While few amongst the (many) hundreds of spectators who once again came out in their droves – often in the most remote parts of the country imaginable as well – to line the fences to watch as a field of brightly coloured, sticker be-decked ‘Targa’ cars whizzed down ‘their’ local back road, would have noticed much difference, a difference there definitely was in the ‘make-up’ of the field in the long-delayed but now just completed, five-day ‘2001 Targa New Zealand’ (aka ‘Main Targa’ event).
For years the annual, multi-day Targa New Zealand tarmac motor rally has been run over or just after Labour Weekend. Then along came COVID-19 and, well, if not a case of ‘all-change,’ there has definitely been a bit of a ‘re-set’ since the 2020 event was cancelled outright and the 2021 was postponed until the last week of May (Wed May 25 -Sun May 29, 2022).
Speaking strictly personally here, I absolutely ‘get’ both the concept of a Targa (tarmac) rally event itself, as well as the notion, still very much alive in the wider motorsport community, that – for guys (and yes, the odd, gal) of a certain age (let’s say between 45-75 yrs. at the moment) building up a suitable car ‘in the garage and doing Targa’ is as much a ‘Bucket List’ item as – say – ‘doing Route 66 in a ’65 Ford Mustang convertible, or aboard a huge full-dress Harley-Davison Electra glide.
Times change, of course, no more so than over a period of close to 30 years (since the very first one run here). So – particularly with the amounts of time, money and plain, simple old dedication required – I also absolutely ‘get’ why when the time comes to actually commit yourself to ‘the journey,’ it becomes more a matter of ‘many are called but few are chosen.’
Over the years many attempts have been made to ‘soften the blow;’ in terms of the financial and temporal (time) commitment required. Chief amongst these has been the addition of shorter events like the original two-day Targa Rotorua, and Targa Bambina events, and – more recently – the two-day Targa Hawke’s Bay events.
Each has found a particular niche – and some have proved their worth as ‘gateways’ to the ‘main event’ for keen newcomers. All most have done, however, is provide existing competitors another opportunity to gather ‘the band’ back together, pull ‘the trolley’ out of the shed and hit the road again…
In the long (term) however an event like ‘main Targa’ needs a constant stream of fresh new faces turning up each and every year, to compensate for….. what I suppose you could call, natural attrition, across the many and varied layers of the Targa ecosystem.
After many years of being considered the poor cousin of event, for instance, the allied but untimed Targa Tour, has in more recent (and generally more enlightened) times, found its own feet – including its own group of keen and dedicated entrants who now anchor the category entry, effectively guaranteeing their place in the Targa NZ event ‘pecking order.’
If you are looking for the ‘next big thing’ as far as current and future Targa events are concerned, however, you need to look no further than the VCC of NZ Time Trial event-within-an-event.
Despite the Time Trial being a relatively new addition to the mix of cars and competitors. following on from the initial ‘test runs’ with members of the Vintage Car Club in 2018 & 2019, the entry across the full five-day and regional rally two-day events for this year’s 2021 Targa NZ event amounted to an impressive 34 cars; or 65 % of the (45 car) main competition field that assembled in New Plymouth on Tuesday May 24.
There’s a real sense of ‘win-win’ with the seamless addition of what in effect is an independently promoted, organised, and run (by VCC of NZ Steward Rod Corbett) Time Trial event within the overall Targa NZ Structure.
Though specifically NOT a designated ‘speed event’ a VCC of NZ Time Trial is best described (in the Supp regs no less) as ‘an exercise in precise driving and time keeping maintaining a set average speed through all closed road specials stages.’
The regs are also crystal-clear in terms of the behaviour of competitors outside those stages.
“Speeding and accidents will not be tolerated,” it says in bold type on the first page of the Supplementary Regulations every entrant received and was expected to read and be fully conversant with before they left the start line in New Plymouth last Wednesday week.
Also… “Any competitor,” the regs continue,” exceeding the open road (Touring Stage) legal speed limits ..and/or 130km/h in any closed road Special Stage will be penalised…..up to exclusion from the event for serious and/or repeated infringements.”
The good thing about the focus on precise driving and sticking as closely as possible to a pre-set average speed through the stages is that you don’t need a highly modified competition car. Seeing as how it IS the Vintage Car Club of NZ we are talking about; however, you will have to be a member and be prepared to drive an older car.
How old?
Don’t worry, the VCC of NZ defines ‘Vintage’ as 30 years or older meaning 1992 is the current cut off. Because a Time Trial is not deemed to be a ‘speed event’ you don’t need a roll cage. But all vehicles must be NZ-road legal and certified by the VCC of NZ and carry a special Vehicle Identification Card (VIC) to prove the fact.
Aside from adding another pool of potential entrants from which to draw from for future events, having an eclectic mix of interesting older cars seeded ahead of the ‘main fleet’ (of competition Targa cars) not only forces spectators to get into (and hopefully stay in) position early, but it also whets their appetite for when the main competition car field is on its way.
“The aim in the case of the Time Trial we’ve introduced in conjunction with the VCC of NZ to our Targa events this year,” says Targa NZ event owner and director Peter Martin, “the purpose is to test your driving and time-keeping skills without the stress of full-on racing, while allowing you to enjoy your car the way it was designed to be driven, safely, in a closed road environment.”
“Running the event as a “Time Trial” also harks back to the origins of Targa whereby driving briskly to maintain a set average speed to match specified stage times was the objective.
“As such,” concluded Martin, “roll on the next one, which we are again jointly running with the VCC of NZ in conjunction with our new two-day Targa South Island event over the October 29 & 30.”
Main photo: Gary Boyce and Simon Crispe in Boyce’s open top Mercedes-Benz 190 SL
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