The Beginner`s Guide to Targa

The Beginner's Guide to Targa
By Geoffrey Bott
TARGA TASMANIA 2015 EDITION
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What is Targa Tasmania?
The organisers say: “Targa Tasmania is a world class international motorsport event about to enter
its 24th consecutive year. This is a tarmac rally that travels over 2,000kms with over 40 competitive
stages on closed roads for the true motoring enthusiast, catering for up to 300 selected cars approved
by invitation.
Targa Tasmania's heritage comes from a passionate history dating back to 1905 in Sicily, where the
inaugural "Targa Florio" was unveiled. Targa Florio took its name from organizer Vincenzo Florio.
Each winner was presented with a plate bearing the Florio family crest. The Italian word for plate is
"Targa", hence the name, "Targa". While Targa Florio is no longer a competitive race, every year a
pilgrimage still takes place driving the Sicilian Course.
Our competition also draws concepts directly from the best features of the Mille Miglia, the Coupe
des Alpes and the Tour de Corse to create the world’s largest Tarmac Rally with a cross section of
marvellously restored classic vehicles as well as the latest in grand touring and sports vehicles.”
If you complete all stages within the maximum time allowance, you will be awarded a Targa Plate.
Targa High Country & Targa Wrest Point are shorter versions of Targa. Targa High Country is a
three day event based at Mt Buller near Mansfield in Victoria. Targa Wrest Point is a two day event
that takes place south of Hobart. All events add up together to form the Targa championship.
Some others simply say that it is the best fun you will ever have with your pants on!
What Categories are available and what car can I use?
The media loves vintage cars
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Times have changed since the inaugural event in 1991 when there was a heavy emphasis on classic
cars. These days almost anything can run, provided it is roadworthy and eligible for road registration.
The organisers are still keen to see classic cars entering the event and the entry fees are priced to their
advantage. See full details of the technical regulations, classes and categories at www.targa.com.au
In earlier times categories were much more restricted. These days the organisers have opened up a
range of different categories so as to give the equivalent of a handicap category almost any car. In
addition to the outright competition cars at the top end of the field, there are whole group of
subcategories based on the age of the vehicle and the capacity of the engine. Broadly speaking these
are modern cars from 2002 to the current date, early modern cars from 1985 to 2002, late classic,
early classic and vintage. You will also find there is a handicap scoring classic cars as well as the
outright scoring. Then we have a host of subcategories for modern cars each may include showroom,
showroom sports and even utes. Most recently the organisers have introduced:
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"Two brand new competitions for classic and modern cars which do not have roll cages: Thoroughbred and
Sports Trophy will provide the closest thing to a full Targa competition by providing a base time event where
the lowest penalty time wins with the only restriction being a 130kph speed limit. Great for classic cars in
particular and those with performance road cars, these competitions are sure to bring far more car clubs
and their members to Targa.
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A return to two Showroom Competitions: It is time to return to the original Showroom competition structure
to ensure competitors in these cars get the same thrills and excitement from achieving success as those in
other competitions. It will potentially see more than 20 cars in both the 2WD and 4WD competitions doing
battle and some hard-earned wins await our Showroom competitors."
If you wish to gain maximum publicity for yourself and your car, the pre-1946 category always gets
TV coverage and provides the flag car for the event.
The “Demonstration Category” will allow you to run virtually anything but does not qualify for the
outright places.
Regularity or TSD
What was once called regularity is now TSD. This is a category that is by no means slow but is
actually very demanding and requires competitors to maintain a strict schedule and enter controls at a
very precise time without stopping or going excessively slowly. This is all monitored by the RallySafe
system so no cheating can be engaged in. Vehicles are limited to a maximum of 130 km/h and are not
required to have roll cages fitted. Roll cages are highly recommended. Most states will allow a car to
be registered as a coupe if they have a half cage and the rear seats removed.
As this is a new category, I quote the organisers description verbatim:
WHAT IS THE TSD TROPHY?
Your dream of becoming a Targa Competitor, racing on unimaginably amazing closed roads, driving
your vehicle in the spirit it was intended is about to become a reality.
TSD Trophy draws its name from a style of rally racing also known as TSD – this racing format is
popular form of rallying worldwide. The format is based on achieving a set average speed on each
stage while adhering to a 130km maximum speed limit.
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Our TSD Trophy competition provides the opportunity to compete in a rally that requires more than
just going as fast as you can. The nature of this competition provides a mathematical challenge for
both Driver and Co Driver, keeping the cockpit drama intense right to the finish line.
THE COURSE
TSD Trophy competitors enjoy the same benefits as the main competition competing on closed roads
and all competitive stages of your chosen event; the top three in Classic and Modern will be awarded
with a Targa Salver and the unique experience of a champagne shower on a Targa podium. TSD
Trophy will use ‘Rally Safe’ technology to track your location, time and speeds.
What! No car?
You can buy or even lease a rally car. Go to www.my105.com where you will find a host of cars that
are currently for sale by enthusiasts. Just be careful that the great car that someone else has spent so
much blood, sweat and tears on still meets the current regulations.
Current Events
Up until 2014, you had the choice of 4 events in the Targa championship. These were:
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Targa High Country (centred at Mansfield and Mt. Buller in Victoria)
Targa Adelaide (centred in Adelaide and running in the adjacent Adelaide Hills)
Targa Wrest Point (starting and finishing at Hobart and running south to the Huon Valley)
Targa Tasmania (covering most of the island of Tasmania)
Following a change of ownership of the Targa championship there has been a substantial change by
the organisers in order to protect the viability and appeal of the championship.
The jewel in the crown is Targa Tasmania. This demanding event is the "Ultimate Tarmac Rally"
and takes place over 6 days. It has the support of the Tasmanian Government and recently it was
announced that dates have been set for every year until 2031.
Targa Wrest Point has been mothballed for the time being.
Targa High Country has been expanded to 3 days instead of the previous 2 day format. It is very
very well supported by the participants and has a remarkable hill climb up to the summit of Mount
Buller.
Targa Hellyer Gorge is a brand new addition. The organisers say: "`The Gorge' is primarily
designed to give first time drivers a taste of real Targa competition on one of Targa's most
legendary stages to learn what it takes to tackle Targa Tasmania. It will also provide a great day's
competition for all those preparing for Targa Tasmania along with those who have limited time
and/or budget who just want to experience a Targa event. It's a perfect opportunity to set your car
up and sort everything out and with it being held during the key recce period, Targa Tasmania
competitors will be able to kill two birds with one stone if they wish at a great time of year."
You now have a clear choice with Hellyer Gorge as a trial event, Targa High Country as the next step
and then the big one - Targa Tasmania for the really serious. The choice is yours!
