Old Targa Tas pic

[TwoHeadsTas]

Barry Oliver, Jim Richards' long time navigator for Targa events, writes a weekly motorsports column in our local paper.  Today's column mentioned the Targa Tas date for 2021, and the new, earlier March dates to apply from 2022 onwards.

The accompanying shot was this picture of a 996 GT3 and presumably a 993 (sorry, bad quality picture, a bit indestinct).  Just wondering who the cars would be - I'm thinking the Speed Yellow 996 GT3 might be Richard Perini (the sister RHD car to my previous LHD GT3 in the Perini stable) or perhaps the original Jim Richards Nations Cup car???  No indication of year, but suspect early -mid 2000's??

[Raven]

I do some super sprinting with Richard Perini up here in Sydney ,,,he has had a long history with the Porsche brand and some impressive P cars over the decades .

If that is a genuine RSCS 993 it looks like the Greg Muller car below ...Bathurst 2002 

These results may help 

Modern Competition[edit]

Year	Driver	Navigator	Vehicle
1992	Greg Crick	Greg Preece	Honda NSX
1993	Greg Crick	Greg Preece	Honda NSX
1994	Andrew Miedecke	Alan Taylor	Porsche 944 Turbo Cup
1995	Neal Bates	Coral Taylor	Toyota Celica GT-Four (ST205)
1996	Jim Richards	Barry Oliver	Porsche 911 Turbo (993)
1997	Jim Richards	Barry Oliver	Porsche 911 Turbo (993)
1998	Jim Richards	Barry Oliver	Porsche 911 Turbo (993)
1999	Peter Fitzgerald	Michael Mansour	Porsche 911 Turbo (993)
2000	Jim Richards	Barry Oliver	Porsche 911 GT3 CS
2001	Jim Richards	Barry Oliver	Porsche 911 Turbo (996)
2002	Jim Richards	Barry Oliver	Porsche 911 Turbo (996)
2003	Jim Richards	Barry Oliver	Porsche 911 Turbo (996)
2004	Tony Sullens	Julia Rabbett	Subaru Impreza WRX STi S202
2005	Jason White	John White	Nissan Skyline GT-R V-Spec N1 (R34)
2006	Jim Richards	Barry Oliver	Porsche 911 GT2 CS (996)
2007	Tony Sullens	Julia Barkley	Subaru Impreza WRX Type RA (GC8)
2008	Steve Glenney	Bernie Webb	Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution IX RS
2009	Tony Quinn	Naomi Tillett	Nissan GT-R
2010	Jason White	John White	Lamborghini Gallardo Reiter Super Trofeo Strata
2011	Tony Quinn	Naomi Tillett	Nissan GT-R
2012	Jason White	John White	Lamborghini Gallardo Super Trofeo Stradale
2013	Jason White	John White	Lamborghini Gallardo Super Trofeo Stradale
2014	Jamie Vandenberg	Dennis Sims	Nissan GT-R
2015	Jason White	John White	Lamborghini Gallardo Squadra Corse

[Raven]

Little more digging into the RSCS 

 

Tony Robertson an Graeme Vaux drove a  1995 PORSCHE 993 RSCS in early Modern , not certain year ..???

[TwoHeadsTas]

OK, might have been Jim & Barry in the GT3, which would make sense given I presume Barry chose the photo to go with the article, which would most likely make it 2000, when they ran a GT3 CS per Raven's prior post (looks like the only year).  I've messaged Baz to see if it was his photo, and whether he can remember

[Raven]

Yes I would say that is the case ,looks that way from the results..

I was trying to see if the 993 rscs corresponded with that year also ,but there is very little I could find .

I am certain that 993 rscs in the image you posted is Tony Robertson an Graeme Vaux as I saw a image in a online copy of Porsche Parade online magazine page 19 very bottom of page ..

 

https://issuu.com/ronwiddison/docs/porsche_parade_summer_2010

[Masterwerk]

Ian Ross also ran his White 993RS back then with the late Paul Flintoft navigating for him. Phil Verwoert also had a Speed Yellow GT3. I'm wondering if that's the car that got painted Fly Yellow early on??

[TwoHeadsTas]

Talking of old Targa photos, a client I was talking to on Friday told me they'd uncovered an old photo of me at Targa time, and I wasn't with a Porsche.  I was a bit intrigued and I had a laugh when she sent me the story today.  I'd driven a 308GTB in the very first Targa Tas, owned by one of my clients (he navigated), this was a story in the lead up to Targa Tas.  Little did we know what this event would lead to 🙂

 

[firstone]

Cool story. Tell us more?

 

[TwoHeadsTas]

3 hours ago, firstone said:

Cool story. Tell us more?

 

Hedley had purchased the 308 a couple of years before, and when Targa Tas was first mooted suggested we have a go, I'd drive and he would navigate.  We submitted an application and were accepted, I still have the invitation to compete signed by Max Stahl, the originator of the event in conjuction with John Large.  So, we had a ball for the 3 1/2 days we lasted.  I think we were something like 5th fastest up St Marys Pass stage, which was fantastic, as it was a road I knew very well, having driven up it every week when I used to go to the East Coast for work.  Our preparation for the event was very low key compared to what the guys do today - I think the limit was that I drove the 308 to St Helens for work the week before, going the Scottsdale way so I could do The Sidling , Derby etc in the direction we would be running during Targa.

Our event finished at Hellyer Gorge on the way to Queenstown.  As we were going down the Gorge, every time we went around a left hander the oil pressure dropped to Nil.  Nearing the bottom I said to Hedley that I was worried about that, but that it was his decision about whether we keep going as it was his engine.  He decided that we would stop (the right decision), and we trailered the car back to Launceston, ably assisted by a friend Jason Dann who was well know in Tassie rallying circles.  When Geoff Smedley checked out the problem a couple of days later, the issue was found to be a loose wire on the oil pressure sender unit!!  Probably the cheapest fix to a Ferrari engine possible!!!  A sad end, but the right decision to stop at the time 🙂 

We were going to be involved with the MG Nat Meet in Adelaide the next year, which coincided pretty much with the Targa dates lead up and preparation, so Hedley drove the car the next year, and Jason navigated.  I honestly can't remember whether they finished.  I do remember being concerned that Hedley had been convinced to put some high spec Yokos on the car, which would be great up to a limit, but once reached, I doubted Hedley would be able to control the thing afterwards.  The previous year we had put some Michy XWX on, which were the original fitment tyre.  Although these didn't have huge grip, they were nice and controllable.  

I continued to look after the car for a few years after that, in fact it sat either in my garage or out at the motor museum at Waverley Woollen Mills in Launceston, the forerunner of what is now the National Automobile Museum of Tasmania, which, having come full circle (I was involved in at the formation 24 years ago), I am now a Director again!!  When all this silliness finishes and we can travel again, make sure you come and check out our fantastic new purpose built museum site near the Silos Hotel in Invermay 🙂