Targa New Zealand: day one pace setters lead the way

27 October, 2015

Still in front at the end of the second gruelling day (Tuesday, October 27) of Targa New Zealand 2015, Glenn Inkster and Spencer Winn (Mitsubishi Evo 8) have an impressive lead over five-time event winner Tony Quinn and co-driver Naomi Tillet (2008 Nissan GT-R) by just four minutes and 36 seconds.

Information on both the main (six-day) 2015 Targa New Zealand and two-day Targa Regional Rally events can be found in the latest copy of (November 2015) New Zealand Classic Car magazine.

Results:

Andrew Simms Allcomers 4WD

  1. Glenn Inkster / Spencer Winn (2003 Mitsubishi Lancer Evo 8) 01:32:57
  2. Tony Quinn / Naomi Tillett (2008 Nissan GTR) 01:36:21
  3. Brian Green / Fleur Pedersen (Mitsubishi Lancer Evo X) 1:42:06
  4. David Rogers / Aidan Kelly (2009 Mitsubishi Lancer Evo X) 01:43:52
  5. Matthew Wales / Mitchell Osborne (2006 Mitsubishi Evolution 9) 01:46:17
  6. Graeme Wong / Kim Blatchley (1998 Subaru Impreza Type R) 01:48:15

Metalaman Classic 2WD

  1. Mark Kirk-Burnnand / Chris Kirk-Burnnand (1987 BMW M3) 01:40:49
  2. Bevan Claridge / Campbell Tannock (1992 Holden Commodore) 01:41:00
  3. Bruce Farley / Glen Warner (1986 BMW 325 325) 01:42:44
  4. Ashton Wood / Chris Lancaster (1976 Ford Escort RS1800) 01:45:38
  5. Keith Callinan / Mary Anne Callinan (1977 Ford Escort) 01:45:46
  6. Barry Kirk-Burnannd / Dave Ocarroll (1989 BMW M3) 01:46:54

Instra.com Modern 2WD

  1. Clark Proctor / Sue O’Neill (1973 Escort MK1) 01:39:36
  2. Martin Dippie / Jona Grant (2007 Porsche GT3 RS) 01:39:43
  3. Robert Darrington / David Abetz (2002 BMW M3) 01:41:45
  4. Grant Aitken / Caroline Cullimore (2013 Toyota 86 RC) 01:41:50
  5. Steven Kirk-Burnnand / Mick Hay (1994 BMW 318ti) 01:42:23
  6. Chris Lewis / Kieran Anstis (2013 Toyota TR86) 01:42:46

Also retaining their class lead in Instra.com Modern 2WD were Clark Proctor and Sue O’Neill (Ford Escort/Nissan V6)

Defending Targa New Zealand title-holders Glenn Inkster and Spencer Winn extended their lead in the 2015 Targa New Zealand event from Auckland to Palmerston North

Meanwhile, getting the feel for their new car was Mike Lowe and co-driver Philip Sutton in the Enzed Abarth

Image credit: Fast Company / ProShotz

A second dose of Dash

When the car arrived in Wellington in December 2018 it was duly taken along for entry certification. Vehicle Inspection NZ (VINZ) found some wrongly wired lamps and switches — not too bad — but, much more significantly, some poor welding repairs. As the structural problems were probed more thoroughly, we realized the previous owner’s restoration would not do and we needed an upgrade. Dash had made it into the country but it would take some time and money before he would be free to explore any of New Zealand’s scenic highways.
We took the car to our new home in Johnsonville in the northern suburbs of Wellington and I pored over the car in detail to figure out what was next. There were lots of new parts on the car and a very perky reconditioned drivetrain but the chassis needed serious work.

Lunch with… Jim Palmer

In the 1960s, Hamilton’s Jim Palmer won the prestigious ‘Gold Star’ four times and was the first resident New Zealander home in the New Zealand Grand Prix on five consecutive occasions. He shared the podium with Stirling Moss, Jack Brabham, Bruce McLaren, Graham Hill, Jim Clark, Denny Hulme, Jackie Stewart, and Chris Amon. The extent of his domination of the open-wheeler scene in New Zealand will probably never be matched or exceeded. Yet he’s always been modest about his achievements.