ATC - May Enews

E-newsMay 2012Inside the Octagon

The Event Director’s insight

into Octagon

On the CourseBehind the mind of the

Sporting Director

Targa Q&AYour most frequently asked

questions, answered!

CAMS AUSTRALIAN TARGA

CHAMPIONSHIP2012/2013 Series Launched

Octagon would like to thank the following sponsors

Principal Partners

Naming Rights Partners

Major Partners

Environmental Partner

Event Partners

Supporting Councils

Inside the OctagonMark Perry, Event Director

Wow! What a month, what a Targa Tasmania. It lived up to our ambitions and certainly was the longest and

hardest Targa Tasmania ever.

Interesting that some complained about the length of the touring even though it was still a lot less than the

array of events prior to 2008 and is an unfortunate by-product of lengthening the competition course.

For me personally, it was great to see exhaustion and relief on everyone’s faces at Wrest Point as it

reminded me of my early years competing when we used to park in Marieville Esplanade for what seemed

like hours, all exhausted and tired. The 2012 Targa Tasmania saw the return of the true test of men and

women and their machines.

Our attention now turns to Adelaide and the new CAMS Australian Targa Championship. Congratulations to

all those who claimed glory in the 11/12 edition and this championship is going to get harder and harder to

win in the years ahead.

We have some exciting news coming next week around Supaloc Targa Adelaide that will offer a competitor

experience like no other seen before in a Tarmac Rally so keep your eye on your inbox for that.

Targa Spain has lit up the forums and there is great excitement surrounding this event. We are working

frantically to lock it all away and will be announcing dates soon that will ensure that for those of you

competing in Targa Tasmania you can get to Spain in time.

The second week in June is what we are aiming for, which is a beautiful time of the year in that part of the

world.

As always , feel free to email me at [email protected] if you have any thoughts or questions.

Until next month.

Cheers,

Mark Perry

“ The 2012 Targa Tasmania saw the return of the true test of men and women

and their machines

CAMS Australian Targa Championship2011/2012 Points Table

The 2011/2012 CAMS Australian Targa Championship brought many thrills and spills, laughter and

tears. After four grueling rounds and three different states competitors were left on a high after

completing the longest and toughest Targa Tasmania ever.

John Ireland scored points in three of the four Targa’s to secure the Late Classic championship, while

Queenslander Donn Todd secured the Classic Outright and Early Classic championship titles despite

a troubled time in Tasmania.

Dean Evans in his Mitsubishi Lancer secured the 4WD Showroom Championship ahead of Scott

Millar also in his Mitsubishi Lancer.

The Showroom championship saw Simon and Sue Evans in their 2009 Mazda 3 MPS get ahead of

Hartley Sutcliffe in the 2006 Mazda MX5 to take out the title.

Victorian Jeff Beable was quickest in Early Modern at Targa Tasmania, but it was third placegetter

Samantha Stevens who took out the Early Modern championship crown.

After an impressive win at Targa High Country last year and another two wins in their home state of

Tasmania, Jason and his uncle, John White nabbed the Modern championship title ahead of Jim

Richards and Queenslander Tony Quinn.

The final points for all competitions follow and we congratulate all our winners for the 2012

Australian Targa Championship.

Early Classic Points Table

Late Classic Points Table

Classic Outright Points Table

Early Modern Points Table

Showroom Points Table

4WD Showroom Points Table

Modern Points Table

It is with great excitement that last Thursday 03/05/12 Octagon and CAMS proudly announced the launch of the 2012-2013 CAMS Australian Targa Championship. Entries are now open to all four rounds of the championship, so get in fast to take advantage of the early bird prices on offer for just a $500 deposit per round.

The 2012/2013 Championship sees some exciting changes including:

• A brand new points system that will see much closer competition and 50% bonus points for the Supaloc Targa Adelaide opening round alongside the double points on offer for Targa Tasmania.

• A `best three rounds’ points system that will allow competitors who compete in all four rounds to drop their lowest round and therefore gain a second chance at championship success along with also giving those competing in three of the four rounds a very realistic chance of securing the championship.

• The introduction of Showroom Sports for two wheel drive vehicles that sell for between $100,000 and $200,000; an exciting competition is sure to be seen amongst Europe’s and the US’s finest performance machines with Porsche, BMW, Audi, Chevrolet & Ford all certain to make appearances.

• The introduction of Regularity for those competitors wishing to enjoy the spirit of Targa competition that still requires great thought and planning whilst removing the requirements of full competition vehicles.

The 2012/2013 CAMS Australian Targa Championship Technical Regulations will be released on 31 May and the great news is that it will be `business as usual’ to avoid any major or costly modifications for competitors. The regulations will include rules for the new Showroom Sports, which will be very similar to the current Showroom regulations.

