Targa Tas 2017 - Porsche

[356993???]

Great results from day 1 at Targa for Porsche. Six of the top 10 cars are either GT3 (RS also) or GT4. This shows desirability of the cars and confidence in their depth of engineering to drive hard, be competitive - and do it day after day reliably.

It's got to be a good thing for promoting the brand to those who haven't yet experienced a true sports car built not for posing (although they do look great) but built to compete.

[Raven]

I am hopping for a GT3 RS outright victory this years ..............How did Jim Richards go today ..?

[D-banger]

Looks like a bit of carnage on day 1.

http://www.themercury.com.au/sport/targa-cars-flip-and-catch-fire-in-separate-crashes-in-slippery-conditions/news-story/dcff44a99d7a8096334caefca2327bb4

 

[356993???]

Jim is currently in seventh place. Would be interesting to see Jason White in a GT3 at Targa just to see how he'd go vs other Porsche front runners (he has been competative/winning on his home soul in a GTR, Evo, Gallardo and now the Viper Extreme). Matt Close in 3rd behind the two Vipers. 

[Peter M]

 

[Teutonic]

I reckon  Captain Close is the best chance of a porka being on the top step. Will be a tough week for him though as it's looking wet, and his tyre compound is more suited to dry conditions. The tyre on the viper is a bit softer and quicker in the wet but there has been questions of whether they would go the distance in the dry. With the wet weather forecast this shouldn't be an issue and does give YT more speed on the wet stages. Should be a good battle at the front and great to see Close get some factory support and the GT3RS after his performance last year. Also nice to see 3 GT3RS getting used in anger there along with a raft of other P cars. 

[Raven]

I am confident the GT3 RS,s will be ahead in the final stages I just don,t see the rubber holding up on the vipers ..............Fingers crossed for a  Porsche victory 

[356993???]

I don't get how every road registerable Porsche coupe was made to use - and for some models be very competative - in events such as Targa, yet with 3050 PFA members only a few have commented here on Targa being undertaken right now. 

I thought Porsche ownership, closed road events and marque holistic appreciation - plus support to fellow owners fortunate to give it a real shot at world class driving events (which happen to be held domestically) - went hand in hand? At last count, 11 of the top 20 cars in the Targa gt2 field are fellow Porsche owners.

Paul Henry is also going well yet again in his 968CS - it's quite possibly (I believe it is) the most successfully competed 968 CS in the world! I congratulate him and his wife and crew for their year in year out effort to campaign a road registered car at a world class event like Targa. I'd like to think all 3050 members had this level of passion and enthusiam for 'using' their Porsche. And, while I couldn't do Targa due to insurance concerns I genuinely salute and unconditionally support those who are less risk adverse than me.

Is there another forum that is more actively engaged/see Porsche registerable road cars competing successfully in motorsport as more newsworthy than values and marketplace chat? If not, let's get invigorated and support our fellow owners using their cars in Targa as the factory very likely intended when they developed them...

[itsujack]

I don't get how every road registerable Porsche coupe was made to use - and for some models be very competative - in events such as Targa, yet with 3050 PFA members only a few have commented here on Targa being undertaken right now. 

I thought Porsche ownership, closed road events and marque holistic appreciation - plus support to fellow owners fortunate to give it a real shot at world class driving events (which happen to be held domestically) - went hand in hand? At last count, 11 of the top 20 cars in the Targa gt2 field are fellow Porsche owners.

Paul Henry is also going well yet again in his 968CS - it's quite possibly (I believe it is) the most successfully competed 968 CS in the world! I congratulate him and his wife and crew for their year in year out effort to campaign a road registered car at a world class event like Targa. I'd like to think all 3050 members had this level of passion and enthusiam for 'using' their Porsche. And, while I couldn't do Targa due to insurance concerns I genuinely salute and unconditionally support those who are less risk adverse than me.

Is there another forum that is more actively engaged/see Porsche registerable road cars competing successfully in motorsport as more newsworthy than values and marketplace chat? If not, let's get invigorated and support our fellow owners using their cars in Targa as the factory very likely intended when they developed them...

