WHITE WINS TARGA NORTH WEST

Jason and John White win Targa North West – Photo: Supplied

Tasmanian driver, Jason White, has secured his first Targa North West title, making it the perfect start in his quest to win the modern outright title in the 2019 CAMS Australian Targa Championship.

White won three of the four events in the 2018 Championship – Targa Tasmania, Targa Great Barrier Reef and Targa High Country – but his poor start at this event Targa North West last year cost him the overall title.

White and co-driver John White had their Dodge Viper ACR Extreme in the lead from start to finish in their local event. After establishing a one minute lead on Saturday, they extended their buffer further on Sunday’s 88 competitive kilometres to finish one minute 28 seconds ahead of reigning modern Australian Targa Champion Paul Stokell and co-driver Kate Catford in their Lotus Exige.

Third place went to Hobart surgeon, Michael Pritchard (2016 Porsche GT3 RS), and overnight second, John Ireland, finished fourth in his Dodge Viper after clutch problems on the opening run through Hellyer Gorge ruined his podium campaign.

The top three outright were also the top three in the GT2 battle.

Jason White was relieved when he crossed the line.

“It’s an important win for a whole lot of reasons – it’s our home town rally with some of our favourite roads and we’ve finally won this one and got the monkey off our back,” White said.

“It’s a great start to the championship too, which is probably the most important thing for us. Not finishing here last year cost us the championship when we managed to win everything else but this one.”

“We want to win the championship right or wrong and we want to win Targa Tasmania as well, so we can equal Jim Richards’ record of eight wins.”

Jesse Medwin and Zak Brakey lead the GT4 class in their 2011 Subaru WRX STI Spec C for nearly all of the event, but problems late in the day handed the win to the 2008 Subaru WRX STI of Ralph and Malcolm Norton.

In the Classic GT class, Mick Downey took the honours here in Burnie in his 1979 Holden Commodore VB, taking maximum points in his quest to win the Classic Outright CAMS Australian Targa Championship in 2019, having finished third in 2018.

In Classic handicap, Nik Prieston and Dylan Braithwaite came from behind across the final two stages in their 1975 Fiat Abarth Rallye to beat Peter Gluskie and Samantha Winter’s 1985 BMW E30 325e by 54 seconds.

In Early Modern, Jon Mitchell and Anthony Carr (2006 Subaru S204) was pushed all the way by Tim O’Connor and Stuart Benson (2006 Subaru WRX STI Spec C), with both finishing in the top 10 outright.

Tony and Sandra Seymour took their 2014 Lotus Exige to victory in the GT Sports Trophy after Mitchell and Darryl Ringue, who looked to be certain winners, had mechanical issues with their Exige on the final stage. Targa veterans, Jack Waldron and Vin Gregory, won the Thoroughbred Trophy in a 1981 Mitsubishi Stigma.

Peter Taylor and Tristian Taylor showed their mastery of the TSD class format, adding just one point for the day to finish with six points from Mathew and Harrison Jones who were second with 27 points.

The next event is Targa Tasmania, which gets underway in Launceston on April 29 and concludes six days later in Hobart on May 4.

Results – Targa North West (Provisional)

Outright

1. Jason White and John White, 2016 Dodge Viper ACR Extreme

2. Paul Stokell and Kate Catford, 2014 Lotus Exige, +1min 28secs

3. Michael Pritchard and Adam Butler, 2016 Porsche GT3 RS, +2min 03secs

4. John Ireland and Janet Binns, 2017 Dodge Viper ACR, +2mins 40secs

5. Peter Nunn and Keith Johnstone, 2016 Porsche GTS, +4min 01secs

6. Craig Deana and Mary Hughes, 2015 Ford Mustang Shelby GT+ 4mins 44secs

7. Jon Mitchell and Anthony Carr, 2006 Subaru S204, +5mins 16secs

8. Ben Manion and Mitchell Lukasz, 2010 Chevrolet Corvette ZR, +5mins 34secs

9. Tim O’Connor and Stuart Benson, 2006 Subaru WRX STI Spec C, 6mins 52secs

10. Ralph Norton and Malcolm Norton, 2008 Subaru Impreza STI, +6mins 59secs

GT2

1. Jason White and John White, 2016 Dodge Viper ACR Extreme

2. Paul Stokell and Kate Catford, 2014 Lotus Exige, +1min 28secs

3. Michael Pritchard and Adam Butler, 2016 Porsche GT3 RS, +2min 03secs

GT4

1. Ralph Norton and Malcolm Norton, 2008 Subaru Impreza STI

2. Trevor Macleod and Scott Hunter, 2010 Subaru WRX STI, +49secs

3. Luke Anear and Alan Stephensen, 2015 Subaru WRX STI, +1min 34secs

Dutton Garage Early Modern

1. Jon Mitchell and Anthony Carr, 2006 Subaru S204

2. Tim O’Connor and Stuart Benson, 2006 Subaru WRX STI Spec C, +1min 36secs

3. Ben Newman and Adam Kudra, 1997 Nismo 400R, +5mins 22secs

Shannons Classic

1. Nik Prieston and Dylan Braithwaite, 1975 Fiat Abarth Rallye

2. Peter Gluskie and Samantha Winter, 1985 BMW E30 325e, +54secs

3, Shane Navin and Glenn Evans, 1985 Porsche 944 Turbo, +7mins 20secs

Shannons Classic GT

1. Mick Downey and Jarrod Van Den Akker, 1979 Holden Commodore VB

GT Sports Trophy

1. Tony Seymour and Sandra Seymour, 2014 Lotus Exige

2. Anthony Grace and Craig Jones, 2014 Subaru Impreza WRX STI, +1min 39secs

3. Mitchell Ringuet and Darryl Ringuet, 2017 Lotus Exige Sport 350, +2mins 09secs

Thoroughbred Trophy

1. Jack Waldron and Vin Gregory, 1981 Mitsubishi Stigma

2. Geoff Storr and Steve Caplice, 1978 Alfa Romeo Alfetta GTV, +2mins 41secs

3. John Stanton and Julie Winton-Money, 1981 Porsche 924 Turbo, +17mins 50secs

TSD Trophy

1. Peter Taylor and Tristan Taylor, 2013 Lotus Elise S, 6 points

2. Matthew Jones and Harrison Jones, 2006 Porsche 911, 27 points

3. Robert Bryden and Ian Noble, 2017 Lotus 380 Cup, 42 points

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