In conjunction with the launch of the championship, we now also have a new user friendly portal system for competitors. The new portal will include a new log-in system, a reminder system and a profile system that will allow competitors to upload car and sponsorship images in line with the feedback that we have been receiving from the large fan base that now follows the CAMS Australian Targa Championship.

If you have any questions or enquiries, please email or call Todd Grant on 03 6221 8855 or [email protected]

We look forward to seeing you all at Supaloc Targa Adelaide and a reminder to all previous Classic Adelaide competitors that we are acknowledging the plate system from previous years and like Targa Tasmania, Targa plates are awarded to all competitors completing each stage under the trophy time. Don’t miss the opportunity to secure your gold, platinum or even diamond Supaloc Targa Adelaide Plate.

2012/2013 AUSTRALIAN TARGA

CHAMPIONSHIP RULES

There will be four rounds:

• Round One - Supaloc Targa Adelaide - 22 to 26 August

2012

• Round Two - Targa High Country - 9 to 11 November 2012

• Round Three - Targa Wrest Point - 2 and 3 February 2013

• Round Four - Targa Tasmania - 16 to 21 April 2013

And nine Competitions:

• Regularity

• Early Classic Handicap

• Late Classic Handicap

• Classic Outright

• Early Modern

• Showroom

• 4WD Showroom

• Showroom Sports

• Modern

All entries in each round will receive FREE entry into the 2012-2013 Australian Targa

Championship.

• Points will be awarded to ALL finishers in each round.

• All winners will be determined on total points over all three rounds of the championship.

• Points are NOT transferable between Competitions, Categories and/or Classes. i.e. A competitor

can change from one Modern car to another and continue to gain Modern Championship points

but will not if they switch from Modern to Classic or vice versa. They will only continue to gain

category points if the new vehicle falls into the same category. Same applies to Class results.

• Points will primarily be awarded to the driver of the vehicle and then the navigator. If a driver

utilises more than one navigator during the Championship, the navigator utilised in Round Four -

Targa Tasmania will be recognised as the Champion or Winning Navigator in the case of Category

or Class awards.

• Points will be awarded in line with the Australian Targa Championship Points Table.

• Final results at each round will determine points awarded and no protests to the points table will

be accepted.

• All ties in total points at the conclusion of the championship, whether it be between two, three or

more competitors, will be decided on the basis of the best placed finisher in Round Four - Targa

Tasmania will be awarded the highest position and so on.

• Trophies will be awarded at the 2013 Targa Tasmania Presentation Dinner.

• The Targa supplementary requirements will apply to all rounds and will be consistent across each

round.

• Category winners will be recognised and will be called

2012 Australian Targa Championship Category

Winners

• Standard (SS), Limited Modified (LMS) and Modified

(MS) Specifications will be awarded within the

following categories:

o Category 2- 1947 to 1961








• All classes that have had more than three different

entries at the conclusion of Round Three will be

recognised as classes and the winners of each of these

classes will be called 2012 Australian Targa

Championship Class Winners. Standard (SS), Limited

Modified (LMS) and Modified (MS) Specifications will

be included and classes will be based on those

outlined in the 2012 Targa Supplementary

Regulations.

• The following trophies and certificates

will be awarded:

o All competitions - 1st, 2nd, 3rd trophies

o Category Winners - Certificates

o Class Winners - Certificates

• As each round will still be run autonomously; all protests will be handled under each events

supplementary regulations covering protests.

• Once each events final standings are issued, they are FINAL and points will be allocated on that basis

and no protests against the points allocated to each competitor will be accepted.

On the course with Stuart Benson, Sporting Director

The toughest Targa Tasmania on record

has been conquered… by

some! No matter if you won, placed, or

finished or became more familiar with

Tasmania’s glorious scenery than you

may have first planned, congratulations

for simply making it to the start line and

fulfilling the bucket-list dream of car

enthusiasts world over.

With the advent of more and more

team professionalism in the Targa

world of recent years, in the days

following the event I

was heartened to hear of at least one

driver

and navigator that drive their classic

competition car through three states to

get to the event, completed by the

extremely challenging course and

without the security of a service vehicle

or trailer , drove it home through three

states!

The past twelve months have seen an

unprecedented four targa

championship events take place, two

with exceptionally

warm and one with exceptionally wet

conditions and well

done to the worthy champions, but

now we get back to the start and

commence writing

some new history.

The 2012/2013 CAMS Australian Targa

Championship season is only months

away from kicking off with Supaloc

Targa Adelaide commencing in August.

