Author: Admin

The 12^th Make Smoking History Targa South West is ready to roar into the Southern Forests region of Western Australia on Saturday 20^th March with a strong field of 40 competitors.
 
Competitors will travel a total of 242 kilometres which includes 117 kilometres of flat-out competition on 15 closed-road Special Stages that each range in distance from 2.9 kilometres to 15.48 kilometres in and around Pemberton and Northcliffe, about 3.5 hours south of Perth. 
 
Clerk of Course Ross Tapper OAM said that last year, due to the pandemic, the Make Smoking History Targa South West was compacted into a one-day event, and was so popular with competitors, crew and officials that the one-day format has remained. 
 
“The condensed format last year made for a long day but it seemed to suit competitors and crews as well as officials,” Tapper said. 
 
“The Pemberton to Northcliffe stage is fast and flowing and held on the scenic roads through the Karri forest, and the town stage in Pemberton will be tight and technical.
 
Make Smoking History Targa South West will attract approximately 400 people into Pemberton.
 
“It’s always a great weekend in the Southern Forests, the camaraderie and sense of community of a group of car enthusiasts sharing a common experience of a spirited drive in a picturesque part of the State,” Tapper said. 
 
After finishing Make Smoking History Targa South West in second place last year, and a class fourth place at Targa High Country in last month, Axis Hire managing director Mark Cates will be pushing hard in his 2019 Porsche 911 GT3 RS to take his maiden victory.
 
“There’ll be some hot competition with Mark Greenham, David Heaton in a new Porsche and Steve Jones who’s driving one of Heaton’s cars – you know what they say, it always goes faster when it’s not your car,” quipped Cates of Bunbury. 
 

Mark Cates / Declan Stafford Photo: CMR Photographic

“I have a new co-driver Bernie Webb who’s been helping me and I’m enjoying the drive, I’ve slowed down a little bit and got more technical. 
 
“My strategy will be to drive fast and don’t crash – straight after Targa South West we’re doing a quick service on the car and putting it on a trailer and driving to Adelaide for the rally there, and then onto Targa Tasmania.
 
“I’m looking forward to the privilege of driving fast on closed country roads that Sir Ross Tapper and the knights of the round table have put together.”
 
After a disappointing DNF last year, Mark Greenham and co-driver Steph Esterbauer in their Race Torque Engineering 2006 Mitsubishi Lancer Evo 9 will be looking to repeat their success of 2019 and 2018 where they took the top step. 
 
Calling the notes for David Heaton in his 2018 Porsche GT2 RS is one of Australia’s best co-drivers and driver coaches, Steve Glenney.
 
Heaton said that he engages Glenney once or twice a year.
 
“Steve will help with the car set up and adjustments after the stages which takes seconds off our time, as well as coaching and he encourages me to take corners at speeds I probably wouldn’t do on my own,” Heaton said.
 
“I’ve not done any competitive kilometres in this car – it’s been sitting in the garage collecting dust, so I thought I’d get it out for Targa South West.
 
“I’m looking forward to it and will use the event as a test to get the car set up correctly for Targa West later in the year.”
 
Steve Jones with co-driver Caleb Ash will be driving a car leased from David Heaton, a 2018 Nissan GTR Nismo.
 
Will White, 2017 winner and fourth place finisher last year, will be fighting for a podium place in his Dardanup Removals / Store Local 2006 Mitsubishi Lancer Evo 9 with co-driver Matt Thompson.
 
Local truffle farmer Al Blakers and co-driver Wayne Deighton are set to compete in their Manjimup Truffles 2008 Holden HSV. 
 

Al Blakers & Wayne Deighton Photo: Drift Images

There are four categories of competition at the Make Smoking History Targa South West: Competition Modern and Competition Classic, Targa 130 (speed limit of 130 kilometres per hour) and Targa 165 (speed limit of 165 kilometres per hour). 
 
In the Competition Classic, last year’s winner Tim Wolfe and co-driver Scott Beckwith in their 1974 Porsche 911 Carrera RS will need a flawless run if they are to finish ahead of four-time Targa West winner Simon Gunson in his 1971 Ford Capri Perana, this time with Murray Armenti as co-driver. 
 

Tim Wolfe / Scott Beckwith Photo: Tim Allott

Cars will start at 30-second intervals and race against the clock with the winner being the car that is fastest over all stages. 
 
Spectators can watch the rally action from the designated spectator areas – click here for more information and visit ww.targasouthwest.com.au for results. 
 
Organisers would like to thank Targa South West sponsors Healthway, along with the Make Smoking History message, Shannons, Manjimup Truffles, Perrella Steel Fabrication, Civitest and the Shire of Manjimup for their support, along with series sponsors Go Gear. 

