After a very uneventful Round 1 that went pretty much according to the script. Round 2 tore the script up and threw it out the window.

Almost perfect Rallysprint conditions greeted another large field as they assembled at the Perth Motorplex on Thursday 8^th December.  After the obligatory scrutineering, documentation checks and driver’s briefing the action commenced utilising the counter-clockwise course layout with cars starting from the ‘pit’ area.

The first run held no surprises with the Troy Wilson / Willie Thompson in their Mitsubishi Lancer Evo 7 throwing down a “catch me if you can time” of 2:24.00, 7 seconds faster than Dennis Heller / Rennae Shaw (Mitsubishi Lancer Evo 8 MR) with Will White / Paul Kreater (Mitsubishi Lancer Evo 9) another second further back.

In the 2WD field Simon Gunson / Murray Armenti in their Ford Capri Perana also held an almost 2 second lead over the Triumph TR7 V8 of Mark Dobson / Nigel Jones with Ashley Morris / Greg Dally’s Ford Escort Mk 2 a further 0.8 second back.

The second run was again uneventful up until the 2011 VW Golf  GTI of Joseph Ng / Michelle Ng went a little wide coming through the final gate before the flying finish and ended up bouncing off the tyre bundle before leaving a VW Golf sized dent in the fence.  …along with the GTI badge from the front of their car.  After applying two or three rolls of ‘race tape’ they were able to drive the car home and we hope to see them back for Round 3 on 12^th January.

Aside from the usual gaggle of Mitsubishi Lance Evo’s and Subaru WRX’s there was an interesting mix of modern entrants including a couple of BRZ/86’s, a selection of Ford Fiesta, Focus and Falcons, even a Holden Crewman Ute.

On the classic front there was Simon Gunson / Murray Armenti in the 1971 Ford Capri Perana, a few Mark 2 Ford Escorts and two Datsun 240Zs of Simon Lingford / Avril Curtis and Bruce Lake / Peter Hall (who finished the night split by less than 2 second). The immaculate black BMW M3 of Phil Peak / Sam Hackett was joined by Scott Lockhart / Tim Hughes in a white version bearing the same livery…along with a couple of extra cylinders and a heat generating turbo, but more on that later.  The German marques were also represented by a number of Porsche’s including Wade and Alex Anderson’s fantastic silver 911 making its first appearance.

White / Kreater started their final run of the night needing to make up approx. 4 seconds if they were to pip Heller / Shaw at the post.  More rattles, this time from the gearbox of White’s car told the tale of a broken input shaft and a time of 2:49.25 not a match for Heller / Shaw’s 2:28.79.  Finishing in second was Neil Herbert / Juan Barraza, 16 seconds behind in their 1998 Subaru Impreza WRX followed by a consistently fast Paul Brockbank / Matt James-Wallace in another Mitsubishi Lancer Evo only 0.8 seconds behind second.  Brockbank is now hoping to emulate his tarmac success but on the gravel at the Perth Motorplex during next Wednesday’s Round 2 of the Summer Autocross Series.

After the action at the front there was more drama when Geoff Weir / Paul Weir were a little fast coming off the ‘goat track’, got two wheels into the dirt and left another dent in the fence, this time a Subaru Impreza WRX sized dent, while Graeme Mackay / Deeann Flood left a Mitsubishi Lancer Evo sized ‘divot’ in the sand trap at the end of the drag strip.  In his post race interview Mackay did place the blame squarely at Will White’s feet, saying that he had contracted White to provide him feedback on correct driving lines and car control tips during reconnaissance. In reply White quipped “it’s not my fault Macka’s ability expired under brakes” J

Scott Lockhart / Tim Hughes could have used a bit of sand as well to put out a small engine fire in the pit area after their final run.  The impromptu BBQ, caused by a hot turbo melting some plastic in the engine bay, was quickly extinguished without any significant damage.  A column of smoke certainly gets everyones interest but I am sure Scott would have preferred to not be the centre of attention for that reason.