Been there, done that, see below 

(there's a video on youtube somewhere too)

But seriously, it's not helped by TT having for a long time, a terrible social media and general news and information portal. It's slowly getting better, but have a go at navigating their website, it's a mess. The daily youtube reviews are good though.

[Peter M]

 

[356993???]

Matt Close now running 2nd overall in his GT3 RS!

[Teutonic]

Its a good battle at the front. I would have thought/hoped Closey would have pulled some time out of YT in the dry longer stages yesterday, but they traded stage wins and ended up with a very similar time gap to where they started. In the past YT has been pretty clever at building a lead and then managing it. And the stages were pretty much in his back yard. I expect they will get some wet in the west, which wont help Matt. But still a long way to go. The upside with the GT3RS is you pretty much tip fuel in it and check the tyres. They just keep going. The Viper didn't make it last year, although allegedly a mis shift and over rev. Always a battle of changing fortunes. Will continue to watch with interest. 

Link to results. http://www.rallyresults.com.au/targa/tt2017/index.asp  Click on "individual stage results - live" at top of page.

Day 3 highlights. seem to be on face book as opposed to youtube.....

 

[Raven]

I think Matt can pull it of ........something will break on viper in the final stages ..................Its not over till some fat chick sings 

 

[356993???]

Matt closed the gap to only 32 seconds to the Viper in the second last stage but Jason opened it up again in the last stage by another 20 seconds. If you think you Viper is a 'off the showroom floor' car that is making Porsches latest GT3RS struggle to keep up, its more than just twice the engine capacity that's at work here. An online video shows the thing was pulled apart, refined, rebuilt and more power was extracted...So while still meeting the regs perhaps a GT3 Cup is more closely aligned to the Viper ACR Extreme that is competing in Targa against (and beating) showroom spec GT3RS'

[Teutonic]

Yeah,

I got a bit excited for Matt there. He pulled a heap of time back.  I have been in touch with his crew and he is starting to get a good feel for the car so is building pace. (Has had very little seat time in it and it's a little different to the GT3 of last year) but YT does seem to be good at managing a lead and then pulling something out of the bag when required/challenged. 

Re comparing the cars, the reality is they can both be bought from the showroom. Well in reality the GT3RS is tough to get. I am sure after it ventilated the block last year, the viper was rebuilt to the best of their abilities and the car optimised as much as possible, they are no strangers to building fast Targa cars, but you can't say the GT3RS isn't a serious bit of kit out of the box. And I am sure Matt does what he can to optimise it within the rules. If you compare $$ as opposed to performance on paper, the price of the Porsche far outstrips the viper. If you compare on that basis it's an unfair fight. The Viper is a good thing for the $$ but gees it's something only a mother could love. 

I really hope Closey does the business. Still some significant tests ahead and he is keeping the pressure on. Anything could happen. Arrowsmith is always a good test of a cars endurance. 

[Teutonic]

Here's the day 4 highlights. Seems it got wet later in the day which would explain Close shedding that time he got back. Also seems YT has enough tyre to get the job done.....and its a bit cold and damp this morning so will continue to make it hard for Matt to find time. He really needs dry roads. So its sounding like its more Jason Whites to lose rather than Matts to win. But Porsche reliability certainly counts for something and the near on 60km competitive of arrowsmith always gives cars (and crews) a good workout. 

 

[Teutonic]

Not much change today. Was " wetter than an otters pocket" according to Closey  and he struggled to put any time into the vipers. He feels the car is a little stiff and sharp in the wet so some changes to be made next year. But he did add some angle of attack on the rear wing and soften it a touch which he felt made it a jet in the dry. 

Timesheets have him in 3rd now after  a smoking run on arrowsmith by Pritchard. Without any distespect it may be a timing anomaly as YT and close have been trading blows all event yet on this stage, albeit the longest, Pritchard was 40 seconds clear with only 20 seconds separating the next 3 cars of Stokell, White and Close. 