In an impressive field of 50 cars that includes five rookies and six electric vehicles, Western Australian tarmac rally drivers are relishing the opportunity to race the clock at the 11^th Make Smoking History Targa South West on Saturday 8^th August in the spectacular Southern Forests region.
 
Competitors will travel a total of 249 kilometres which includes 122 kilometres of flat out competition on 17 closed-road Special Stages that each range in distance from 2.9 kilometres to 15.19 kilometres in and around Pemberton and Northcliffe.
 
Clerk of Course Ross Tapper said that the usual two-day event was compacted to one day initially for COVID-19 reasons.
 
“Even though the event has been condensed into one day, it’s going to be a big day with almost the same amount of competition distance as previous years,” Tapper said.
 
“The Pemberton to Northcliffe stage is fast and flowing and held on the scenic roads through the Karri forest, and the town stage in Pemberton will be tight and technical.”
 

Mark Greenham / Steph Esterbauer. Photo: Tim Allott

A favourite to take the top step of the Competition Modern class is Mark Greenham with co-driver Steph Esterbauer in their Race Torque Engineering 2006 Mitsubishi Lancer Evo 9. Greenham is defending his 2019 and 2018 title ahead of a potential hat trick, all going to plan.
 
“Targa South West has historically been a very successful event us and we hope to repeat the win again this year,” Greenham said.
 
“We’re just extremely grateful for the opportunity to compete in motorsport here in the West given the COVID-19 challenges faced by our Eastern cousins at the moment.”
 
You can bet that Axis Hire managing director Mark Cates with co-driver Declan Stafford in their 2019 Porsche 911 GT3 RS will be hot on the heels of Greenham.

Mark Cates / Declan Stafford. Photo: Tom Allott

“It’s an exciting prospect to be able to get back behind the wheel again – we can’t wait for Targa South West,” said Cates of Bunbury, who finished third last year.
 
“We’ve done testing on the tyres and brakes and made some modifications to the suspension, the car is excellent and if it doesn’t rain, we’ll be having a crack for the win.”
 
Peter Rullo, a regular on the Targa West podium, hasn’t competed in Make Smoking History Targa South West since the first event in 2010.
 
“The last three or four months have been challenging both personally and professionally, there are lots of people doing it tough, and that’s a big reason why I’m looking forward to getting down to Pemberton,” said Rullo, who’ll be joined by regular co-driver Jimmy Marquet.
 
“COVID has been a wake up call not to take things for granted, so I’m taking the time do something that I love, get in the car and go racing. A few friends are also coming along, so it will also be a great reason to get away for the weekend to bond with some old mates.
 
“I’ll be using it as a shakedown opportunity ahead of Targa West in October, nothing too serious, but we’re keen to set ourselves up to have another decent crack at Targa West.”
 
Rullo’s Land Surveys / Autostrada 2019 Lotus Exige 410 has been upgraded to the new Lotus Exige Targa GT Spec and should arrive from the east coast later this week.

Peter Rullo / Jimmy Marquet.  Photo: Blake Rattenbury
 
“I’m excited to jump in a race car again after such a long break and hope to have it in time for a test in the coming days before Targa South West starts,” Rullo said.
 
In the Competition Classic category, last year’s winner Tim Wolfe will be with a new co-driver, Scott Beckwith, in his Dieselcraft 1974 Porsche 911 Carrera RS.
 
“After all this hiatus in the COVID world, it’s good to be getting back in the car. Scott is vastly more experienced than me, so I’m looking forward to learning a few things from him,” said the Kalamunda resident.
 
“We’ll be giving it our best shot to defend my title but as long as we have some fun, that’s the main thing.”

 
In addition to the Competition Modern and Competition Classic categories, there’s the Targa 130 (speed limit of 130 kilometres per hour) and Targa 165 (speed limit of 165 kilometres per hour, as well as an electric vehicle Targa Tour, which is a spirited drive on the same closed-road stages as competitors racing the clock.
 
Florian Popp, co-owner of the Gemtek Group, EV Targa Tour Manager and Team Director for EV competitor Jurgen Lunsmann, said that Targa South West is a good opportunity to collect EV data.
 
“We’ll have a dedicated charging truck for Jurgen and another for the Targa Tour competitors which can charge six cars at once, but they should have plenty of battery life given the speed limitations,” Popp said.

Jurgen Lunsmann / Helen Lunsmann at the Shannons Targa Rallysprint series. Photo: CMR Photographic
 
Competing in the Targa 130 category and supported by Western Power, Jurgen Lunsmann will be joined by his wife Helen who’ll call pace notes in their Gemtek Group 2019 Tesla 3 Performance, a stock standard car that has only had seats replaced and a head-restraint harness fitted.
 
