Targa New Zealand: Inkster and Winn back-to-back winners

2 November, 2015

 

For the second year in a row, Glenn Inkster and co-driver Spencer Winn (Mitsubishi Evo 8) have dominated the Targa New Zealand tarmac motor rally. In addition, the 2015 winners have successfully bagged the trifecta by winning the Metalman Targa New Zealand Rally Sprint 2015 as well as the Targa Bambina 2015 earlier in the year.

The pair arrived at the finish line of this year’s event in Palmerston North with an impressive nine-and-a-half minute lead over five-time former winners Tony Quinn and his co-driver Naomi Tillett (Nissan GT-R35), and almost 20 minutes ahead of third-placed 2013 event winners Martin Dippie and Jona Grant in Dippie’s Porsche 911 GT3.

Final results:

Andrew Simms Allcomers 4WD

  1. Glenn Inkster / Spencer Winn (2003 Mitsubishi Lancer Evo 8) 07:27:03
  2. Tony Quinn / Naomi Tillett (2008 Nissan GT-R) 07:38:49
  3. Brian Green / Fleur Pedersen (2010 Mitsubishi Lancer Evo X RS) 08:00:26
  4. David Rogers / Aidan Kelly (2009 Mitsubishi Lancer Evo X RS) 08:06:07
  5. Graeme  Wong / Kim Blatchley (1998 Subaru Impreza Type R) 08:34:40
  6. Jeff McCandless / Marcella Mumm (2010 Subaru WRX STi) 08:47:00

Metalman Classic 2WD

  1. Bevan Claridge / Campbell Tannock (1992 Holden Commodore) 08:04:04
  2. Bruce Farley / Glen Warner (1986 BMW 325 325) 08:27:19
  3. Carl Kirk-Burnnand / Scott Hay (1991 BMW 325i) 08:28:06
  4. Ashton Wood / Chris Lancaster (1976 Ford Escort RS1800) 08:28:23
  5. Keith Callinan / Mary Anne Callinan (1977 Ford Escort) 08:40:09
  6. Bernie Hiestand / Jilly Hutson (1983 Ford Capri 2.8i) 08:42:40

Instra.com Modern 2WD

  1. Martin Dippie / Jona Grant (2007 Porsche GT3 RS) 07:46:27
  2. Steven Kirk-Burnnand / Mick Hay (1994 BMW 318ti) 07:54:35
  3. Robert Darrington / David Abetz (2002 BMW M3) 08:01:23
  4. Matt Todd / Dan Reichenbach (2008 BMW M3) 08:04:06
  5. Grant Aitken / Caroline Cullimore (2013 Toyota 86 RC) 08:07:34
  6. Chris Lewis / Kieran Anstis (2013 Toyota TR86) 08:22:15

Overall

  1. Glenn Inkster / Spencer Winn (2003 Mitsubishi Lancer Evo 8 (07:27:03)
  2. Tony Quinn / Naomi Tillett (2008 Nissan GT-R) 07:38:49
  3. Martin Dippie / Jona Grant (2007 Porsche GT3 RS) 07:49:27
  4. Steven Kirk-Burnnand / Mick Hay (1994 BMW 318ti) 07:54:35
  5. Brian Green / Fleur Pedersen (2010 Mitsubishi Lancer Evo X RS) 08:00:26
  6. Robert Darrington / David Abetz (2002 BMW M3) 08:01:23
  7. Bevan Claridge / Campbell Tannock (1992 Holden Commodore) 08:04:04
  8. Matt Todd / Dan Reichenbach (2008 BMW M3) 08:04:06
  9. David Rogers / Aidan Kelly (2009 Mitsubishi Lancer Evo X RS) 08:06:07
  10. Grant Aitken / Caroline Cullimore (2013 Toyota 86 RC) 08:07:34

Targa 2015 winners Glenn Inkster and Spencer Winn (Mitsubishi Evo 8) in action and celebrating their second event victory in as many years.

Winners of the Metalman Classic 2WD class, and first V8 pair home, were Bevan Claridge and Campbell Tannock (Holden Commodore V8).

Winner of the Instra.com Modern 2WD class and third overall were Martin Dippie and Jona Grant from Dunedin (Porsche 911 GT3).

2015 Targa New Zealand class winners from left Jona Grant and Martin Dippie (Instra.com Allcomers 2WD), Glenn Inkster and Spencer Winn (Overall and Andrew Simms Allcomers 4WD), and Bevan Claridge and Campbell Tannock (Metalman Classic 2WD).

NZ Classic Car magazine, November/December 2026 issue 408, on sale now

Star status for classic Porsche
A long search ends: finding the right car
Unveiled at the Frankfurt Motor Show in 1963, the Porsche 911 heralded an iconic lineage of sports cars, known for their exceptional performance, remarkable racing reliability, and adaptability, second to none.
New Zealand Classic Car, in conjunction with Star Insure, recently conducted a photo competition to find 13 suitably impressive classics to grace the pages of the magazine’s 2027 calendar. A flood of entries showed that Kiwis recognise eye-catching designs and restorations. Many are handy with a camera, too, and have entered some outstanding results.
The choice was not straightforward, with multiple stunning entries, and Geoff Long’s immaculate 1990 Porsche 911 (964 Factory designation) took top honours. Fortunately, Geoff had Ethan Hanlon handy to take the accompanying photos while working in his office.
“I’ve got a young employee who is doing work experience in my office at the moment, and he’s a very avid photographer. So, I said, I’ll buy you breakfast and then why don’t we go and take some photos. He found the right spot, and he spent over an hour photographing.”
Originally sold new in Japan, hence the right-hand drive, the Porsche was resident there for four years before being exported to New Zealand, as Geoff recalls.
“I bought it two-and-a-half years ago, but I looked for it for over two years, because it’s just the colour scheme, interior and exterior I was after. The service file that came with it is extensive; I mean, it’s been beautifully looked after, which is what I wanted to continue, as it does get driven. It doesn’t sit in the garage.”

Classics on the green

Many pretenders vie for the title, but the Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance gets my vote as the biggest thing since sliced bread.
The 71st edition of the world’s pre-eminent and best-known concours event featured 28 classes, judged by a 180-strong jury, which also chose the recipients of 26 special awards.
The size of the event, the number of visitors, and, most mind-numbingly, the sheer number of amazing cars, is almost overwhelming. There are so many quality cars to gaze upon, and so many people gazing at those cars, that it is almost impossible to cover everything.
Notable among the many attractions were the centenary celebrations of the 24 Hours of Le Mans, an elegant Talbot-Lago Grand Sport, Hermann Graber’s Swiss-bodied cabriolets and coupés, the jewels of Otto Vu Italian V8s, early Alfa Romeos, Lincoln and its centenary, and cars with unorthodox propulsion systems.