Targa Tasmania 2009

[260DET]

R35 GTR wins this tough endurance event outright, so much for the 'fragile mechanicals' attacks from the badge snobs.

Not much scope for the Zeds in this event, see the occasional Z32 while the S30's are too restricted by the rules vis a vis the Porsches to have much of a chance, particularly in Late Classic. There were a couple of S30's entered, one of our Z club members was doing well in Early Classic until damaging a wheel on a rail crossing.

Link http://www.sportcom.com.au/targatasmania/

And here is a sample of what it is like, this was a 20th fastest time.

Or this one which involves more open country than the one above.

Edited May 4, 2009 by 260DET

[bluerat]

Sorry Mate, I'm really going to have to correct you on the above....The R35 was a red hot favorite to win the event, in fact after the Skylines win in Rally Tasmania, the second place Lambo owners purchased a new R35, which arived before Targa and the third place Evo crew had been pricing them up ready for 2010! At the welcome party, the talk was of not would it win, but by how much. The winning car of the Quinn's had electrical problems during the event, yet still won at a canter, doing as they pleased as the other more fancied crews crashed off trying to keep up.

As for the S30's, your mate Siddens makes a very good account of himself!! the top running Porsches cost around $150,000 to build and run in the very 'open' ruled C3 class and I'm sure a 240Z built to this standard and using the C3 rules to the full would give them a run for there money.

Hodgo

Tasmania.

[260DET]

Talking with those who are very involved in motorsport at a national level and who have targa experience, the Porsches are allowed to run wider wheels than the S30's even though the S30's have homologation papers for similar wide wheels. The wider wheels are a crucial advantage in a targa event, particularly given the tyre replacement rules.

I'm not up with the C3 class rules but basically I've been told by those who should know that a S30 will never beat a Porsche, due to the wheel thing only.

On the R35, in the US particularly there seemed to be a campaign to discredit its mechanical integrity. Which is why I made that comment.

[bluerat]

My understanding is that the Porshes can use the larger wheels and arches due to being homolgated under group 4 regs, as is the 240Z homolated the wider wheels and flairs under group 4 in there papers. I can't find anywhere where it says Porsches can and Datsuns can not?? Both Mk1 and Mk2 Escorts run the wide flairs and big tyres under the same rules, so why not a Zed? Mate, I understand the people you are talking to are no fool's and would run the larger tyres if they could, In fact I have a huge respect for Siddens and the stage times/results he gets, but can not understand why they can't run the flairs and 16 by 10's??

I've been involved with Rally Tas as a competitor or offical for the last 20 years, Was the zero car in this years Targa, Triple 9 car for Targa wrest point this year and acted on the service crews on many of the top classic teams over the years.

Edited September 13, 2009 by bluerat

[260DET]

There is not much more I can add to the Targa wide wheel query but I know at least one future S30 entrant who was knocked back for Targa Tas when he enquired with all the supporting paperwork. No reason apparently given, I guess that noone wants to build a car and then find its not accepted.

There is also a dispute in Sc historic where the S30's are restricted to standard width wheels. If I have it right, Porsches are allowed to run wide wheels even though they were an option and not standard.

There is no doubt that there is an Eurocentric attitude in some areas of Australian motorsport with the attendant self interest being all important.