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Crew preparation
You will need to be in reasonably good health to compete in this type of event. You do not need to
pass a medical but you will need to be able to compete in the event that lasts for six days and may be
quite stressful in the event of unforeseen issues arising so you must be as well prepared as you can be.
If you have completed in car club events before, think in terms of doing eight circuit sprints every day
for a week and think how you will handle that.
If you are a driver you really need to be confident in your abilities to handle your car in a high-speed
situation where things can get out of control very quickly if you are unprepared. This could be as
simple as coming around a corner at speed and finding loose gravel, oil, water or even another vehicle
stopped in a bad position where you have to take avoiding action suddenly. The more practice you can
have on a track beforehand can only be a good thing. I recommend that you take an advanced driving
course with a qualified instructor at least once or more times well beforehand. Money spent on your
own skills will never be wasted.
As mentioned before, navigators will probably learn more on the recce beforehand as there is no
substitute for a moving vehicle and getting used to reading instructions on the job.
Apparel
Scrutineers are most fussy about the labelling of items such
as your driving suit, balaclava and gloves. They will have to
meet the current FIA standards and labelling otherwise they
will be rejected and you will have to buy new ones at
exorbitant prices from the nearest supplier. You will not be
permitted to start without the correct gear so get it right. See
the CAMS manual at www.cams.com.au for the latest
standards.
Attitude
Assuming you are the driver, the most important thing you
can do is to improve your own driving skills before you do
anything else. On almost every Targa or tarmac rally that I
have been on, something like 25% of all cars will crash as a
result of driver error. Just because you have a fast car does
not mean you have also purchased the skills to drive at its
maximum. On the undulating, winding and hilly roads that
tarmac rallies take place on your skills will be stretched to
the max and beyond. On any racetrack you have adequate
run-off, sand traps or even guiding walls of tyres to lessen the impact. On a tarmac rally there are
seldom such pleasant things waiting to help you, more like a bloody great big tree right where you are
headed. Fortunately severe accidents take place relatively seldom but they do and you must consider
the consequences and drive accordingly. You will minimise the risk by improving your own skills by
taking at least an appropriate driving course before you ever enter an event. Similarly you must drive
at a pace where you can have a margin to deal with unforeseen problems such as gravel thrown up on
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the road, water or oil patches that are very hard to see especially in shadow in the lee of a hill. Do you
really want to risk your life for a $50 trophy?
Having said all that, tarmac rallies will give you the greatest thrill of your life.
Here's me in 2014 after 45 years of rallying! Still getting a thrill. GB.
Breath Testing
You will be breath tested every day before starting. There is zero tolerance of alcohol in the blood for
either crew member.
Briefings
You must attend a compulsory briefing before commencing the event. You will be required to sign
on. If you do not attend you will not be permitted to start.
Drinks
On long days driving you will get dehydrated if you are not careful, so have a bottle of water easily
accessible but secured adequately. Any bicycle shop can supply a water bottle with a metal mounting
bracket that will secure it. Don't forget that a loose water bottle weighs about 750g so you don't want
it wandering around inside your car. If it gets loose and gets under your feet when you are braking
etc, it will ruin your day, trust me!
Driving Tips
There are a number of components to a Targa event. The prologue is a preliminary run over a timed
stage so as to allow the organisers to gauge your pace and seed you accordingly. This has some major
ramifications; if you have a great run in the prologue but are slower stages you will be overwhelmed
by fast cars who will regard you as a rolling road block. If you drive too slow you will then have to
continually overtake slower cars on stages.
The first stage is always set with a relatively low average speed to allow you to adjust to driving at a
far greater rate than you may be used to. Do not go hell for leather immediately and play yourself in
and get used to driving at speed on a closed road. On any stage you commence, remember that you
will be on cold tyres and have limited grip for the first kilometre or so.
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You can elect to use pace notes. These are available from several suppliers and I always use them as I
am in the fast competition category and like to know what is over the next crest at 200 km/hr.
However you may have to pay as much as $495 for a full set and this may not be of much use if you
are competing in regularity and the maximum speeds are limited to 130 km/hr. You will be given a
road book with all necessary instructions to be able to traverse the transport and competitive stages.
This will be quite comprehensive and will note any particularly dangerous corners with a distance.
My biggest and most consistent mistake is to turn in too early on corners which results in a poor exit
speed. Brake to a more acceptable speed, assess the corner and then accelerate out of the corner for
your maximum pace. Jim Richards, seven times winner of Targa Tasmania (so I figure he knows
what he is taking about) suggests that you drive a middle line through all corners as it gives you more
options in extreme situations.
You will lose points in the competition based on time only. If you lose a few second on a short stage
don't panic. On a very long stage such as "Arrowsmith" which is 59 kms long, you have to keep up
the pace and not slacken off as this will lose you heaps of time on just one section.
Helmet
In a closed car you can use an open face helmet (which personally I
prefer) or a full face helmet. I find the full face helmet restricts your
view downwards far too much and you cannot see your seat belts or
anything around that level such as pace notes. You can purchase
helmets with built-in intercom units such as a Bell (which I currently
favour) or many other brands that have similar setups.
The old saying is that if you have a $10 head then buy a $10 helmet.
Buy as good a quality helmet as you can afford. Carbon fibre is
excellent and very light. You will need to have the post mounts for
the HANS device built in.
Licences & logbooks
Essentially there are two levels of licence required for crew
members. Apart from a civil licence, drivers will be required
to have a National rally licence from CAMS if they are
entering the competition categories. Navigators are required
to have a National rally licence too. However, if they are
intending to do only one event then you can get a single
event licence.
You will only need a basic CAMS competition licence for
TSD categories. To get any CAMS licence you will need to be a member of a CAMS affiliated
Australian car club.
All competition cars need to have a CAMS logbook. This is a simple issue but can be time
consuming and require an inspection by a CAMS official.
Go to the CAMS website to get details at www.cams.com.au
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Navigator/Co-Driver
Apart from the necessity of being able to read the Queen's
English your navigator has to be immune from motion
sickness, not lose their place in the notes or road book and be
able to issue clear instructions under pressure. The navigator
will also have to keep in mind where fuel stops are en-route.
Speaking as a driver of many years experience I can assure you
that you will remember nothing for more than 30 seconds when
on stages when concentrating.
Make no mistake, your navigator is the captain of your ship as
without them all your driving skills are to no avail.
Overtaking
The overtaking car has absolute right of way. The penalties for baulking another competitor are
severe with fines commencing at $1,000 yes that is right, $1,000.
