Proving that the old adage ‘to finish first, first you have to finish,’ is as true today as it was when it was first coined, Aucklander Haydn Mackenzie and his Hamilton-based co-driver Matthew Sayers (Mitsubishi Evo 10) won this year’s 25th anniversary Targa New Zealand tarmac motor rally.
The pair did it in style too, crossing the finish line in Palmerston North almost 12 minutes (11.47.9 was the exact margin) up on the second-placed Porsche 991 GT3 RS of 2103 event winners Martin Dippie and his co-driver Jona Grant.
In doing so, Mackenzie – the 35-year-old dealer principal at his family’s Toyota dealership in Auckland’s Albany, and good mate Sayers, who works in sales in Hamilton – claimed their second major Targa event win in a year, having earned their first, at the three-day Targa Hawke’s Bay event in May.
Their victory also broke the five-event winning streak of Glenn Inkster and Spencer Winn (Mitsubishi Evo 8).
Inkster had set a punishing pace from the start of this year’s five-day 1932km marathon in Taupo on Tuesday October 29, but a blown power steering pump and resultant engine bay fire in the first stage on the penultimate day - Field’s Track – put paid to the tantalising prospect of a record-making sixth consecutive win.
With Inkster & Winn out and Mackenzie and Sayers way out in front David Rogers and Aidan Kelly (Mitsubishi Evo 10), closed to within eight seconds of the Dippie/Grant Porsche which was in second place, and first 2WD car on the road.
Event regulars Rogers and Kelly ended up back in fifth place (and third in class), however, after engine issues in the penultimate stage.
That left fellow Aucklanders Jason Gill and his co-driver Mark Robinson (VW Polo R) to move up to third with Christchurch pair Marcus van Klink and his co-driver Matt Richards (Mazda RX8) following through to claim fourth.
First BMW home this year was the E46 M3 of Perth driver Robert Darrington and Kiwi co-driver David Abetz in sixth place overall, just 6.8 seconds – mind – in front of the six cylinder-engined ‘330ti’ Compact model of Jeremy Friar and Katrina Renshaw.
Honours in the ever-popular Classic 2WD class, meanwhile, went to Bevan Claridge and co-driver Campbell Tannock (Holden Commodore SS V8) from event stalwart Barry Kirk-Burnnand and his co-driver Dave O’Carroll (BMW E30 M3).
This year’s 25th annual Targa NZ event was again a multi-faceted one with three separate starting groups – Competition, the Targa Tour and another Time Trial organised in conjunction with the Vintage Car Club of New Zealand.
A separately scored but concurrently-run two-day ‘Regional Targa’ – complete with its own eight-strong Targa Tour group - was also run this year over the final two days of the main event. It was won by Bruce Herbert and co-driver Bevan Parker (Mitsubishi Evo) from Palmerston North from the Subaru Impreza WRX of Richard Gillies and Stephen Burr.
The concurrent Time Trial, meanwhile, was won by Russell Yates and Alise Inger in an MGB Roadster.
Targa New Zealand events are organised by the Ultimate Rally Group with the support of sponsors AndrewSimms.co.nz, Chicane Racewear, Global Security, NZ Classic Car magazine, Race Brakes, Race4Life Trust, Racetech, TrackIt, Vital and Writeraze.
RESULTS
Final Overall Top 10
1. Haydn Mackenzie/Matthew Sayers (Mitsubishi Evo X RS) 5:44:04.0
2. Martin Dippie/Jona Grant (Porsche 991 GT3 RS) +11:47.9
3. Jason Gill/Mark Robinson (VW Polo R) +16:30.9
4. Marcus van Klink/Matt Richards (Mazda RX8) +18:14.8
5. David Rogers/Aidan Kelly (Mitsubishi Evo X RS) +23:10.1
6. Robert Darrington/David Abetz (BMW M3) +23:47.9
7. Jeremy Friar/Katrina Renshaw (BMW 330ti) +23:54.7
8. Graeme Wong/Kim Blatchley (Subaru Impreza WRX) +30:19.2
9. Bevan Claridge/Campbell Tannock (Holden SS) +33:22.3
10. Barry Kirk-Burnnand/Dave O’Carroll (BMW E30 M3) +38:33.2
VCCNZ Time Trial
Top 3
1. Russell Yates/Alise Inger (MGB Roadster) 342 points
2. Grant Ford/Gary Smith (Holden Monaro) 570
3. Tim Evans/Wylie Evans (Alfa Romeo 1750 GTV) 632
Two-Day Regional Targa
Top 3
1. Bruce Herbert/Bevan Parker (Mitsubishi Lancer) 2:33:04.0
2. Richard Gillies/Stephen Burr (Subaru Impreza) +1:00.3
3. Chris & Francesca Lewis (Toyota 86) +1:04.8
