Weather plays havoc at Targa Tasmania

Written by Event Release
Wednesday, 28 April 2010

Pre-event favourite Jason White produced a superb drive in horrendous conditions to take a strong lead into day two of Targa Tasmania.While wet and windy weather lashed the north of the state, White powered on in his Labourghini Gallargo Super Trofeo Strada, recovering from a slow start to end the day eight seconds clear of 2008 winner, Steve Glenney, driving a Mazda RX8.

Reigning champion, Rex Broadbent, used all of his experience and guile to finish the opening eight stages as the fastest Classic car, while Tasmanian Tony Warren was again the pace setter in the Showroom division. As expected, the Classic battle was tightly fought, with Rex Broadbent holding sway at the end of a tough day.

Surprisingly, one of the pre-event favourites, NSW driver Bill Pye, crashed his Porsche on the penultimate stage, leaving Broadbent with a narrow 12 second lead over a Paul Batten in a 1961 Volvo PV544. "The weather conditions were terrible for the first two or three stages. People were crashing because they couldn’t see and it was so slippery," Broadbent said. "But I'm in it, and I'm having fun, but I don’t think I've been quite so scared in a car for a long time. Those stages this morning were scary."

Batten perhaps produced the drive of the day in the ageing Volvo, and he sits 18 seconds clear of Jon Siddins in third place, driving a 1970 Datsun 240Z. Batten also leads the Classic handicap event after his impressive drive in the wet.

Leg 2 of Targa Tasmania takes competitors west of Launceston over eight Targa stages, including one of the event's most famous stages, 'The Sideling'.

At just under 14 kilometres in length, the stage begins the day in what many competitors hope will be fine conditions. Crews return back to the event base at the Launceston Silverdome at around 5pm.

Results after Day 1 of Targa Tasmania:

SHANNONS CLASSIC OUTRIGHT
1. Rex Broadbent (VIC) / Chris Randell (VIC), 1974 Porsche 911 Carrera RS, +1m41s
2. Paul Batten (VIC) / Mike Batten (NSW), 1961 Volvo PV544,+12s
3. Jon Siddins (QLD) / Darren Ferguson (QLD), 1970 Datsun 240Z, +30s
4. David Cooper (TAS) / Jason Dann (TAS), 1977 Holden Torana A9X, +39s
5. Peter Eames (VIC) / Will Logan (TAS), 1974 Porsche 911 RS, +42s
6. John Ireland (NSW) / Michael Ribot (NSW), 1977 Porsche 911 Carrera 3, +42s
7. George Pethard Jnr (NSW) / Adrian Johnstone (NSW), 1976 Porsche 911 Carrera 3, +1m02s
8. Richard Woodward (NSW) / David McCrow (NSW), 1969 Holden Monaro GTS, +1m37s
9. Peter Ullrich (NSW) / Sari Ullrich (NSW), 1963 Jensen CV8, +1m41s
10. Andrew Bryson (UAE) / Jason Rowley (SA), 1975 Davrian Coupe, +2m15s

SHANNONS CLASSIC HANDICAP
1. Paul Batten (VIC) / Mike Batten (NSW), 1961 Volvo PV544
2. Jon Siddins (QLD) / Darren Ferguson (QLD), 1970 Datsun 240Z, +1m16s
3. John Ireland (NSW) / Michael Ribot (NSW), 1977 Porsche 911 Carrera 3, +1m24s
4. Peter Ullrich (NSW) / Sari Ullrich (NSW), 1963 Jensen CV8, +1m36s

Courtesy of http://www.sportcom.com.au