Pace Notes, Pens & Recces
There are a number of service providers who will send you pace notes. Bernie Webb provides a most
excellent service with a series of notes according to your level of experience and preference. He is
also Targa Tasmania's recommended supplier. www.smoothline.com.au There are others who also
provide an excellent service. A good set of pace notes are essential for all top-level competitors and
even the not so good competitors like me. If you can imagine going over crests at 200 km/h without
knowing what's on the other side then be my guest to not use them. It will take a bit of getting used to
as it requires 100% accuracy on the part of the navigator and 100% confidence in the navigator by the
driver. This will not happen on your first event but you will soon get the hang of it as you develop
accuracy and confidence in each other.
I am not a navigator but the excellent navigators that I have used have gone to a great deal of trouble
to ensure that the edges of the pages are roughed up and they have no errors in turning pages over.
They also mark off each instruction as it is used. If they lose their place then they must immediately
say "Off Notes" until they pick up their place again while you as driver gets by as best as you can in
the interim. The difference for me with and without pace notes is about 10% reduction in my pace so
they are well worth having. Some others are of
the view that pace notes actually slow you
down but I would suggest that these people
are not listening properly. As a driver you
must empty your head of any other thought
whatsoever and concentrate solely on
information being given to you by your
navigator from the pace notes. If you can do
that then you will find them of immense value.
If your navigator uses a pen, make sure that is
hanging around his neck by a string as
otherwise it will be lost. Have a door pocket
or similar for the navigator to be able to stash
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the road book securely.
Reconnoitring or recces is very useful but time-consuming. If this is your first event you may find it
very productive to conduct a recce while the navigator runs through the pace notes exactly as if you
were on the stage. You must not do this at anything other than normal speeds on the road as otherwise
you may be nabbed by the police or rally organisers, all of whom take a dim view of competitors
causing aggravation to the general public on the open road. You must use your normal Road car not
your competitive car with signage et cetera. Simple fact of life is that we are using closed roads by the
good grace of police and the public and if we generate bad publicity or cause problems then there will
be no more tarmac rallies. End of story.
Seat belts & HANS
As of July 1, 2014 the HANS device is mandatory for tarmac
rallies in the competition section. They take a bit of getting used
to and are very expensive. I have a fibreglass one as opposed to
the carbon fibre variety and find it quite okay and not worth the
price penalty to upgrade to carbon fibre. Unless you have your
seat belts properly strapped over them they are useless. So
practice putting them on several times before you have to use
them in earnest.
I also found that the release catches are very hard to use unless
you use some lubricant on them at first. It appears that 2 inch wide
belts are best for the over shoulder use as they are designed to fit
in size the device correctly. Personally I prefer 3 inch wide belts
with a crotch strap as this will hold you the most securely.
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Car preparation
Air Filters
Your need first class air cleaners as otherwise you will give your engine a free unwanted rebore after
sucking in dust etc. Regulations will usually dictate you must run the standard air cleaners.
Battery
Batteries are the biggest source of fire in your car and very heavy.
Make sure that it is securely mounted. You can relocate it to a lower
point in the car but you will have to have it in a battery box if inside
the cabin.
You can consider using a gel filled battery instead of a lead acid.
They may be mounted in any position that will help your centre of
gravity and don't mind being laid on their side.
Your battery is flat. What a pain in the arse! You can avoid this
entirely by keeping your battery fully charged by using a tiny automatic trickle charger hooked up to
the car when garaged. It will cost you about $40. By using one of these on each of my garaged cars,
they are always ready to go. Your battery will last longer as well.
Brakes
Under the rules you may upgrade your brakes. Study the regulations carefully and exploit then to
your best advantage. I have used a variety of brands and compounds of pads. Subject to your driving
style you may get through a Targa on one set of pads but carrying a spare set is a great idea. Talk to
your suppliers to get a set of pads/shoes suitable for tarmac rallies. Alternatively contact a competitor
with a similar car to yours and see what they use.
If your foot slips of the edge of the brake pedal while heel & toeing you will not enjoy the
consequences (I discovered this one day at the end of a straight). I use self adhesive non-slip stair
tread edging on the brake pedal. It has the same texture as sandpaper and you replace it in seconds
when it wears out.
Brake Fluid
High boiling point DOT 4 is your only serious option. Do not use standard
fluid. As brake fluid is hygroscopic (absorbs water) it is essential to replace it
every year as otherwise the water that has accumulated in your brake fluid will
turn to compressible steam and your brake pedal will hit the floor just when
you need it most.
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Cooling System
As you are climbing some very steep mountains in variable weather your cooling system must be in
top condition. Replace any suspect belts and hoses, especially those hard to get at ones in your heater
that can burst and dump boiling water on your feet.
You should consider using waterless coolant. It has significant advantages such as not pressurising
your cooling system, is corrosion resistant
and an ultrahigh boiling point. The
disadvantage is it must not be topped up
with water and is expensive. See
http://liquidintelligence115.com.au/ and
http://www.evanscoolants.com.au/
Installing a swirl pot is a useful
consideration if your cooling system is
marginal. This device allows the gas
bubbles to separate out of the coolant if
you are still using a water based material.
You will often see then on race cars.
Swirl pot in cooling circuit
Another option is to fit temperature sensor
to the engine block with an audible warning alarm in the cockpit. You are dreaming if you think that
you will keep an eye on your temperature gauge during the excitement of the event.
Flat Tyres
More than just a nuisance, a flat can mean that you will lose your Targa Plate or a
place in your class. If you have a leaking tyre you may be able to rapidly inflate it
by using an aerosol pressure pack. They are light and compact. I always carry a
couple of these just in case. Most car parts places can supply at a small cost.
Fuel
As your car is being thrown about in a fashion
seldom envisaged by the manufacturer you will find
that most cars will not pick up the last few litres of
fuel constantly. This means that it could be running
lean at a time when this is least desirable. At the
very least you will find the engine will cough and
splutter in corners and under acceleration. In the
worst case it may lean out so much you could burn a
hole in piston.
To overcome this you may fit a small interim surge tank of a few litres that will supply the fuel pump
with a constant head of fuel. This is a specialised task best left to a race mechanic. Some vehicles
already have this in place. e.g. Jaguar XJS models.
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Most gauges have an idiot allowance built in and will have about 10 to 15 litres of fuel left before
running dry. With a surge tank in place you can suck every last skerrick of fuel out of your main tank
before you run out.
You are not permitted to carry fuel in containers in your car
You will hear a lot of competitors going on about E85 for ultimate power output. This is true but
unless you are aiming to be at the pointy end of the field it is not for you and you won’t be bothering
with this guide. E85 is the fuel used by V8 Supercars. It is very expensive. You will not be able to
buy it any servo and have to arrange your own supplies. You will have to have your car especially set
up and tuned to use E85.
