The 2018 Shannons Targa Rallysprint Series revs into gear on Thursday 2^nd November backed by new sponsor Axis Hire, a Western Australian heavy vehicles and earth moving equipment hire company. 

Axis Hire are also supporting the GT Fabrication Rallysprint in Bunbury in June 2018.

Axis Hire proprietor and GT Fabrication Targa Rallysprint competitor Mark Cates said he felt it was important to support the series.

“I’ve competed in two Rallysprint events in Bunbury and I’ve been so impressed with how well run the events are - I know the organisers do it on a shoe-string. Axis Hire has come on board to help the Rallysprint series become bigger and better,” Mr Cates said.

Cates, the owner of a Ferrari 488 Spider that he raced in the 2016 and 2017 Rallysprint series, has called for more exotic cars owners to get involved.  

“I’ve done track days at Barbagallo but I wanted more. I reckon everyone who owns an exotic car should get their pampered cars out of the garage and onto the track – it’s so much fun!”

Competing in Rallysprint doesn’t require the same time commitment or expense as competing in traditional Targa and rally events, thus making it a great introduction to the sport as well as being a good way for rally competitors to keep their skills sharp during the summer months.

Event Director Ross Tapper said that Rallysprint requires teamwork between driver and co-driver.

“Drivers will need to negotiate obstacles in close vicinity of the road with the help of their co-driver whilst racing the clock, which is quite different to simply racing around on a race track.

“Five of the six events are run on Thursday evenings after work at the Perth Motorplex making it an easy option to enjoy motorsport during the summer,” Mr Tapper said.

Rallysprint events are held once per month from November to March on Thursday evenings at Perth Motorplex on a 3.25km course that is run four times, alternating clockwise and anti clockwise each month.

Drivers may have multiple co-drivers but each will need a CAMS L2S Licence and Car Club membership, available from Targa West Events.

The November Rallysprint Series kicks off the 2018 Quit Targa Cup, which has proved very popular since its inception two years ago.

Entries to the Shannons Targa Rallysprint Series are restricted to 80 cars.

Shannons Targa Rallysprint Series dates:

1.    Thursday 2 November 2017

2.    Thursday 7 December 2017

3.    Thursday 11 January 2018

4.    Thursday 15 February 2018

5.    Thursday 8 March 2018

6.    GT Fabrication Targa Bunbury Sprint 24 June 2018

Regulations and Entry Form available from www.rallysprints.com  

Supporting the Shannons Targa Rallysprint Series alongside Axis Hire is Healthway and the Quit message, Autopro Canning Vale, Perth Motorsport Tyres and STechnic Specialist Subaru Garage.

Targa West Events wishes to thank Alister McRae and Trisector for their support of the McRae Motorsport Rallysprint Series from its inception seven years ago.

The championship will be now known as the Shannons Targa Rally Sprint Series in recognition of new sponsor, Shannons Insurance.

Shannons Insurance Business Development Manager for WA Graham Powell said, “We’re proud of our continued association with grass roots motorsport and growing our partnership with Targa West Events.”

Shannons Insurance also supports Quit Targa West, Quit Targa South West and the GT Fabrication Bunbury Targa Sprint.

Event Director Ross Tapper said that Rallysprint was a great way to enjoy competitive motorsport without the time commitment and expense required in the traditional rally format.

“Five of the six events are run on Thursday evenings after work at the Perth Motorplex making it an easy option to enjoy motorsport during the summer. The July event is a warm up for Quit Targa West and for others wishing to have some fun,” Mr Tapper said.

“Rallysprint is fast, fun and great for those new to rallying as well as those more experienced who want to keep their skills honed. Rallysprint requires team work between driver and co-driver and the ability to drive with obstacles in close vicinity of the road, neither of which can be practised on a race track.”

The Perth Motorplex course, which is run four times, is 3.25km in length, making the total competitive distance 13km. The course swaps between being run clockwise and anticlockwise.

Drivers may have multiple co-drivers but each will need a CAMS L2S Licence and Car Club membership, available from Targa West Events.

It’s just one month until the start of the 2017 Quit Targa Cup, which proved very popular in its inaugural year last year.

Entries to the Shannons Targa Rallysprint Series are restricted to 80 cars.

Shannons Targa Rallysprint Series dates:

Thursday 10 November 2016
Thursday 8 December 2016
Thursday 12 January 2017
Thursday 16 February 2017
Thursday 9 March 2017

"We’ve made it possible for competitors to enter all events now, which reduces administration and also allows them to set their schedules to contend the 2017 Quit Targa Cup,” Mr Tapper said.

Supplementary Regulations available for download here and online Entry Form available here.

The Shannons Targa Rallysprint Series is proudly supported by:

Greenham went into the final round of the series with just a one point lead over rival Will White.

But the championship battle was short lived.

White crashed his Mitsubishi Lancer EVO IX MR in the first stage putting him out of action for the rest of the night.

Knowing that he needed to post some fast times to finish ahead of Greenham, the Dardanup business man was using the full capacity of his 2.3-litre stroker engine.

But coming into the first corner into the keyhole he missed his braking point and ran into one of the three concrete barriers.

While he was able to keep damage to a minimum, it was bad enough to put him out of contention for the 2014 championship title.

Greenham, who has been the driver to beat for the past two seasons, went on to win the heat and retain his crown.

With either his brother, Andrew or sister, Sarah, in the co-driver’s seat he finished the five-race series with two wins and three seconds to finish with a score of 47 out of a possible 50.

