Leading the Classic section is Rex Broadbent, who was impressive in his 1974 Porsche 911 RS up the 16-kilometre course to the Victorian ski resort. He was 40 seconds faster after 10 runs up the mountain over Bill Pye, also in a 1974 Porsche.
The showroom class leader is Dean Evans, who finished two minutes and 50 seconds ahead of Scott Miller, both driving a Mitsubishi Lancer Evo 10.
The Mt Buller event marked the start of the inaugural Australian Tarmac Championship. The next round is Targa Wrest Point in January, which will be followed by the Lake Mountain Sprint in March, before concluding with the mother of all tarmac events, Targa Tasmania, in late April.
Jason White and his co-driver, John White, have tasted success at Mt Buller before in their Lamborghini, winning the sprint in 2006. White was hard pushed across the weekend, holding off Steve Jones in a Nissan GTR by just 17 seconds, with West Australian Dean Herridge third, one minute 28 seconds back in his Subaru Impreza WRX STI.
White sits on top of the Modern points table with 250 points, while Jones has 230 and Herridge 220.
In the tussle for top place among classic car competitors in the ATC, Broadbent leads with 250, twenty points clear of Bill Pye, with Shane Woodman third on 220 points.
Evans, tenth outright modern, is leading showroom with 250 points, with Scott Miller second on 230.
Targa Tasmania event director, Mark Perry, believes the new championship has made a strong start.
“Competitor interest was very high over the weekend in the championship,” Perry said.
“The drivers have been crying out for a good national tarmac rally series, and now, under the AASA banner, we have been able to provide them with a great Championship format that concludes with Targa Tasmania, unquestionably the biggest tarmac test every year.”
All competitors are set to resume the battle for the series honours in Hobart at Targa Wrest Point on January 30.
Australian Tarmac Championship points (after round 1 of 4)
Modern
1, White/White, 250
2, Jones/Sewarcy, 230
3, Herridge/Murphy, 220
4, Vandersee/Allen, 210
5, Hendy/Wilson, 200
6, Ford/Ford, 192
7, Purdey/Burrey, 184
8, Gillett/Norton, 176
9, Burgess/Fricker, 168
10, Evans/Bachmann, 160
Classic
1, Broadbent/Randell, 1974 Porsche 911 RS, 250
2, Pye/Lenne, 1974 Porsche 911 RS, 230
3, Woodman/Kastelic, 1977 Holden Torana A9X, 220
4, Curnick/Winter, 1971 Porsche 911 ST, 210
5, Diprose/Daly, 1969 Ford Falcon XW GTHO, 200
6, Arundel/Healey, 1963 Ford Cortina, 192
7, Ridge/Edwards, 1971 Ford Falcon GT, 184
8, Vanderzee/Lipman, 1973 Porsche 911 RSR, 176
9, Shepherd/Shepherd, 1969 Datsun 24OZ, 168
10, Haysman/Gibson, 1981 Triumph TR7, 160
11, Limbert/Ford, 1972 Ford Capri Perana, 156
12, Stephen/Stephen, 1967 Ford Falcon XR GT replica, 152
Showroom
1 Evans/Bachmann, 250
2 Millar/Dean, 230.
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