Glass & Wipers
I once crashed out of a rally when I drove over a crest into the sun with dust on the windscreen and
could not see a thing in the glare. As I went over the crest I could not see a rock sticking out of the
side of the road and that tore the side walls out of both right-hand tyres. From then on, me and my
navigator were passengers in a pretty wild ride. That is why these days I always use Polaroid
sunglasses to minimise interior reflections and ensure that my windscreen is clean inside and out to
the best of my ability. I also ensure that the washers and wipers are 100%.
If you do not have air conditioning you will have big problems with your windscreen fogging up in
wet weather. You cannot drive the 99 bends of Queenstown hill while wiping your screen with a rag!
You can get heated windscreens from suppliers like http://www.motorsportwindscreens.com.au/ or
call 0422 425 026.
Fire Extinguishers
Fire extinguishers are a complete nuisance until you need them. Then
suddenly they'll be the most valuable thing you could possibly want.
You must carry two, each within easy reach of the driver and
navigator. They must be securely bolted to the floor in front of each
seat unless you can locate them in a more convenient position. Not
only do I have the two extinguishers mounted in the cabin but also a
5K fire "bomb" mounted in the boot and plumbed into the engine bay
and cabin for good measure.
Make sure you have a metal mounting bracket,
NOT a plastic one or you fail scrutineering
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A certain Lamborghini has caught fire several times. I think that I know why...
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In car cameras.
There is a vast multiplicity of in car cameras available. Most use the GoPro which gives you a wideangle high-definition movie and the more sophisticated variants have remote controls. Another option
is to use your smartphone with an App
specifically designed for rally stages.
Either way you can review your blunders
in glorious colour and sound. You may
even get a guernsey on the party tape at the
end of the event. I do not recommend this
as it means you have had a spectacular
crash.
If you get really technical, you can get a
camera with GPS that will show speed, Gforces and location on a Google map. I have such a unit that cost the princely sum of $70 on E-Bay
from a nice man in China. After the event you can endlessly analyse your shortcomings....
Intercom
You will be amazed at how much racket develops in your car at
full tilt on a rally stage even on tarmac. Most cars have a free flow
exhaust and R series tyres howl noticeably. Combine all this stones
rattling underneath the car and the terrified shrieking of the
navigator and you have a recipe for disaster. An intercom is
relatively inexpensive and if you already have the setup in your
helmet then all you have to do ensure you plug in when you strap
in the car. Most have compensating volumes for background noise
and jack's for external output and even mobile phones. They are
very easy to set and forget.
Kill Switch & Electrics
Most people fit a battery isolation switch and imagine they now have a kill switch. This is not so. If
your engine is still running when you turn off the battery isolator, your alternator is still generating
enough current to keep everything running until the revs fall low enough to reduce the voltage and the
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ignition system cuts out. If you have a prang and your throttle is stuck
wide open, the engine will keep running until it explodes, adding to
your misery. Also there is a substantial fire hazard.
You will need a double pole isolator that both isolates the battery and
also cuts the power to your ignition system or engine management
system. You can test this by turning off the kill switch with the engine
running and it all stops instantly. You can also obtain impact switch
systems that will automatically cut the power when a high impact is
experienced. The kill switch must be within easy reach of the crew and
Double pole battery isolator
also a secondary pull tag to operate it must be mounted externally at
the base of the windscreen on the driver's side. This means that a Marshall can isolate the battery from
outside the car in case you are trapped inside with the engine running or worse still have petrol
leaking from a ruptured tank and the potential of short circuits causing a spark. This is the sort of
thing that can kill you so well worthwhile paying attention to.
Roll Cages & Unregistered vehicles
We have an interesting situation where if you prepare your car according to the regulations with a full
roll cage for the maximum paced competitive categories then you will not be able to legally register
the car in most states. Of course every state of Australia has different rules just to make life as
difficult as possible!
Registration – NSW
The NSW RMS has finally approved the Rally Vehicle Scheme rather imaginatively known as the
RVS. So instead of the rather dodgy practice of running under normal registration or the limited
registration known commonly as the "club plates" scheme where your rally car will probably not
comply if fitted with a roll cage, you can now obtain limited registration that means you will be
legally able to use the car providing you are using under the following conditions. This information is
largely garnered from the CAMS website. See http://www.cams.com.au/motorsport/vehicles/conditional-registration-schemes
The guts of the matter is:
"To be eligible for Conditional Registration, the owner must be a financial member of a motor sport
club affiliated with the Confederation of Australian Motor Sport, and hold a current CAMS
competition licence, for the entire time that the vehicle is registered with the RVS.
Vehicles which are registered under this scheme must be inspected annually by a RMS/CAMS
Scrutineer to determine compliance with the agreement. It is important to note that this scheme is for
dedicated rally vehicles only
To be eligible to apply the vehicle must be log booked as a 3C-PRC or 3C RCO (Rally Car Other)
and must show Schedule R compliance.
Conditionally Registered Rally Vehicles operating under the RVS may be operated on roads and road
related areas only under the following conditions:
• During competition and liaison/transport stages of a sanctioned Rally event.
• During testing of competition stages by Approved Organisation officials for a sanctioned
Rally event.
• During official training sessions for a sanctioned Rally event.
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•
•
•
•
During a sanctioned public display and/or promotional activity.
For course checking/establishment/survey of rally route during preparation of a Rally event
(except if the Rally Vehicle’s electronic stability control has been disabled or removed).
For servicing and maintenance of the Rally Vehicle and associated testing under normal road
rules and speed limits.
Driving to and from a sanctioned Rally event and accommodation/place of residence.
APPLICANTS RESPONSIBILITIES
• Comply with the RVS conditions as displayed on the Certificate of Approved Operations and
the Rally Vehicle Agreement at all times.
• Notify the Approved Organisation in writing of any change in the ownership or eligibility
matters relating to the Rally Vehicle, or eligibility matters relating to the Applicant.
• Comply with any reasonable direction given by the Responsible Person in regard to the
inspection, use, maintenance, repair or aesthetic presentation of the Rally Vehicle.
• Surrender the Number-plates to RMS within 14 days of cancellation of the Conditional
Registration, or notification from RMS, or sale or disposal of the Rally Vehicle.
• Maintain the Rally Vehicle in the condition current at the time of its Conditional Registration.