Greenham said the competition was a lot tougher this year.

“We were pushed a lot harder this year. I think everyone keeps improving and there were more powerful cars competing.

“Paul Lowry looked like he was going to be the one to beat after winning the first round but then for various reasons he was not able to compete in the rest of the series and guys like Will White with his new car pushed us pretty hard.”

Greenham is now hoping to compete in the Killarnée Targa South West in May but said he was hoping to attract some more sponsorship to help offset the cost.

Jamie Lister, in his 2000 Subaru Impreza WRX STi finished second overall in heat five and jumped into second place overall for the series with 39 points, finishing three ahead of White who did not add to his tally of 36 from the first four heats.

The remarkable thing about Lister’s performance is that he competes in Class III (Tarmac 4WD up to 3.5-litre) while Greenham and White both drive cars with bigger, more powerful engines.

Despite the handicap, Lister was able to finish in the top four overall in each of the five rounds.

His performance also secured him the Class III title with three firsts and two seconds.

Troy Wilson, who won the two heats where Lister finished second, recorded the second fastest time of the night in his first run but could not maintain that pace due to a gearbox problem and finished the night in fifth place overall. He also finished the series in fifth place overall with Dennis Heller (driving a 2004 Mitsubishi Evo VIII MR) in fourth place.

In Class I (Tarmac 2WD up to 2.0-litre) Duane Jourbert completed a perfect series with five consecutive wins in his 1983 Toyota Sprinter AE86.

The clean sweep had him finishing an incredible 27 points ahead of Daniel Webb (2003 Ford Focus ST170) and Paul Helm (1970 Ford Escort MkI RS2000) who both finished the series with 33 points.

The Class II (Tarmac 2WD over 2.0-litre) title was won by Glen Renshaw (2008 Holden VE SSV Ute) while Scott McKenzie (1994 Subaru Impreza WRX) won the Class V (Gravel 2WD and 4WD) title with a perfect score of 50 points from his five rounds.

The former West Coast Eagle has competed in the past two rounds of the McRae Motorsport Rallysprint Series at Perth Motorplex in Kwinana.

And the big, flamboyant former forward has steered his re-worked 2001 Mitsubishi Evo VII, to class wins in both.

And with one round remaining he could snare a top five finish in the overall championship.

Wilson said the Evo, which he drove in his three Targa races, had been sitting in the shed for a few years in need of some attention.

“I only do what my budget allows,” Wilson said. “I have only just got it back out of the garage after strapping on a bigger turbo and rebuilding the gearbox.

“The work has added an extra 200hp and made it a completely different car. It has better top-end acceleration than my Carrera car.”

While Wilson has enjoyed some success he said he was only competing in the series for a bit of fun and, hopefully, without breaking the car.

Meanwhile, the fight for the outright championship has developed into one of the most intriguing battles in the history of the Rallysprints.

On a perfect night for racing defending champion, Mark Greenham, regained his place at the top of the overall leaderboard after fending off Will White by the narrowest of margins.

At the conclusion of the four stages less than half a second separated the pair.

But that was enough to enable Greenham, driving his 2001 Mitsubishi Evo VII, to leapfrog White and go into the final heat of the championship, which will be contested at the same venue on Thursday, March 6, with a one point advantage.

It is also the first time that White has had to settle for second place since buying his Evo IX MR from the Jones Racing team in the lead up to round two.

While the battle for the outright championship has become a race of two, Duane Joubert, driving his 1983 Toyota Sprinter AE86 secured a class title for the second year in succession.

And it is the second successive year that he will go into the last round of the series with a perfect score card.

Last year, he stumbled at the line finishing second in the last round of the series but he has been winning by comfortable margins this year and is well placed to finish the season undefeated.

With only two weeks until the final round, competitors need to ensure they get their entries in early.

For more information about the McRae Motorsport Rallysprint series, or how to become involved, go to www.rallysprints.com.au.

This season Joubert, who keeps his 30-year-old car in immaculate showroom condition, has been in outstanding form in the Tarmac 2WD up to 2000cc class winning each of his three events by comfortable margins.  And it continues his excellent form from last season when he missed completing the clean-sweep when he was pushed into second place by Colin Youd, in his 1990 Westfield SE, in the last round. It was a sweet moment for Youd who had finished second behind Joubert in the previous four heats.

Meanwhile, with just two heats remaining in the 2013-14 season, competition at the head of the outright leaderboard is intensifying.

Since making the decision to buy a new, more powerful, car (a Mitsubishi Evo 9 MR) Will White has won both of his rounds in the Tarmac 4WD over 3500cc class and moved to equal first place overall with Mark Greenham, who has finished second-fastest overall in his Mitsubishi Evo 7 in each of the first three heats. With only two heats remaining competition between these two rivals is sure to escalate.

And just to keep things interesting, Jamie Lister who competes in a less powerful Subaru WRX STi is just four points adrift and still in contention to take out the overall championship despite racing in the Tarmac 4WD under 3500cc class.

Rounds three and four of the series were both moved after the forced evacuation of the Perth Motorplex last month because of the Kwinana bush fires. This means that competitors now only have two weeks, instead of the normal month, to get their cars ready for the next round of sprints.

Round Four of the McRae Motorsport Rallysprint will be held at Perth Motorplex in Kwinana, on Thursday, February 20, starting at 6.30pm.

Anybody wanting to know more about the Rallysprint series should visit www.rallysprints.com.au.