This year, Jerrabomberra competitor, John Dunkley, will be driving with the aim of getting to the finish of the rally, but strangely, so will his co-driver, Jon Parker.
In a unique way of tackling Targa Tasmania, which begins in Launceston on April 15, Parker will drive each day’s morning stages, while Dunkley will drive the stages in the afternoon.
“It’s a routine that I used successfully while competing with my son, Sean, in 2006 and 2007,” Dunkley says.
Last year, Dunkley finished first in his Class and first in Category 3 (Classic). This will be his fourth Targa Tasmania, and as a class winner for the previous three years, it’s clear that Dunkley knows what’s required to get to the finish in one piece, and in a good position.
“The challenge of Targa is being forever vigilant,” he adds. “Our plan is to drive within ourselves and finish this year’s event. If we get a good result along the way, then that’s just a bonus.”
Dunkley and Parker will drive a standard Peugeot 206 GTi 180 in this year’s event, and while the car has no rallying history as such, it is sure to prove reliable and ensure that they get to the end of the event.
And finishing a gruelling long-distance event like Targa Tasmania is not always as easy as it may seem. The often fickle Tasmanian weather can throw a spanner in the works of the best laid plans, meaning that many of the record 300 entries in the event won’t make it to the finish.
Competitors from Australia, the USA, UK, UAE, Japan and Hong Kong have entered this year’s Targa Tasmania, the 17th anniversary event.
The rally roars into action on April 15 in Launceston and will take competitors through the heart of Tasmania, before the Hobart finish line at Wrest Point on April 20.
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