Whilst being driven on the roads or road related areas, the driver of a Rally Vehicle must:
• Ensure the vehicle is Conditionally Registered with RMS, and fitted with current and valid
Rally Vehicle conditional registration number plates and label,
• Hold and carry a current and valid Competition Licence,
• Hold and carry a current and valid class ‘C’ or higher Civil Driver Licence (not a learner
driver licence),
• Carry a current and valid Vehicle Logbook,
• Carry the Certificate of Approved Operations issued by RMS,
• Provide proof of compliance with the conditions of use if requested."
As you can see, the general arrangement is very close to the "club plates" scheme where you have to
carry a copy of your club's calendar etc. when on the road and cannot transfer the plates on sale.
What CAMS does not mention is that you can also apply if you are involved with bodies such as
AMSAG or AASA.
So all that is well and good, what does the process actually entail?
Actual Experience
The first step is to phone a CAMS approved inspector to make an appointment. In my case I rang
Stewart Wilkins of SW Motorsport http://www.swmotorsport.com.au/contact_us.php located at
Mulgrave. Stewart directed me to get a brake test before presenting the car. This can take place only
on a special machine that very accurately measures the effectiveness of the brakes on each axle.
The brake test was conducted by Ian at Kreative Enterprises Pty Ltd at U17/ 124 Ham St. Windsor
NSW 2756 (02) 4577 3633. He is a licenced vehicle compliance expert. The test rig is similar to a
wheel alignment platform. Ian informed me that it was very expensive contraption and there are only
a few of them around. It is nothing like the gadget used for a pink slip brake examination which is
easily fudged. In this instance the car is driven on the platform at about 5 km/hr and brakes applied at
normal pressure. The front wheels are tested first, then the rear wheels. Ian advised me that for a
standard road car the permitted discrepancy allowed between the balance of each wheel on the "axle"
can be up to 30%. For the RVS the permitted allowance is only 10%. Our car had just been fitted
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with new rotors and pads and initially failed the test. However a after a short bedding in of the pads
the results were excellent with 5% achieved on the front axle and 3% on the rear axle.
Rally cars fitted with hydraulic handbrakes are a special case. They have to undergo extra procedures
to get a result. Because our car still has the standard handbrake it was not a problem.
The car is weighed and photographed during the process. Our Skyline GTR is a bit portly, coming in
at 1645 kg with 947 kg on the front axle and 698 on the rear axle with no passengers. The weight per
wheel was measured in this process and showed an imbalance on the rear of 20 kg. This was not an
issue for the test but shows that we have to adjust the spring platforms slightly to equalise it. The
front wheels were within 1 kg. The photo is to prevent a duplicate car being used to bodge the
process.
Cost of the brake test was $100. Hint: Present for the test with bedded in pads as otherwise it will not
show a good result.
Inspection by CAMS Certifier
The next stage was to have the car inspected by Stewart. As the car was in good shape and he had
worked on it at the same time to cure an oil leak and some other issues, he was able to pronounce it
OK. There is quite a bit of paperwork to be completed. You can short circuit this by downloading it
from the CAMS website http://www.cams.com.au/motor-sport/vehicles/conditional-registrationschemes and pre filling the forms. The CAMS logbook has to be presented at this time to the
inspector.
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•
•
Cost of the initial inspection was $170.
Further Annual inspections are $120
Hint: Don't present a dirty car dripping oil. Have it in "ready to race" condition and fitted out.
CAMS submission
The docs required are:
• CAMS RVS Inspection form(with the applicable Plate Test attached).
• RMS Application for Conditional Registration
• RMS Rally Vehicle Declaration form
• Rally Vehicle Agreement
The CAMS office address is: Sports House, 6 Figtree Drive, Sydney Olympic Park, NSW 2127. Tel
(02) 8116 9866
Parking is very limited! I rang in advance, a process that I recommend as the building is secure and
you cannot just walk in. The young lady was helpful and prompt. The document check took about 10
minutes.
RMS Submission
Please note that applications for new registration as a Dedicated Rally Vehicle must be at the RMS
Richmond Registry, as this is the ONLY registry that plates are made available from. RMS
Richmond Motor Registry, Shop 5, rear 173 Windsor Rd, RICHMOND 2753
The completed documents that RMS require are:
•
•
•
•
RMS Application for Conditional Registration (with CAMS approval)
RMS Rally Vehicle Declaration form
Prescribed payment
Proof of ownership (purchase receipt)
Cost of the initial registration including TPP insurance and plate issue is $99
Annual fee thereafter is $47 (at the time of writing).
Summary of costs:
•
•
Initial inspection and plate issue
Subsequent annual inspection and rego
$369
$167
I fronted the Richmond RMS after visiting CAMS. This is a major
office and the queue took a while to get through. The lady who
processed my RVS was pleasant and helpful. As it was the first one she
had done, she had to consult her notes and do quite a bit of manual data
entry. However it was soon over and having parted with $99 soon had
my plates. They are issued in order of submission and “Arnold” was
only the seventh car issued with a plate as you can see.
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Registration – Tasmania
See http://www.transport.tas.gov.au/registration/conditional/non_compliant
Registration – other States
Contact CAMS http://www.cams.com.au/motor-sport/vehicles/conditional-registration-schemes
Roll Cage
If you are entering the competition components of the
event, you will be required to have a full roll cage. Not
only does it save your life but also stiffen the body
shell, a fringe benefit will be to improve the handling of
the car. The roll cage has to be of a CAMS approved
type.
You will be required to have padding with a stiff outer
casing that meets the current CAMS specification on all
parts that you are likely to hit your head on. Note there
are two grades available. Get the highest grade, it
doesn't cost much more than the basic stuff.
The hoop across the top of the windscreen will mean
that your sun visors will be rendered useless so always
have to hand a cap with a peak that you can put on when driving on normal Road when you get the
sun in your eyes. Polaroid sunglasses are a must have as it will eliminate the reflections inside the
screen on top of the dash etc.
If you do not have roll cage you may enter the TSD (Regularity) categories where your pace is limited
and the car is normally able to be registered. You will find these categories will still be more than
demanding enough to test your skills.
Suspension
You will get more value for money by improving your roadholding and brakes then you ever
will by making more power from your engine. If you can maximise your corner speed then your
top speed is not so important.
A lowered car will cause endless misery on the fast and undulating roads of the Targa Tasmania. I
recommend standard ride height with at least a 50% increase in your spring rate, subject to the weight
of your car. If you hit a dip at 200 km/hr with soft or lowered suspension you will run the risk of
rupturing your sump or tearing off the exhaust system. You can also do the same thing simply by
dropping a couple of wheels off the bitumen if there is a big difference in the level of the verge to the
tarmac.