Some milder weather forecast tomorrow so Closey will be pushing hard as he can to try to at least find his way back to second and keep some pressure on YT. IT ain't over til it's over. :)

[356993???]

Unfortunately the Henry's 968CS is out. While disappointing it's still I believe the most successfully campaigned 968CS in the world -  it should end up in the Stuttgart Museum! 10 out of 11 Targas back to back campaigned being finished is remarkable.

[Teutonic]

That's an exceptional finishing record. Just getting through one is an achievement. 

I guess some other honourable mentions would be the obvious one in Jim Richards. 25th Targa this year. 8 outright wins. 74 Tarmac rallies entered with only 8 DNFs. Currently sitting 8th in GT2. And Rex Broadbent with 6 straight classic outright wins in a row. 

[Whytar]

I don't get how every road registerable Porsche coupe was made to use - and for some models be very competative - in events such as Targa, yet with 3050 PFA members only a few have commented here on Targa being undertaken right now. 

I thought Porsche ownership, closed road events and marque holistic appreciation - plus support to fellow owners fortunate to give it a real shot at world class driving events (which happen to be held domestically) - went hand in hand? At last count, 11 of the top 20 cars in the Targa gt2 field are fellow Porsche owners.

Paul Henry is also going well yet again in his 968CS - it's quite possibly (I believe it is) the most successfully competed 968 CS in the world! I congratulate him and his wife and crew for their year in year out effort to campaign a road registered car at a world class event like Targa. I'd like to think all 3050 members had this level of passion and enthusiam for 'using' their Porsche. And, while I couldn't do Targa due to insurance concerns I genuinely salute and unconditionally support those who are less risk adverse than me.

Is there another forum that is more actively engaged/see Porsche registerable road cars competing successfully in motorsport as more newsworthy than values and marketplace chat? If not, let's get invigorated and support our fellow owners using their cars in Targa as the factory very likely intended when they developed them...

Personally I think your assumptions are somewhat misplaced. Certainly not 'every' Porsche owner has an intrinsic devotion to motorsport, and not every Porsche was made to compete in events. Around me there are many Porsche drivers who care little for the brand and drive the car more as a status symbol than a performance icon. And myself? I have a mild appreciation for motorsport but have little (to no) desire to compete personally. I enjoy ownership in my own way and have done across more than 25 performance cars over 20 years, and yet not one of my cars has ever seen a track or dragstrip.

[356993???]

Happy with my inferences and assumptions of the brand and what I thought went hand in hand with ownership regarding events such as Targa Tas:

Every road registerable Porsche coupe was made to be able to use in events such as Targa...I'd say yes, noting the many diverse (including Tour) categories there are available. Some categories are in basic terms really an evolution of a spirited twisty road drive, times X, that happens to be an organised program, over a week on roads that are closed off (sometimes to prevent old mate moving 200 head of Aussies best milkers crossing back to the paddock at a most inconvenient time when you're at the top end of third gear). Even those who see the car as a status symbol could partake and have their ego evolve as people line streets to see their car (a Porsche) drive by - said owner (perhaps not marque enthusiast) may never know the tangible effect this may have in XX years time when little Bloggsy who saw their car/heard their car grows up and simply must have a Porsche 'because he's always wanted one'. Moreover,  as a positive consequence of using their car this way in Targa strike life long social and/or professional relationships with similar posers, plus others who are there to win trophies, plus spectators. Nothing wrong with the above on any level. 

Every road registerable Porsche coupe was made to be able to compete in events such as Targa...I'd say yes, noting Porsche is the most successful brand in motorsport and being the largest race car manufacturer in the world - all cascading into every road registerable Porsche coupe made being able to compete in events such as Targa.

Targa enables car participation and personal opportunities at many levels - to me all positive. And that fits nicely with the Porsche marque.

[LeeM]

 

Targa enables car participation and personal opportunities at many levels - to me all positive. And that fits nicely with the Porsche marque.