“Normally the Tesla has a range of about 450 kilometres, but during competition, we’re working on a factor of 5-to-1, so about 80 or 90 kilometres before it needs charging,” Popp said.
 
“As we all become more climate aware and with the trajectory of clean energy, it’s a great opportunity to educate people about electric cars in a fun way.”
 
Local truffle farmer Al Blakers and co-driver Wayne Deighton is swapping his classic Torana to compete in his Manjimup Truffles 2008 Holden HSV.
 
Will White, 2017 winner and third place finisher last year will be hoping to repeat his past success in his Dardanup Removals / Store Local 2006 Mitsubishi Lancer Evo 9 with co-driver Matt Thompson.

Will White / Matt Thompson. Photo: Tim Allott
 
There’ll also be a 1965 Mustang, 1964 Ford Sprint, 1969 Chevrolet Camaro, Porsche 944, Subaru WRX, Lancer Evo, Nissan GTR, 2008 Dodge Viper and plenty of other fast and furious machines.
 
Cars will start at 30-second intervals and race against the clock with the winner being the car that is fastest over all stages.
 
“The essence of motorsport is competition, but what sets rallying apart from other codes of motorsport is the camaraderie and sense of community – a group of like-minded car enthusiasts sharing a common experience – a spirited drive in some of the State’s most picturesque areas,” Tapper said.
 
The Make Smoking History Targa South West fraternity will bring approximately 400 people into Pemberton.
 
Spectators can watch the rally action from the designated spectator areas – click here for more information and visit ww.targasouthwest.com.au for results.
 
Organisers would like to thank Targa South West sponsors Healthway, along with the Make Smoking History message, Shannons, Cutts Transport, Manjimup Truffles, AAAC Towing and the Shire of Manjimup for their support along with series sponsors Axis Hire

Mark Greenham / Stephanie Esterbauer. Photo: CMR Photographic

After a wet start on Saturday morning, conditions improved and were near-perfect for the tenth Make Smoking History Targa South West which was held in picturesque south west towns of Pemberton, Manjimup and Northcliffe.

The tarmac rally took place on 22 closed road Special Stages over a total distance of 130 kilometres, with competitors traversing 380 kilometres over the weekend (17-19 May). The stages ranged in distance from 3.11 kilometres to 15.13 kilometres with some tight technical stages and some fast, open, flowing stages.

There was an incident 400 metres into the first stage involving car number 8. Both the driver and co-driver were flown to Royal Perth Hospital and are expected to make full recovery. The co-driver has been discharged and the driver is expected to be discharged tomorrow.

The incident resulted in the following three stages, SS2, SS3 and SS4 being cancelled.

Continue reading “Make Smoking History Targa South West sparks close competition, a back-to-back win for Greenham and redemption for Wolfe”

Al Blakers. Photo: CMR Photographic

Quality field to tackle Make Smoking History Targa South West

A high-quality field of thirty-six teams are set to tackle the tenth Make Smoking History Targa South West held around the picturesque south west towns of Pemberton, Manjimup and Northcliffe from 17^th to 19^th May 2019.

Competitors will race the clock along 22 closed-road Special Stages, 130 kilometres of flat-out competition and drive a total distance of 380 kilometres over the weekend. The stages range from 3.11 kilometres to 15.13 kilometres, taking competitors through the spectacular Southern Forests region.

Continue reading “Australian first: R5 on tarmac at Make Smoking History Targa South West”

Greenham and Stagoll take the 2018 Outright crown.
Credit CMR Photographic

There was an intense battle at almost every stage during this weekend’s Make Smoking History Targa South West – with many producing equal first and second places, and even three way tie situations in both the Modern and Classic categories.

The new Northcliffe stage commanded competitors give both full attention and full throttle, and was a highlight for many. Despite the pressure being on with fresh routes and close competition, competitors kept their bearings for the full 130 competitive kilometres, with no event-ending incidents over the weekend. Continue reading “Perseverance pays off for Greenham at Make Smoking History Targa South West”

The entry list for next weekend’s Make Smoking History Targa South West has been released with a field of 41 vehicles lining up for the ninth running of the tarmac rally.

As in previous years, the entry list features a diverse field with a mixture of both rookies and regulars in vehicles that represent many eras – from classic Ford Mustangs and Holden Toranas, to current model Porsches, BMWs and even a Tesla.

The vehicles will be put through their paces from Friday 18th May to Sunday 20th May on 130 kilometres of closed road, normally reserved for public touring traffic visiting the picturesque Manjimup and Pemberton region.

There have been some changes to the year’s stages with the addition of the Northcliffe stage, and amendments to the popular Gloucester stage which has been renamed as the Diamond Tree stage.

Continue reading “Make Smoking History Targa South West entry list released”