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Targa New Zealand: defending champions lead the way

27 October, 2015

Glenn Inkster and Spencer Winn have made an early charge in their Mitsubishi Evo 8 to the top of the leader board after the first day of the 21st annual Targa New Zealand rally event on Monday, October 26.  

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

Day one results:

Andrew Simms Allcomers 4WD

  1. Glenn Inkster / Spencer Winn (2003 Mitsubishi Lancer Evo 8) 00:18:04
  2. Tony Quinn / Naomi Tillett (2008 Nissan GT-R) 00:18:38
  3. Jason Gill / Mark  Robinson (2005 Mitsubishi Lancer EVO9) 00:18:47
  4. Nic de Waal / Guy Hodgson (2002 Subaru Impreza) 00:19:07
  5. David Rogers / Aidan Kelly (2009 Mitsubishi Lancer Evo X RS) 00:20:17
  6. Brian Green / Fleur Pedersen (2010 Mitsubishi Lancer Evo X RS) 00:20:20

Metalman Classic 2WD

  1. Bevan Claridge / Campbell Tannock (1992 Holden Commodore) 00:19:33
  2. Jason Easton / Campbell Ward (1966 Ford Mustang) 00:19:35
  3. Mark and Chris Kirk-Burnnand (1987 BMW M3) 00:19:37
  4. Bruce Farley / Glen Warner (1986 BMW 325) 00:20:17
  5. Ashton Wood / Chris Lancaster (1976 Ford Escort RS1800) 00:20:35
  6. Barry Kirk Burnannd / Dave O’Carroll (1989 BMW M3) 00:20:48

Instra.com Modern 2WD

  1. Clark Proctor / Sue O’Neill (1973 Escort MK1) 00:19:18
  2. Martin Dippie / Jona Grant (2007 Porsche GT3 RS) 00:19:37
  3. Marcus Van Klink / Dave Neill (2004 Citroen C2 Super 1600) 00:19:40
  4. Robert Darrington / David Abetz (2002 BMW M3) 00:19:53
  5. Grant Aitken / Caroline Cullimore (2013 Toyota 86 RC) 00:19:54
  6. Andre Cowan / Brett Cowan (1992 BMW 325i) 00:19:58

Defending Targa New Zealand title-holders Glenn Inkster and Spencer Winn (Mitsubishi Evo 8) have taken an early lead in the 2015 Targa NZ event from Auckland to Palmerston North

Leading the Instra.com Modern 2WD class is Clark Proctor and Sue O’Neill (Ford Escort / Nissan V6)

Third in Metalman Classic 2WD are Mark and Chris Kirk-Burnnand in their BMW M3

Photo credit: Fast Company / ProShotz

 

 

 

 

“Gotcha!’’ The continuing tale of a Nissan/Datsun tragic – part two

8 May, 2026

In 1996, I was on a mission to buy a suitable pavement scorcher and visited the now-defunct Manukau City Car Fair. Unbelievably, among the sea of four-door utilitarian Japanese compacts was the absolute jewel in the crown, my automobile wet dream — a 1985 two-door R30 RS Nissan Skyline FJ20 Turbo five-speed manual in nice condition. The owner wanted $10,000 — a great deal.
But what did I do? I bailed out, paralysed by indecision. The money would have been a stretch, but it was the worst automotive choice I ever made. Instead, I went for a rusty Toyota Sprinter 8 Valve Twin Cam Coupé, which was pretty terminal from the get-go. I know. We’ve all done it, but there was really no excuse for passing up the Skyline, and I was haunted by that for years.

Last Tango in the Fast Lane

30 April, 2026

In the mid ’80s, I locked into a serious Nissan/Datsun performance obsession. It could have kicked off with my ’82 Datsun Sunny, though this would have been a bit of a stretch of the imagination, given its normally aspirated 1.2-litre motor — not the sort of thing to unleash radical road warrior dreams. But it did plant a seed, and it was a sweet little machine and surprisingly quick, in contrast to all the diabolical English offerings I had endured.
I was living in South Auckland at the time and was an unrepentant petrolhead. Motor racing was my drug of choice, and I followed the scene slavishly. Saloon car racing, with the arrival of the international Group A formula, was having a serious renaissance here and in Australia and Europe. There was suddenly an exotic air in local racing that had been absent for 15 years.
I was transfixed by this new frontier of motor racing that had hit our tracks in 1985–87 and the new array of machinery on display. In 1986, the Nissan Skyline RS DR30 made a blinding impression on me. The Australian Fred Gibson-run, Peter Jackson-sponsored team of George Fury and Glenn Seton were the fastest crew of the 1986 Australian Touring Car Championship. But Kiwi legend Robbie Francevic snuck through to win the Aussie Championship in his Volvo 240T after a strong start and consistent finishes.