Any shock that has done 10,000 kms or more is not going to be in the best condition so replace or
rebuild. Your life is going to depend on the state of your roadholding. I cannot recommend MCA
units too highly enough as they are vastly superior to most other makes.
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Tyres
Almost every car uses R series semi
slick tyres in the competition categories.
Personally I have found no one brand is
greatly superior to another as frankly I
am not sufficiently skilled to be able to
pick the difference. However, you can
get medium or soft compounds in most
makes. A medium set should get you
through the event but soft may not last
and are more useful in wet conditions.
The weight and power of your car will
largely dictate this choice. A small light
car could use a set of soft tyres for the
duration of the event whereas a large
heavy powerful car could chop out a set
R-series tyres are sensitive to the direction of rotation.
of medium tyres without you
conserving them, especially on the last days of the event when it is usually wet. You can only have a
maximum of 6 tyres during any event.
You will wear out a full set of R Series tyres on a powerful car in Targa Tasmania so don't start on a
set of used ones. They will be totally worn out on the last day when you need them most in the wet
stages.
Did you know that you can check the date of manufacture of your tyres? It
is marked on the sidewall. Old tyres can be lethal, especially in the wet.
This tyre was made in 2011 and for your purposes is past it's use by date.
Many tyres are required to be mounted for the correct rotation. This is also
marked on the sidewall. I have experienced this when an inexperienced
tyre fitter fitted the tyre the wrong way around. Fortunately I noticed it before I left the workshop. If
you had this problem in the wet you could have a grip imbalance that could be diabolical.
Make sure that your valves are fitted with metal
caps, not the standard plastic variety.
Tyre pressure monitoring
You may consider using a tyre pressure monitoring
system. There are endless variants for sale on
EBay. These gadgets transmit a signal to a screen
inside your car. It shows the current tyre pressure
and temperature. It will also sound an audible
warning if your tyre is deflating. If you pick up a
nail on a long straight section of road, you may not
realise you have a partially deflated tyre until you
turn in. If you are flat out this may be fatal.
If you are entering the TSD or time speed and distance category, you are restricted to a maximum of
130 km/h so you may not feel the necessity to buy R series tyres but whatever you do, use the best
possible set that you can afford with the best wet weather grip. Once again use new tyres. I strongly
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recommend that you put in some track time to find out what are the best pressures to use and get used
to handling your car at speed.
You can get automatic tyre pressure limiting valves so that any excess pressure blows off at a preset
level. However some events do not permit these, so check the regulations carefully.
You may not realise that all tyres are heat cycle sensitive. I highly recommend that you consult your
expert race tyre supplier as to what to do to break in your new tyres.
Lights
You will not need fancy lights on a tarmac rally as they all take place in the day light at present.
However, you will need to have all normal lights in good working order and you will be required to
run at least low beam on all closed stages. For those with retractable headlamps you may use fog
lights instead.
Lock your nuts!
Ensure that any important nuts are secured by spring washers at least or use Nyloc nuts. Your drain
plugs will have to be wired securely.
Never, ever, leave wheel nuts untightened, thinking that you will do that later. If you lose a wheel on
a corner then there is a strong probability that the offending corner will dig in and you will roll over.
At the very least you will damage your brakes, possibly damage other important low hanging bits (we
know how painful that can be) and completely erode all confidence in your car preparation skills.
Mobile phones
Bulletins and starting times will be sent to you by SMS from the organisers so a mobile phone is
essential. You must mount it securely or put it in a lockable compartment. Fumbling in your driving
suit while driving is not an option. Do not answer it unless you are stopped. It will never be that
essential.
Seats
You will need to have a seat that meets the rules. In the full
competition classes this will usually be to an FIA standard with a
fixed backrest. You may be surprised at how light these are and
can be a significant improvement in both comfort and weight
saving. However don't too excited about weight saving as the
organisers are now issuing minimum weight standards for cars and
weighing cars mid-event so as to avoid lightweight specials being
built and to keep costs down for the average entrant.
RallySafe, Overtaking & Tripmeters
A great innovation the past year has been the use of "RallySafe". This is a combination of transmitter
and receiver for satellite information and messages. Go to www.RallySafe.com.au for the full
explanation of how it works. Suffice to say that it both times the vehicle, the stage, gives distance,
warns you of overtaking vehicles and vice versa and sends a message to rally HQ if you crash. In that
unpleasant event you can send an SOS or an OK signal to succeeding cars. Note that on Targa events
20
the overtaking car has absolute right-of-way and
you must allow them past or even pull over if
necessary.
While the RallySafe shows distance travelled
you have no control over it whatsoever so a trip
meter still necessary for you to ensure that you
have traversed the correct route, particularly on
transport stages. Once upon a time we would
always used HALDA instruments which were
completely mechanical and very expensive.
Today, the best thing to use is a satellite unit combined with a wheel probe that can be calibrated to
100% accuracy.
Spare Parts & Tools
A roll of wire and race tape will be your best investment. Light wire comes in so useful for securing
all sorts of loose bits, even doubling as a split pin or brake pad locking device if necessary. Race tape
in body colour will hide a multitude of sins and cover up those little indiscretions you may have with
the scenery.
A tool roll is best rather than a toolbox as you can locate it in a more secure fashion or wedge it into a
small crevice. Whatever you do, make sure that will not come loose in the boot and destroy fuel lines,
or wiring or anything else that is fragile.
Any heavy items must be securely bolted down. Many years ago I was once in a long distance event
where the crew was killed when they had a rollover and were carrying a spare differential in the cabin
that came loose.
Towing Eyes
If you have the misfortune to go off the road or
breakdown and require a tow, you don't want to
compound the problem by having a dodgy towing
eye break loose. You can buy towing straps or
metal brackets. I prefer the steel variants as the
breaking strain is very high. Make sure that it is
bolted securely to the chassis by a couple of decent
high tensile bolts with decent backing plates under
the heads.
Ventilation
Targa Tasmania takes place at a time of the year when the weather is cool. You may experience
temperatures ranging from zero to 20 degrees, all within the same event as it lasts for 6 days. You can
usually expect drier conditions on the east coast and wet on the west coast. It has been known to snow
during the event! Other events usually take place in mountainous environments so large weather
variations can be expected.
Misting up inside the car can be very dangerous so you will need good ventilation. Personally I do
not remove air conditioning as the small weight penalty is not worth the problem caused by misting
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up in wet weather. Use Rain-X to minimise the misting effect and it is very good if your wipers pack
it in.
Just make sure that you minimise the use of the air conditioning compressor where possible or you
will fry the unit with so many rev changes on a stage.
