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Targa New Zealand: Metalman Classic front runners out of the hunt

30 October, 2015

 

The father-and-son duo that is Mark and Chris Kirk-Burnnand (BMW M3) are out of the competition after leading the Metalman Classic class. In an interview with Targa Media representative Ross McKay, Mark said, “About 15kms in the engine just went bang. There’s now a hole you could put your foot through in the [engine] block, so we borrowed a trailer off Glenn Inkster and towed the car out. There’s no way we can find and fit another engine in the time we have left so we’ll spend the rest of the event supporting the other Kirk-Burnnand cars and come back ourselves next year.”

Meanwhile, Glenn Inkster and Spencer Winn (Mitsubishi Evo 8) continued to stamp their dominance on the field after the end of a rain-lashed day four (Thursday, October 29), with a lead of eight minutes and four seconds over Tony Quinn and Naomi Tillett (2008 Nissan GTR). 

The 21st annual Targa New Zealand event now heads east to Havelock North via Taihape and the Gentle Annie road on Friday, October 30, before returning west for the finish at Palmerston North (at The Square) on Saturday, October 31.

Friday also sees the start of the two-day Targa Regional Rally event within an event.

Results:

Andrew Simms Allcomer 4WD

  1. Glenn Inkster / Spencer Winn (2003 Mitsubishi Lancer Evo 8) 04:24:08
  2. Tony Quinn / Naomi Tillett (2008 Nissan GTR) 04:32:04
  3. Brian Green / Fleur Pedersen (2010 Mitsubishi Lancer Evo X RS) 04:47:35
  4. David Rogers / Aidan Kelly (2009 Mitsubishi Lancer Evo X RS) 04:50:18
  5. Graeme Wong / Kim Blatchley (1998 Subaru Impreza Type R) 05:07:38
  6. Jeff McCandless / Marcella Mumm (2010 Subaru WRX ST1) 05:14:10

Metalman Classic 2WD

  1. Bevan Claridge / Campbell Tannock (1992 Holden Commodore) 04:47:34
  2. Keith and Mary Anne Callinan (1977 Ford Escort) 04:57:37
  3. Ashton Wood / Chris Lancaster (1976 Ford Escort RS1800) 05:03:28
  4. Bruce Farley / Glen Warner (1986 BMW 325 325) 05:04:01
  5. Mark and Chris Kirk-Burnnand (1987 BMW M3) 05:06:18
  6. Carl Kirk-Burnnand / Scott Hay (1991 BMW 325i) 05:07:12

Instra.com Modern 2WD

  1. Martin Dippie / Jona Grant (2007 Porsche GT3 RS) 04:40:11
  2. Steven Kirk-Burnnand / Mick Hay (1994 BMW 318ti) 04:43:33
  3. Grant Aitken / Caroline Cullimore (2013 Toyota 86 RC) 04:48:38
  4. Robert Darrington / David Abetz (2002 BMW M3) 04:48:40
  5. Matt Todd / Dan Reichenbach (2008 BMW M3) 04:50:28
  6. Chris Lewis / Kieran Anstis (2013 Toyota TR86) 04:53:40

Overall

  1. Glenn Inkster / Spencer Winn 04:24:08
  2. Tony Quinn / Naomi Tillett 04:32:04
  3. Martin Dippie / Jona Grant 04:40:11
  4. Steven Kirk-Burnnand / Mick Hay 04:43:33
  5. Bevan Claridge / Campbell Tannock 04:47:24
  6. Brian Green / Fleur Pedersen 04:47:35

Leading the Instra.com Modern 2WD class after four days of Targa New Zealand competition is Dunedin pair Martin Dippie and Jona Grant in a Porsche 911 GT3.

Latest front-runners to retire are Mark and Chris Kirk-Burnnand (BMW M3).

Now with a healthy lead in Metalman Classic are Bevan Claridge and Campbell Tannock (Holden Commodore V8).

And now up to second place in Metalman Classic 2WD is the Australian husband-and-wife pair of Keith and Mary Anne Callinan (Ford Escort RS1800).

Photo credit: Fast Company/ProShotz

 

 

NZ Classic Car magazine, July/August 2026 issue 406, on sale now

21 June, 2026

Rebirth of a brilliant Grand Tourer –1973 Datsun 240Z
How often do we long for that ultimate dream sports car, and that dream comes true? This is about one of the most influential Japanese cars of all time, a car that changed the sports car market.
This is about much more than the restoration of an iconic classic sports car, the 240Z. It’s about the culmination of a dream over many years and the friendships made. It’s about the people who helped and the professionals whose approach ensured that the dream became a reality, an attitude typical of the industry we call ‘classic restoration experts’.
It is no surprise that the outcome after a lengthy search by Conrad Van der Geest for the right Datsun 240Z culminated in a trophy for the best Japanese car at this year’s Caroline Bay Beach, Rock N’ Hop at Timaru.
Originally a roadworthy car in running order, it was left-hand-drive and had been driven for several years by its Timaru owner, as Conrad explains.
“A neighbour, Dave Barron, knew I was looking for one and introduced me to the owner. I had seen the car being driven around Timaru. It was unusual for one of these coming originally from California, so it was a really clean car instead of rusty, as they are prone to rust. The story goes that the grandfather passed it onto his grandson, who decided to sell it, and that’s when it came over here.”
Every issue comes with our FREE huge wall poster; this issue, it’s our cover car for this edition, a 1973 Datsun 240Z

The butterfly effect

18 June, 2026

The man on the mountain bike pedalled over, taking it all in. Gazing in wonderment at this small Japanese coupe with butterfly doors, he said, “Wow, I have never seen one of these before. What is it?” When I told him it was a Toyota, he nearly fell off his bike.
The Toyota Sera is unique amongst ’90s Japanese coupes. The Sera, which is Italian for ‘evening’, can trace its roots back to Toyota’s AXV-II concept car. Launched as part of a trio of Toyota concept cars at the 1987 Tokyo Motor Show, it shared its underpinnings with the P70 Toyota Starlet. The similarities ended there, thanks to the AXV-II’s low-slung and rounded coupe styling with butterfly doors. These doors were held upright by gas struts when fully open. Glass covered the upper section of the doors and the rear hatchback.
These features, much to everyone’s surprise, were carried over to the production Sera in 1990. Toyota marketed the Sera, which means ‘will be’ in Spanish and ‘princess’ in Hebrew, as a funky alternative to the much-loved MR2.