Targa/GT rallying in the UK?

[millband]

I've just read the Targa Tasmania story in Car magazine and looked it up on YouTube - amazing.

Anyone else really wish that kind of thing would go on here? I'd love to see something like this and the euro GT rallies in the UK. OK, not in England but perhaps in Wales/Scotland/Ireland? A Celtic GT Championship?

It needs bigger roads than the usual UK tarmac rallies though. The thought of 911's, Astons and Lambos racing round the EVO triangle or down Glencoe sends shivers down my spine - not that it'll ever happen

Targa Tasmania -
Gallardo launch - http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=MMukgK-0XnU&feat...
2006 video - http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=Qp66wgSQwC8&feat...

GT rallying -
Listen to the noise! -
http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=cdBpY58-dUU&feat...
http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=slfRuMIqt_M

Steve

[toomuchbeer]

Targa Rally in Perth, Western Australia has just happened, and it was sight, see the old car's giving it some.

Photo's taken on my way into work.

[millband]

Excellent! That's what I'm talking about. Would be great to see something like that here.

[velocemitch]

Can't see it happening over here, but at least the Jim Clarke, Manx, Tour of Mull and of course the Irish championship, keep Closed road Rallying going in the British Isles.
It's the closest we are likely to get I reckon....

[zac510]

Australia is open to events of this style because of the sparse population and lack of dedicated motorsport tracks. The UK has many more tracks, racing series, etc etc so a tarmac rally would just be another small fish.

But they're still interesting in their own right.

[Ranger 6]

velocemitch said:

Can't see it happening over here, but at least the Jim Clarke, Manx, Tour of Mull and of course the Irish championship, keep Closed road Rallying going in the British Isles.
It's the closest we are likely to get I reckon....

Off to Mull tomorrow - will post some photos on my return!

[velocemitch]

zac510 said:

Australia is open to events of this style because of the sparse population and lack of dedicated motorsport tracks. The UK has many more tracks, racing series, etc etc so a tarmac rally would just be another small fish.

But they're still interesting in their own right.

The UK always has had a problem with closing roads on the mainland for motor sport events (Which makes B&DMC's with the JC acheivement all the more remarkable), but the authorities are perfectly happy to do it for Cycling.
I'm not sure it's directly related to the number of circuits or anything of that nature,
more to do with the legislation etc. Doesn't it need an act of parliament or something equaly difficult?.

I have heard it said that if Wales got more independant it would have a very attitude towards the idea of closed road Tarmac rallies, devolutions only useful spin off perhaps....

[Ranger 6]

velocemitch said:

....Which makes B&DMC's with the JC acheivement all the more remarkable...

Took lessons from the 2300 Club after their success on Mull some year previously.

velocemitch said:

....more to do with the legislation etc. Doesn't it need an act of parliament or something equaly difficult?.

Yes it does require an act, I'm not sure who closes the roads on the JC, but we used to have a liveried traffic car with blues and twos to do Mull. Now it's the same driver but in a marked up course car. The same legalities apply i.e. road is closed in it's entirety at the closure time, the car is just a physical check, and no-one is allowed to use the road except competitors and officials of the event.

Apparently the legal 'stuff' around this is in place now Mull and the JC happen it just needs the support of the council, police, ambulance, fire, residents etc etc etc before taking it to Parliament.

[RT106]

Ranger 6 said:

Off to Mull tomorrow - will post some photos on my return!

A wonderful event, I've been to the last three. But not quite the same, more of an endurance event than an out-and-out thrash.

[Ranger 6]

On the ferry, so this is my first post from a mobile. I think it's endurance for some but definitely a thrash!

[velocemitch]

Good luck Ranger6

[Ranger 6]

Thanks - heard on the ferry on the way over... 'I wonder if the call charges are different as we'll be on an island?'. It was a young lad, I think in a service crew.

[Lordbenny]

millband said:

Gallardo launch - http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=MMukgK-0XnU&feat...

Listen to the noise!

That is a rather nice noise!

[millband]

Lordbenny said:

millband said:

Gallardo launch - http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=MMukgK-0XnU&feat...

Listen to the noise!

That is a rather nice noise!

Have a search for spectator footage of this years event - there's another Gallardo with a titanium exhaust (mentioned in the Car article) which sounds INCREDIBLE

[EDLT]

millband said:

Lordbenny said:

millband said:

Gallardo launch - http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=MMukgK-0XnU&feat...

Listen to the noise!

That is a rather nice noise!

Have a search for spectator footage of this years event - there's another Gallardo with a titanium exhaust (mentioned in the Car article) which sounds INCREDIBLE

This one? http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=fhW78v-2jcY

[millband]

EDLT said:

This one? http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=fhW78v-2jcY

Just looked at the mag again, and it's actually Jason Whites car (the one in my orginal post) which has the trick exhaust. Oooops. Whatever, they both sound bloody brilliant

[Murdock]

Targa New Zealand is kicking off in two weeks' time... 2250km (750km of special stages, 1500km of touring stages) run over the course of six days. I'll agree that a sparse population does help in the organisation of such events. Utterly bhin' backroads do help, though.

[toomuchbeer]

Lambo on Targa West, at the pre event in city centre.





and During the event

and again......

once more in a residential area - note the cone on the apex, your strickley not allowed to cut corners

because it's in australia, they also rally hutes

[Ranger 6]

Ranger 6 said:

Off to Mull tomorrow - will post some photos on my return!

Ended up quite busy, a few incidents to deal with, 2 rolled at the same corner, then another hit the same rock and broke his steering with one going off over a jump...

Friday night (phone pic) Callum Duffy - finished second


Saturday afternoon - the start control SS8