The course will be on

the event website within two weeks,

but expect it to feature 30 exceptional

Targa stages ranging in length from 5 to

17 kilometers. This unique course will

provide tighter competition than any

other targa event, as no team is able to

pull large gaps over their competition

with the course dominated by

stages with an average length of 10

kilometers. The other great benefit

in SA is that the touring is kept to an

absolute minimum with 32km being the

longest transport between a stage. For

those who have never visited the South

Australian roads, the best description is

of these would be consistent; roads

surfaces are generally smoother, less

abrasive and the corners more readable

than those found in Victoria and

Tasmania, but under no misconception

as there’s no lack of challenge

On these roads. A well prepared crew

and car will do well, but there are local

specialists who know the Adelaide Hills

and these guys can never be

underestimated.

Come August we’ll travel in loops out of

the capitals CBD to the south Barossa,

north McLaren Vale and through length

and width of the Adelaide Hills. Many of

the truly testing stages from 2011

remain including Castambul and the

famous Corkscrew Road, Montacute,

Mount Lofty, Clarendon, Norton Summit

and climb up Gorge Road, but alterations

include a revised Basket Range and

Narine, as well as new stages including

Handorf, Aldgate, Upper Sturt, and my

latest favourite Stirling, taking in the

tight Pole Road.

In the coming week, Sporting Manager

Hamish Marquis and I will be on the road

locking away the final stages of

completion with similar content to 2011,

but at least one new stage carrying the

dubious name of Devils River! More

details to come.

As always I’m keen to hear your input

and than everyone that’s dropped me a

line with thoughts on the course of Targa

Tasmania 2012. Planning has already

commenced for Targa Tasmania 2013

with a view to reduce touring,

particularly on Leg Four.

“ This unique course will provide tighter competition than any other targa event

Q: At Targa Tasmania I saw roughly 10 cars with regularity stickers on their windshield, what is this form of

competition all about?

A: After the success of this competition in Adelaide, we decided to trial the regularity format at this year’s

Targa Tasmania. In essence the regularity competition is a variation of the CAMS circuit racing format to allow

those competitors who choose not to race to run their vehicles for the enjoyment of themselves. It is a

competition of setting consistent lap times, across targa stages where competitors are restricted to 130kmph in

maximum speed but look to average 90 kmph throughout a stage (80 kmph in the wet) by being timed from start

to finish. Unlike regular competition vehicles, regularity vehicles do not need to be equipped with roll cages as

this form of competition is open to a more standard model of vehicle with regular interior. The minimum

requirement to compete in this format is that competitors need a CAMS level two speed licence, appropriate

experience and the driver and navigator are also required to wear a helmet. 2012-2013 CASM Australian Targa

Championship will see regularity introduced to all 4 rounds, so stay tuned to see who will be crowned the CAMS

Australian Targa Championship Regularity champion for the first time ever!

Q: With the introduction of Modern in Adelaide, what has the response been like from competitors and the

media?

A: There has been an incredible amount of interest in all forms of competition at Suploac Targa Adelaide this

year and I would put this down to it now being the opening round for all forms of competition in the CAMS

Australian Targa Championship. The indexed point system will also mean that Adelaide is an integral round for

those hoping to compete in the championship because there are so many competition points up for grabs in the

opening round.

Q: I see that the Rookie Rallye was back at Targa Tasmania this year, what is the Rookie Rallye all about?

A: Held in conjunction with Australia’s Ultimate Tarmac Rally, the Rookie Rallye is a separate, shorter event and

only first-time Targa Tasmania drivers are eligible to enter. Held over the famous Temco George Town Prologue,

Day One and Day Two, you will be able to test your driving skills on some of Tasmania’s signature closed road

competition stages, including the world famous Sideling Stage.

Targa Q&A Todd Grant, Sales Executive

Please see the interview below with Damian Lomax to find out what being a driver in the Rookie

Rallye at Targa Tasmania is all about.

Driver Profile: Targa Tasmania 2012 – Rookie Rally Entrant

Driver: Damian Lomax

Age: 20

Occupation: Salesman - JB HIFI

Vehicle: 1996 Nissan Skyline GTS-t

Successfully Completed Targa Stages in first Targa event: 3

Highlight: Participating in first Targa Tasmania

Q: So you successfully made it through stage one of competing, how did that feel?

A: Well considering this was our first official stage of a tarmac rally ever it was quite nerve-racking

as we approached the start line. Obviously completing the prologue the day before gave us an idea of

just how big and challenging this event is. We managed to link the stage together fairly well whilst

still leaving a small margin for error to compensate for our lack of any recce of the stage. It felt

fantastic to successfully complete the stage without any major incidents or mistakes. We even made

it onto the highlight DVD with my handbrake turn after a late call from good old Thomas. This stage

gave us the confidence we needed moving into the second stage and ultimately the rest of the day.