Wheel Changing
Practice doing a wheel change with the equipment
you are carrying in the car. I recently discovered that
the jack handle I was carrying in my car looked the
same but was not the original one for the jack I had in
the car and it simply did not fit when I attempted to
use it. I had blithely completed an entire Targa
Tasmania with it in the boot, carefully clipped in
place. Fortunately we did not have a flat but imagine
the consequences if we had....
When you do your practice, make sure it is in the dirt,
is raining cats & dogs and on a slope because that is invariably where you will have the problem out
in the boonies, so make sure you have wheel wedges to stopp the car rolling off the jack and that the
base of the jack is on a plate or similar so as to not sink into the mud. OH&S rules do not come into
play when you want them.
Weight
In the latest Supplementary Regulations the organisers are showing a great deal of enthusiasm to
ensure that vehicles are of a minimum weight specification very close to manufacturer's
specifications. In the past, some competitors have gone to great lengths to build lightweight specials
in order to enhance the performance. This has resulted in an unfair performance advantage to those
with the means to do so. It is clear that this rule will be enforced in future. This means that your car
may be weighed at any time during the event by event officials with portable weighing devices. If
you are buying a rally prepared car, it would be wise to ensure that you have it weighed before you
present it for scrutineering. If the car is underweight, don't get fazed by this as you may then ballast it
accordingly to your best advantage with the best weight distribution for handling.
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Engine Mods
Catch Tank
Your engine will create a lot of oily fumes mixed with
condensation and fuel. You do not want this fed back
into your air intake (in my opinion). A two litre
reservoir with a drain tap is a great idea and required
under the rules. You can inspect its contents by draining
it into a glass jar and allowing the contents to settle out.
Oil will float to the top, water will show as clear
underneath.
Make sure that the vents are not blocked. if you
pressurise your crankcase you will blow out your oil
seals or start blowing a lot of smoke when oil goes into place where it is not meant to go
Fuel
Never underestimate the effect of dodgy fuel or inadequate octane ratings that will result in
detonation. I always use 98 octane but of course is dictated by your car and it's setup. You can also
consider tuning for 95 octane but using 98 as you may not always be able to get 98 in country towns.
Carry some octane booster, enough for a full tank just in case of pinging or detonation. Prolonged
detonation under full throttle will burn nice big holes in the pistons or blow a head gasket. Detonation
equals big problems. If you need fuel stops during the event contact Jason Dann at
http://fuelfuel.com.au/
Fuel Pumps
A mechanical fuel pump works well but if you split a diaphragm it can mix fuel with your oil,
resulting in uneven idling, variable oil pressure and even ruin your engine bearings as the oil is
thinned out by the contamination of by fuel.
Electrical fuel pumps come in two varieties, pushers and pullers. If you get them mixed up you can
get poor hot starting, fuel starvation and detonation that can result in a holed piston /blown head
gasket. All equals misery.
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Oil Surge
Standard sump vs baffled. The spanners are there to show the gaps under the one way trapdoors in this instance.
Note this sump has been extended to give a larger capacity as well.
Many engines have been ruined by oil surge. This occurs when the oil in the sump is forced away
from the oil pickup for any reason and the pump fails to deliver an adequate supply of oil to the
bearings. This can happen while cornering, braking or acceleration and is exacerbated by using high
grip R series tyres generating high G forces. The easiest but probably least effective thing to do is to
overfill the sump by a litre. Far better to have a properly baffled sump that traps the oil and keeps an
adequate amount near the pickup at all times. Talk to someone who has raced your type of car and
find out what they did. Fit a LARGE low oil pressure light if in the remotest doubt.
If your car leaks oil on the road during a tarmac rally you could spin in your own oil or be responsible
for a crash or injury to another competitor.
If you take only one thing from this guide in car
preparation, make sure that a baffled sump is it!
Sump Guards
Even a basic skid plate under your sump will save you a
lot of grief. I would not run a vehicle in a tarmac rally
without one. I currently use an 8 mm alloy unit that was
custom made for my Skyline GTR as it has an extended
sump that projects too low for comfort. By the number of
scrapes on this it has been an excellent investment.
Best to have the scratches and dents on the
sump guard instead of your sump!
Torque Counts
A high revving peaky engine may sound great but will not provide you with the grunt you need to exit
corners efficiently or climb hills. If you going to rebuild your engine, check the projected torque
curve of your engine. You need as much torque as you can get in a nice even spread.
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Other Stuff you need to know
Accommodation
The organisers will put you on to an accommodation agent so that you can have a one-stop shop
alternatively you can arrange it for yourself. The start venue at Launceston is the Silverdome and the
organisers usually provide a shuttle to a limited number of locations within Launceston.
Accommodation in Tasmania is plentiful and cheap by comparison to other capital cities. As the event
is presently structured you will spend two nights Strahan on the west coast. Once again the organisers
usually provide a limited shuttle service around the town.
Accommodation for Targa High country really has to be at Mt Buller. The event starts and finishes
there every day. There are loads of places to stay, a pub, supermarket and the briefing hall.
Scrutineering and rally HQ is there. There is NO fuel on the mountain but you can get this at
Mansfield at the bottom of the mountain as you pass through on almost every stage.
Breakdowns & Breakdown Towing
In the heat of the moment you will be very glad to see the organisers retrieval crew. However make
absolutely sure before your car disappears, that you have retrieved your mobile phone and any other
goodies that you need and most importantly where your car is being taken to. This is particularly
important in isolated areas such as the west coast of Tasmania. When we had a small problem in 2014
near Burnie, our car was taken by the towing contractor to Strahan instead of to Burnie where the
lunchbreak was and we also had a workshop lined up to fix the problem. This was despite issuing
specific instructions to the driver twice. In the regulations we are advised that we can specify another
location at our cost of $2.90 per kilometre. This driver chose to ignore our request in this instance so I
suggest that you make 100% sure of where the car is being taken.
You as the crew will be collected from the side of the road by a bus provided by the organisers for just
such a purpose, but they will be obliged to pick up others on the way so it is hardly an express service
just for you. If you have a service crew they will be able to collect you only after the road has been
declared open. That may be some time. If you do not have your mobile phone with you like me on
that day, you will be stuffed as you can't contact anyone including the organisers, the tow truck or
your own crew.
Costs & the Ferry
Prepare yourself for the startling fact that
speed costs! If you're running in the
competition category will be looking down
the barrel of $10-$15,000 to run a basic
entry in the Targa Tasmania. Lesser grades
in competition will cost you less money.
Apart from your entry fee you will have to
allow for rather a lot of fuel, tyres,
accommodation, food and other
consumables. This is providing all goes well
and you do not have any repair bills during
Yay! Ready to go. Make sure your car is secured for that long
trip and you have allowed for the cost on the ferry.