Which it does in spades, though just because it does enable participation, it doesn't mean every Porsche owner likes the sport as much as others

 Me? I've been a Porsche nut since I was 10 years old, and possess more passion and enthusiasm for the marque than most owners, as I think about them every single day (sad I know, especially for a 51 year old man), and I will watch any motorsport that has Porsche participation, yet modern Targa doesn't interest me that much, sorry. Out of all the PFA members, I'd say probably over 50% don't post here at all about any topic, so thinking most don't have a passion for the marque just because we don't follow the exploits of people competing in Targa Tasmania is a bit of a stretch. 

 I'm trying hard not to sound like I'm attacking you personally here, and believe me, I have typed out and deleted a reply (more like a manuscript!) to your first post about Porsche enthusiasm 298 times over the past few hours, so please don't think I'm having a crack at you. I don't need to watch Targa, Carrera Cup, Porsche Supercup, Blancpain series, Le Mans or any other motorsport that has a Porsche competing in it to show my support for every man or woman competing. If that was mandatory to being a Porsche enthusiast/PFA member, then you've lost me.   Also, I really couldn't care less about market values of any Porsche, as I think they're all over priced, nor do I care about the latest and greatest 911/ 911R/GT3RS/Cayman/Macan/Panamera, as brilliant as they might be.

 What I care about, is getting out in the hills in my old banger 911 for a drive with some like minded friends in similar cars to experience the feeling I get when I drive mine, as I believe it is better than probably anything I've done in my life, including the many years of motorsport that I have competed in

 All the very best to all Porsche competitors in Tasmania, I hope you all come home safe 

  

[356993???]

All good points Lee, and supported in part (in relation and in isolation only by PFA posts) by at last count 30,089 posts re 'ownership and enthusiasm' vs 2561 posts in 'track and rally general'.

With Close starting today with a 1.24 gap to the current leader, and noting how strong they've (White and Pritchard) been so far, it's more likely than not that Dodge teams will take the top two podium spots. Who would have thought the Viper platform would be so competative at an event like this...albeit, I'd like to see White and Pritchard in a GT3 only because I believe that the top 3 drivers all  originally hail from Tassie and I'm intrigued to know low much backyard experience is playing out vs car performance.

 

[Raven]

Its not over yet and the vipers started to have problems around this time last year ............will the tires hold up for the vipers in the final days ?

[Teutonic]

Here is my prediction. YT to maintain his advantage and win in his Viper. If roads are dry, Close to claw back second from Prichard. Prichard 3rd or  possibly a crack under pressure moment for him. Close is gunning for him.  I think the vipers are ok for tyres. It has been wet enough. Although they can expect to be tested for tread depth prior to today's finish (typically at the lunch break) so anything could happen. Close could do the event again on his. The vipers are impressive but some of their pace, especially in the cold and wet, has a bit to do with the tyre under them. 

Re the event itself, I have a passion for it and think Tarmac rally is some of the most exciting racing to participate in and also great to follow as you watch the changing fortunes. Much like endurance circuit racing. But each to their own. Matt Close has massive passion for the event and the Porsche marque but isn't a member here... nor is Jim Richards. So it seems you can have a massive passion for Motorsport and the marque and not be a member here much like you can be a memeber here and not have a massive passion for Motorsport.  I am not sure being a complete Porsche tragic is a prerequisite for being a member here? Or maybe it's possible to be a complete tragic and not a member.   I think the beauty of the Porsche marque is they can be enjoyed in a vast number of ways. While they have Motorsport pedigree, they are also a well engineered car and a nice place to be. Also the same car (lets say in my case) spends its life on R comp but road legal tyres, gets driven to the shops/pub/cafe, gets driven to the track, raced hard and driven home, and goes for whips in the hills for early morning drives or runs for lunch. I love that the one car can do all that and I enjoy it equally in all uses. And while I continue to chase performance I am careful not to compromise its all round nature.  I even just like looking at it in the shed. Maybe I am a Porsche tragic after all  I don't think there is any right or wrong way to enjoy a Porsche. Each to their own.