Run us through the incident that occurred on stage 3, what went wrong?

When we started the car to move up to the front of the line at the beginning of stage 3 the car

exerted a little puff of white smoke. It went away immediately so we assumed it was from one of the

old falcons that started at the same time next to us, mainly because skylines never break down

(famous last words). We rolled up to the start line and launched hard to start the stage. We

immediately knew it in fact was my car because we couldn’t see anything behind us apart from a

bloom of white smoke. A post stage inspection determined that the oil seal inside the turbine had

blown. Race over.

Q: Given that you are where a combination of relative inexperience at Targa Tasmania, how was

the driver navigator combinatory working? Did you get all of the calls right, any instances out on

Course?

A: I think relative inexperience was probably an understatement after our talks to other rookie

competitors. Despite this, our driver/navigator combination was working well and I can only put this

down to me and Thomas’ friendship. We have driven together in separate cars for a long time and

know how each of us drive. This gave us a certain understanding of the situation which helped us

through the challenge. In saying this however, not everything was perfect. A few stray calls and a

short period off notes didn’t help our cause. The most memorable of which is a T2R which was called

so late that Thomas could actually point at the corner….. That’s a little late at 200km/h. However I

managed to pull off a fairly fluky hand brake turn that meant we didn’t really lose any time on this

corner.

Q: What is your advice

out there for other

rookies, looking to get

into the targa world of

rallying?

A: I could ramble off

hours and hours of tips for

first timers but I think the

best advice I was given was

by Neil Bates when he

heard I was undertaking

this adventure. He put his

hand on my shoulder and

said “Damian, make sure

you drive 8 tenths”. Don’t

go out there and drive like

you’re on a race track, you

will kill yourself. As long as

you respect the Targa it

will respect you and give

you the best experience of

your life…..even if it only

lasts 3 stages. Definitely if

you haven’t competed

before do the rookie rally

which eases you into the

event and isn’t as

financially crippling. The

most important however

which you may have

forgotten about when your

modifying the car at 2am

ready for competition the

next morning is have fun,

otherwise none of it is

worth it. If you get it right,

it’s the best fun you can

have anywhere in the

world with your clothes

on.

Targa Lonely HeartsDrivers seeking Navigators and Navigators seeking Drivers

Christina Condon – Navigator

Available for: Supaloc Targa Adelaide 2012, Targa High Country 2012 and Targa Wrest Point 2013.

To advertise here please contact Carly Zmendak at

[email protected]

Targa Car Classifieds

As many of you will be aware

Brendan and I are looking for

Sponsors/Supporters for the

2012 World Rally

Championship Academy.

Since Brendan spoke at the

drivers briefing at Targa

Wrest Point we have had

many questions about how

much money we need etc. So

I thought I would provide you

with as much information as

possible and let you decide if

you think you can help a

young up and coming team

wanting to be Australia's first

world rally champions.

Info - The 2012 WRC

Academy is six rounds of the

World Rally Championship.

Portugal, Greece, Finland,

Germany, France and Spain.

All drivers are in identical

Ford Fiesta R2's prepared and

service by M Sport - the Ford

World Rally Team. The winner

of the WRC Academy wins

500,000 euros for their 2013

rally program. In 2011

Brendan and I finished 5th

outright in our first season

ever in the WRC. Brendan is

also in the FIA Young Drivers

Excellence Academy. He is

one of only six rally drivers in

this. We are a young brother

and sister team with talent

and are confident we have

what it takes to make it.

Budget

- WRC Academy - Car,

Mechanics etc - 119,500

pounds - ($178,000)

- WRC Academy Bond -

10,000 pounds

-

Flights/Accommodation/Food

- $30,000

- Testing - $30,000

This is the basics. We also

need things like personal

insurance, car insurance,

recce car etc.

So Far

- Supporters Club

Funds/Sponsorship - $35,000

- Personal Input - $50,000

We have a Left Hand Drive

2006 Subaru STI which we are

currently trying to sell for

$55,000 to put that money

towards our rallying. So if

anyone is interested please

let us know.

So we have many options

available to you and your

business. If 10 investors could

support us $10,000 we have

$100,000 and the academy is

possible. Or is 100 supporters

give us $1000 its possible. We

have many ideas as far as

how we can promote your

business etc if you are

interested in sponsoring us.

Here is a link to our website

for more information.

http://www.brendanreeves.c

om.au/home/

Please consider helping a true

young aussie rally team trying

to make it with the big boys.

Thanks for your time.

Rhianon Smyth

Co-Driver

0419 528 974

BRENDAN &

RHIANON

ATC - May Enews

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