Targa Tasmania 2017
Posted: Wed May 10, 2017 8:49 pm
Thought I would share a bit of a story on Targa this year. In years gone by I have done support crew duties but this year was a bit different
I was asked to fill the passengers seat of a Tour Leader car. The 'tour' is a non competition part of Targa allowing for spirited driving on the same closed roads as full competition but are restricted to 120kph and have no need for motorsport type safety equipmment (no cage, helmets etc)
Little did I know that a cap of 120kph means nothing when you often dont get near that speed as you are hurtling through the tight twisty roads that are on show in Tassie. I was blown away by how quick we we going, not that I was expecting to be cruising either.
Anyway, it was an endurance to do 6 days of that with many stages in each day to go through. In the tour, which had about 70 cars, we only lost 1. A 911 hit a bridge or something.
As for the Tour Leader group I was with, we had 3 Sciroccos, 2 Golf R's and an Audi TT that looked like it had a snow plough on the front. We each had a 'packet' of cars to look after both from an operational aspect as well as the fun element. We started off with a general tour packet and ended up, after an off to a Golf R on day 3, leading the Lotus tour for the week. Happy to report the Lotus guys loved us.
Anyway, some pics of my fun week
My ride
Some of the general tour cars
The Lotus tour
Our view all too often towards the end of a stage as we came up behind the slower Fezza from the Fezza tour
My trusted driver Lou and I with our TT finishing medallions
The tour group. All had a great time
I was asked to fill the passengers seat of a Tour Leader car. The 'tour' is a non competition part of Targa allowing for spirited driving on the same closed roads as full competition but are restricted to 120kph and have no need for motorsport type safety equipmment (no cage, helmets etc)
Little did I know that a cap of 120kph means nothing when you often dont get near that speed as you are hurtling through the tight twisty roads that are on show in Tassie. I was blown away by how quick we we going, not that I was expecting to be cruising either.
Anyway, it was an endurance to do 6 days of that with many stages in each day to go through. In the tour, which had about 70 cars, we only lost 1. A 911 hit a bridge or something.
As for the Tour Leader group I was with, we had 3 Sciroccos, 2 Golf R's and an Audi TT that looked like it had a snow plough on the front. We each had a 'packet' of cars to look after both from an operational aspect as well as the fun element. We started off with a general tour packet and ended up, after an off to a Golf R on day 3, leading the Lotus tour for the week. Happy to report the Lotus guys loved us.
Anyway, some pics of my fun week
My ride
Some of the general tour cars
The Lotus tour
Our view all too often towards the end of a stage as we came up behind the slower Fezza from the Fezza tour
My trusted driver Lou and I with our TT finishing medallions
The tour group. All had a great time