Whilst there is often a dramatic difference in times between their first and final runs, the award for consistency goes to Jeff Mizan / Wayne Henderson in their 1997 Subaru Impreza WRX STI with only a 0.27 second difference between their slowest and faster runs.  Interesting Run 2 and 3 was only 0.03 different.

Round 4 proved to be an action packed event on and off the track.  Congratulations to our Outright and Class Winners

Outright

1^st        Dennis HELLER / Rennae SHAW                       2004 Mitsubishi Lancer Evo 8 MR        9:58.74

2^nd        Neil HERBERT / Juan BARRAZA                      1998 Subaru Impreza WRX                  10:14.63

3^rd        Paul BROCKBANK / Matt JAMES-WALLACE    2000 Mitsubishi Lancer Evo 6              10:15.43

1^st        Cameron STUBBER / James HANNAH              2014 Toyota 86                        11:48.81

2^nd        Steven CLEMENTS / Jacek SZYMENDERSKI  2014 Subaru BRZ                    12:24.32

Class 2 – Targa Cup 2WD over 2000cc

1^st        Simon GUNSON / Murray ARMENTI                 1971 Ford Capri Perana        10:22.44

2^nd        Mark DOBSON / Nigel JONES                          1975 Triumph TR7 V8           10:39.32

3^rd        Simon LINGFORD / Avril CURTIS                     1973 Datsun 240Z                 10:58.01

Class 3 – Targa Cup 4WD up to 3500cc

1^st        Paul BROCKBANK / Matt JAMES-WALLACE   2000 Mitsubishi Lancer Evo 6                10:15.43

2^nd        Will WHITE / Paul KREATER                            2006 Mitsubishi Lancer Evo 9                10:23.22

3^rd        Mick STEELE / Nadine WHITE                         1995 Subaru Impreza WRX STI RA        10:28.58

Class 4 – Targa Cup 4WD over 3500cc

1^st        Matthew HERON / Alfredo MAZZA                    1989 Nissan Skyline R32 GTR            11:18.34

2^nd        Kagan DUCKER / Travis MORRIS                    1995 Nissan R33 Skyline GTR            

Class 5 – Gravel 2WD or 4WD

1^st        Doug TOSTEVIN / Jess FORWARD                  2006 Subaru Impreza WRX STI Spec C        10:54.78

2^nd        Chris BOWLEY / James PRITCHARD              2007 Ford Fiesta ST                                       12:30.74

3^rd        Paula COLE / Nigel JONES                              1994 Subaru Impreza WRX                            14:30.64

Class 6 – Open Rallysprint up to 2000cc

1^st        Foky FOK / Corwin LAU                                    2003 Honda Integra                10:38.48

2^nd       Neil LENIHAN / Dave BURKE                           1979 Ford Escort                    12:25.86

Class 7 – Open Rallysprint over 2000cc

1^st        Ashley MORRIS / Greg DALLY                         1975 Ford Escort                    10:32.89

2^nd        Brendan ANESBURY / Adam DOVE                1974 Porsche 911 RS            10:51.46

3^rd        Rod WILLIS / Ian DURY                                    1990 Mazda MX5                   10:55.16

Class 8 – Open Rallysprint 4WD

1^st        Dennis HELLER / Rennae SHAW                     2004 Mitsubishi Lancer Evo 8 MR        9:58.74

2^nd        Neil HERBERT / Juan BARRAZA                    1998 Subaru Impreza WRX                  10:14.63

3^rd        Matt PALMER / Ben TUCK                               2001 Mitsubishi Lancer Evo 7               10:17.16

Full Results are available by clicking here.

Wishing all our competitors, officials and spectators and Happy Christmas and a Safe and Prosperous New Year, see you all at Round 3 of the Shannons Targa Rallysprint series is on 12 January 2017.