Ōtorohanga crew at the 2019 Targa, Andrew Oakley (left), Steve Hutchins and Adam Martin “terrible hoons when we were kids”.
The rally season is not over – ‘NZ’s ultimate road race’ is yet to be run.
Defending champ, Marcus van Klink in action during Targa last year. Photo Geoff Ridder
After town and country in King Country hosted rounds in the Northern Rallysprint (August 17) and the North Island Rally Series (September 21), the Targa is coming.
Beginning in Pukekohe, the five-day tarmac rally features stages in Waikato and northern King Country (October 15-16) before heading to Taranaki and Hawke’s Bay.
Among this year’s entrants is rally veteran Charlie Evans from Hamilton Car Club.
“I won at Targa in 2005,” he said. “I haven’t been in it since, but as it’s the 30th anniversary, I thought I would. There is a two-day and a five-day event – I won a two-day one and I’ll be in that again this year. I have two cars, including one I’ve been preparing just for the Targa.”
Although it’s a serious competition featuring some of the latest, high-tech rally cars, the Targa includes a wider field than dirt road rallies across four competitions and three classes in each.
Two-wheel-drives can be more competitive on tarmac against four-wheel-drives. Last year’s winner, Marcus van Klink (Canterbury), is proof of this – he will be back, driving a two-wheel drive Mazda RX-8.
Named after the Italian for license plate, the first Targa was held in Florio, Sicily, in 1906. The New Zealand incarnation is a little younger – set to be run for the 30th time – but it is rich in tradition.
Vintage cars are par for the course too. The Targa includes a Retro category intended to allow a little friendly competition without the cars without thrashing them to within an inch of their lives.
In addition, the Targa Tour sees sports cars run as they were intended – on closed roads they can reach speeds well beyond posted limits.
Although it is held in various locations throughout New Zealand, the 2024 Targa sets off from Ōtorohanga and, this year, King Country roads will again feature strongly.
Spectators can view the action and many of the cars will be on display when the day’s racing is done.
