Tarmac Rallying Perpetual Thread

[paulR32gtr]

Paul Bradbury ftw!

[Duncan]

just to clarify....I run a normal, aftermarket pump, not an external pump/wet sump. Neither Targa nor production cars allows external pump, and in any case I am not convinced a oil pump belt is reliable in the sort of things you can do to a car at targa (potato field anyone?)

[GOD12A]

Thanks DUNCAN

Mark!!

[marinetowing]

Well take Ayres out of the field too and EM is there for the taking next year.

Couple of white rs Evo 7's in the field might not make it a walk in the park.

Tony Warren will be a serious contender and I believe Mr Rickards car has had a fairly extensive overhaul, with reliability on his side he will also give it a good shake.

[sav man]

If Warren is running, he'll be the clear favorate. I'm guessing a 7 in LMS spec will be faster than a 9 in showroom

[Leif]

For Sydney people, there's coverage of Targa High Country followed by Targa Wrest Point on 7mate at the moment...

Edited August 27, 2011 by Leif

[navdan]

Was talking to Kel at the Symmons on the weekend, and she thought that Adam had lost his sponsorship, and wouldn't be running next year.

He has spent A LOT of money on that car and couldn't keep it up this year. That's a whole lotta car just sitting there so best to pass it on

WE will be back

[sav man]

in a couple of years you guys will probably be able to enter big red if the rules keep changing

[Darkside]

Apparently there was a tarmac rally here in the west on the weekend....

Steve Jones 1st,(35 GTR) Team Sims second, (35 GTR) and Jim Richards 3rd by about 5 secs. (Porkchop) The Rullo GTR was up the pointy end for most of the rally (would have been GTR 1,2,3) but suffered gearbox fail. Word on the street was it was making pretty good power.

[Marlin]

Why is there such a lack of interest in this particular event you reckon Blaise?

Is it just us sour faced eastern stater's, or is the nature of the rally not particularly enticing?

I've not attended the rally, never really had the desire to either.

[Darkside]

^^^ Good question Woo. I havent competed in it and havent bothered to, even as a local. My reasons were mainly shite bang for buck, ($ per competitive km) average roads by comparison to eastern states offerings and repeated stages, and what I consider as stoopid CAMS rules. I built my old car with the idea of bringing it east, so it was built to Octagon spec. Having to detune/spec it to run locally seemed a waste of time. And dollar for dollar, I could ship myself and the car east and run high country which has more competitve KMs and IMHO better quality roads and field, for much the same cost as doing the local event. No brainer for me.

But I dont have first hand experience. Matt who has codriven for Snowy in all 3 east coast rallies and has also co driven a couple of Targa Wests really rates it. But can you really trust anyone who has owned a Honda Jazz?

[PHaT MR30]

^^^ Good question Woo. I havent competed in it and havent bothered to, even as a local. My reasons were mainly shite bang for buck, ($ per competitive km) average roads by comparison to eastern states offerings and repeated stages, and what I consider as stoopid CAMS rules. I built my old car with the idea of bringing it east, so it was built to Octagon spec. Having to detune/spec it to run locally seemed a waste of time. And dollar for dollar, I could ship myself and the car east and run high country which has more competitve KMs and IMHO better quality roads and field, for much the same cost as doing the local event. No brainer for me.

But I dont have first hand experience. Matt who has codriven for Snowy in all 3 east coast rallies and has also co driven a couple of Targa Wests really rates it. But can you really trust anyone who has owned a Honda Jazz?

Lolz

I think the big negative for us eastern states besides the above mentioned is its a big cost to get over there just for one 3 day event and there is nothing else to do. Sure if you are coming from WA you can do THC in november and arrange to leave your car somewhere in vic/tas and there is another 3/4 tarmac rallies you can do in the space of 5 months.

[Darkside]

^^^ Spot on Timmy. I woudlnt bother. They almost capitulated this year and allowed Octagon spec cars, but I am guessing there might have been pressure from locals without octagon spec cars to not let them play. It certainly cost them entries as a coupe of guys I know pulled the pin. My old car ran in "invitational" class. Pay the same money but dont appear in the official results. Fail!!

For locals, IMHO is a much better option to do as you suggested. Ship it east the once, and pick up a few of the shorter rallies. Next to no need for support crew. Just turn up with a well prepped car, tip fuel in it and have a laugh.

Edited August 29, 2011 by Darkside

[JimmyRickard]

Are there any tarmac rallies like targa in NSW?

[2pee]

4 (?) years too late ^^^^^ and they were Clayton tarmac rallies.

Local plod at the final event even suggesting (seriously!) route should be lined with barriers.

NSW, probably less suitable for these events, unless you like corpses littering high speed sections, although WA seems to get away with their series of drag straights somehow....what I've seen on the box anyway.

[Marlin]

Yeah I did East Coast Targa in 2004..... started in Sydney and finished in Bathurst.

Was some pretty good rural roads used, but as it was against the rules to use pace notes I thought it simply far too dangerous if you wanted to push for a finish (we founds ourselves gambling on what was over the crest or how tight a corner was).

Evidently the top finishing guys were still using pace notes, but no one was checking as far as I could tell.

One fellow was killed right in front of us when his Posche left the road hard...... that really took its toll mentally. Never again will I do a road book only tarmac rally. The speeds are just too great. It's a completely different story on gravel, different discipline.

[Darkside]

although WA seems to get away with their series of drag straights somehow....what I've seen on the box anyway.

WA courses are littered with chicanes and limited speed zones to get the speed down to the 132kmh average. Its wank IMHO. Go as fast as you can...oh except for this bit where you have to slow down to 60 kmh for a while and then speeed up, then do a slalom, and then a chicane... I kind of agree with the philosophy that a chicane can turn a safe straight stretch of road into a dangerous one. I really like the idea of 3,2,1 GO and just go as fast as you can til the finish.

Woo, that would have been horrible to witness. Also am a big fan of pace notes. Really helps keep you safe if you use them right. Wouldnt bother with Targa NZ.

[Snowman]

Well they sure manage to have their fair share of wrecks in the W.A. events.

Seen some pics of some rippers from this year. But the number of big ones also doesn't inspire you to head west.

[PHaT MR30]

WA courses are littered with chicanes and limited speed zones to get the speed down to the 132kmh average. Its wank IMHO. Go as fast as you can...oh except for this bit where you have to slow down to 60 kmh for a while and then speeed up, then do a slalom, and then a chicane... I kind of agree with the philosophy that a chicane can turn a safe straight stretch of road into a dangerous one. I really like the idea of 3,2,1 GO and just go as fast as you can til the finish.

Woo, that would have been horrible to witness. Also am a big fan of pace notes. Really helps keep you safe if you use them right. Wouldnt bother with Targa NZ.

Yeh and those restricted speed zones are a joke, if your a km over you get a penalty, but if you go a few km's slower you lose seconds to other competitors if you don't get it spot on. Not exactly racing!

[Marlin]

RSZ's are worse, MUCH worse than chicanes. Though I'll admit, I quite like chicanes.... chance to pick up a second or two at each one if you're confident.