
It was a jubilant Maguire who sprayed the champagne on Mt Buller, with two other Evo drivers, Matthew Selley and Toby Gill filling out the podium placings.
“It’s great to win our first event, and the car has been great for just about the whole event,” Maguire said.
“On the third stage this morning we lost all gears, but managed to find a broken roll pin in the gearbox after the stage. Luckily Jason White was on hand to fix it - if it wasn’t for him we’d have been out of the event.
“After Tim Hendy went out this morning we backed right off to conserve our lead, and took it nice and easy to the finish.
“It’s a great feeling to win.”
In Classic Outright, Peter Nunn’s victory was comfortable in the end after his closest rival, Craig Haysman, retired his Triumph TR7 V8 on the last day with clutch problems.
That elevated Steve McClintock to second place in a 1985 Mazda RX7, while the 51-year old Jensen CV8 of Peter Ullrich finished in a brilliant third place after a great drive.
“We’re absolutely rapt to have way, although I had to keep pushing pretty hard today,” Nunn said.
“I lost the plot a bit on the long stage and drove terribly, so we upped the pace again after that. I’d never been in this position of leading an event before, so it was all a new experience.
“The car was fantastic. It got a bit hot coming up the final stage on Mt Buller, but other than that it was fine. We used only four of our six tyres, so it handled the conditions really well.
“We’ll enjoy the celebrations tonight.”
Bathurst legend, Jim Richards, had trailed rival Neill Ford in the Showroom competition at the start of the day, but the wily veteran came good when it counted to give his Porsche an 11 second win over the Chevrolet Corvette of Ford.
The 4WD Showroom cars of Stewart Liddle (Mitsubishi Lancer) and Angus Kennard (Subaru WRX) couldn’t be separated after two days, but in the final stanza it was Kennard who came out on top to the tune of just 10 seconds.
There were convincing wins to Peter Ullrich (Early Classic) and Peter Nunn (Late Classic), Adam Kaplan took out Early Modern in his Holden Commodore after the Lancer Evo of Jason Whitburn crashed three stages from home, while Ben Newman was a run-away winner in Sports Trophy in a Jaguar F-Type Coupe R.
In Thoroughbred Trophy, Keith Brooke’s Porsche was too good, and Alan Gluyas the class of the TSD Trophy competition.
Targa High Country results - Day 3 of 3 (provisional)
MODERN
1. Eddie Maguire (TAS) - Steve Glenney (SA), 2007 Mitsubishi Lancer Evo
2. Matthew Selley (SA) - Hamish McKendrick (SA), 2006 Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution 9RS, +2m15s
3. Toby Gill / Sam Tapping, 2008 Mitsubishi Lancer Evo X, +2m41s
4. Max Williams / Bruce Bush, Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution X, +2m59s
5. Adam Spence (QAT) - Erin Kelly (QLD), 2011 Nissan GTR, +3m08s
CLASSIC OUTRIGHT
1. Peter Nunn (TAS) - Keith Johnstone (TAS), 1985 Porsche 944 Turbo
2. Steve McClintock (NSW) - Jann Skinner (NSW), 1985 Mazda RX-7, +6m13s
3. Peter Ullrich (NSW) - Roger Carter (TAS), 1963 Jensen CV8, +6m57s
4. Greg Cook (VIC) - David Cooper VIC (VIC), 1973 Porsche 911 Carrera RS, +10m43s
5. Roger Lomman (SA) - Annie Bainbridge (SA), 1971 Datsun 240Z, +12m15s
LATE CLASSIC HANDICAP
1. Peter Nunn (TAS) - Keith Johnstone (TAS), 1985 Porsche 944 Turbo
2. Greg Cook (VIC) - David Cooper VIC (VIC), 1973 Porsche 911 Carrera RS, +3m17s
3. Steve McClintock (NSW) - Jann Skinner (NSW), 1985 Mazda RX-7, +3m25s
EARLY CLASSIC HANDICAP
1. Peter Ullrich (NSW) - Roger Carter (TAS), 1963 Jensen CV8
2. Ross Steuart (VIC) - Jill Steuart (VIC) 1962 Ford Anglia 105e, +7m44s
3. Roger Lomman (SA) - Annie Bainbridge (SA), 1971 Datsun 240Z, +10m28s
EARLY MODERN
1. Adam Kaplan (NSW) - David Kaplan (NSW), 1988 HSV Group A SS,
2. Ben Calder (SA) - David Rowe (SA), 2000 Mitsubishi Lancer EVO 6 TME, +57s
3. Daniel Ford (QLD) - Nathalie Ford (QLD),2002 Subaru WRX Sti, +1m29s
MANSFIELD SHIRE SHOWROOM
1. Jim Richards (VIC) - Barry Oliver (TAS), 2014 Porsche Cayman S
2. Neill Ford (QLD) - Colin Maher (QLD), 2010 Chevrolet Corvette ZR1, +11s
3. Tristan Stirling-Cameron (VIC) - Stuart Clarke (VIC), 2011 Renault Megane RS 250, +5m06s
MT BULLER 4WD SHOWROOM
1. Angus Kennard (NSW) - Ian Wheeler (TAS), 2009 Subaru Impreza STi
2. Stewart Liddle (WA) - Michael Lloyd (WA), 2009 Mitsubishi RS Lancer Evo X, +10s
3. Ralph Norton (TAS) - Malcolm Norton (TAS), 2010 Subaru Impreza WRX STi, +2m20s
SPORTS TROPHY
1. Ben Newman (TAS) - Crichton Lewis (TAS), 2014 Jaguar F-Type Coupe R
2. Martin Duursma (NSW) - Nick Cox (ACT) 2013 Lotus Exige S, +2m28s
3. Martin Farkas (SA) - Angela Farkas (SA), 2001 BMW M3, +2m30s
THOROUGHBRED TROPHY
1. Keith Brooke (NSW) - Karl Brooke (NSW), 1980 Porsche 911
2. Rudy Salems (VIC) - Gillian Salems (VIC), 1966 Chevrolet Corvette 42711, +2h05m41s
TSD TROPHY
1. Alan Gluyas (TAS) - Heather Gluyas (TAS), 2012 Toyota 86 GTS,118 points
2. Adam Gosling (NSW) - Jonathan Sperling (NSW), 2011 BMW E90 M3, 178 points
3. Gerard Knapp (NSW) - Roger Campbell (NSW), 2005 Alfa Romeo GT, 231 points
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