25
the event. Other costs will include the ferry and perhaps your service crew. Note that the cost of
taking a car on a trailer on the ferry will add about $1000 to your costs as opposed to driving on and
off in your rally car. The disadvantage of course is that if you disable your car on the event is going to
cause you a great deal of pain and cost to get your car back so weigh up the situation carefully.
Other targa events that take place in Victoria for two or three days will be dramatically cheaper.
CRO
The CRO or Competitor Relations Officer is your best friend and link to the organisers on your
behalf. They are very experienced personnel who have all the contacts to resolve most problems such
as timing issues, local contacts for repairs, locating other competitors who have dropped out and
similar issues. Once again just remember they are volunteers and doing this for love, not to get
abused.
Early Entry advantages
Simply put, you can save over a thousand dollars by entering and paying in full about six months in
advance of the event. Alternatively you can put in an early bird entry by depositing $500 and paying
the rest in a certain time frame. The event regulations will make this perfectly clear.
Finishing
To win you must first finish....
It is essential to finish the event and get a
finishing award to qualify for points in the
championship. You can miss an entire day,
even have the car fail on the way to the finish
line but so long as the crew passes over the line
you will be declared a finisher.
Finisher's medal presentation. Pic by Perfect Prints
Insurance
This is pretty simple - you haven't got any on the competitive stages! Companies such as Shannons
will cover you for the transport stages, usually. However, I recommend strongly that you consult with
your insurer as to what you are actually covered for or more importantly NOT covered for. Get
anything you have agreed with your insurer in writing. Make notes of any discussion that you have,
get the name of the consultant and make sure that you have the date and time of the discussion.
Late time limit
For each category there will be a late time limit. This can vary between 20 min and 60 min. Later
model cars have less time than classic cars that may need more attention between stages. If you
exceed the late time for your car, even though you may book into a control that appears to be open, it
may be deemed closed as you have taken far too long to get there. This sounds more alarming than it
really is. In practice it will really only come into play if you are excessively delayed en route due to a
major mechanical problem or similar.
26
If you have a problem on stage but then get the car running again after the field has gone through you
may rejoin the event. Due to the convoluted nature of the course you may often be able to cut out a
loop and run to a point where you fit into the event schedule. Of course you will incur an maximum
points lost for that particular stage or stages that you have missed. It is not a complete showstopper if
you have to do this. It will have the unfortunate effect of you missing your Targa plate but at least you
will have the opportunity of being classed as a finisher in the event and contributing towards points in
the championship if that is your goal.
Lunch Breaks
The event schedule will allow for lunch
break roughly around the middle of the day.
More often this is a convenient location
rather than to suit your dietary requirements.
On some days you may do as many as six
sections before you dine whereas other times
you may only do two sections before lunch.
Depending on the dramas of the day the
organisers may take the opportunity to
abbreviate the lunchbreak. This will happen
more often than not so you may have to bolt your lunch (provided by the organisers) and jump back in
the car and hurtle off to the next competitive section before the Road closure time expires. This is
usually the time when you will have to refuel as well and there is no special time allowance for that
purpose.
Media
When dealing with the media, just be aware that they are looking for anything that can be
sensationalised so if you want to see these events continue then you must keep this in mind. Always
keep to mind the positive aspects that the event is bringing to an area. This may be the amount of
money that is being spent by competitors on services, accommodation, employment by the organisers,
publicity being brought to the region by travelling media and TV, in fact anything you can think of to
put a positive light on the event.
Southern Cross TV is a great supporter of the event. You may order movie footage of your car
enroute by a subcontractor who will also load it onto YouTube for $300 at the time of writing.
Perfect Prints of Hobart are the official event photographers. They have a series of guys out on the
event and they take first class photos of you if you order them in advance. After the event you can get
the pics featuring you and your car in a generic format with only photos of your car in the mag. Great
for big noting yourself to your friends & family and great for your sponsors.
27
Officials
Be nice! They are almost all volunteers are doing all of it for love and largely at their own cost. They
are also judges of fact and that means their word is law when decisions are being made by organisers
on transgressions of rules. Without any officials there will be no event!
Police
In Tasmania the event is supported by the government and they provide a police officer at the
beginning and the end of each piece of closed road to ensure the safety of the general public and
yourself. They are always friendly if you are doing the right thing but are inclined to get a bit testy if
they are having to deal with idiots. Once again be nice.
Expect speed traps on transport stages
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They get particularly annoyed if you are speeding or overtaking in a dangerous manner or generally
upsetting the general public. Radar traps are common on the transport stages. They will also report
any transgressions to the organisers and not only will you be fined by the civil authorities but the
organisers will also fine you and impose time penalties as well. Best to be good boys and girls
particularly on transport stages. It is not very intelligent to publicly urinate in front of a police officer
even if you are busting at the start of stage as they will take a very dim view of this too.
At the beginning of the event in the crew briefing you will usually be addressed by a senior officer
who will inform you that the event takes place only on the express permission of police. You have
been warned.
Public
The vast majority of the public
is extremely supportive of
events such as the Targa
Tasmania. They will come in
droves to see the cars and
(hopefully your car) being
driven skilfully on the
competitive stages and safely on
transport stages. Thousands may
turn up at street stages such as
Georgetown and Longford to
cheer you on, or laugh as the
case may be.
On Targa High Country, the
centre of Mansfield is closed down and the event Prologue takes place in front of thousands of locals.
On Targa Tasmania usually there will be an event called "Targafest" during the first night of the
event. This is a car show where you and your car are the stars and can meet the general public. For
Targa High Country, it takes place in the centre of Mansfield immediately after the street stage. You
can talk to people, hand out publicity material, your own flyers, sign autographs and generally have a
good time big noting yourself to the gullible. Enjoy!
Unfortunately there is a small but vocal percentage of detractors who could not care less about
motorsport and would like to see the event disappear without trace. Occasionally they have been
known to even sabotage an event by fair means or foul so you must be on your guard when dealing
with the public at all times. If you have the remotest suspicion that a potential unpleasant situation
may arise, I recommend you contact the organisers immediately.
Refuelling
Most vehicles will be able to get through to a fuel stop at midday and then at the finish at the end of
the day, providing they start with a full tank. If you have a particularly thirsty car like I do then you
may have to do either have a service crew standing by with fuel or alternatively use an external fuel
supplier such as Jason Dann who will be located at strategic points en route. However you will have
to arrange this, prior to starting in the event. You will be given this information in the organiser’s
29
information kit. During Targa High Country you can obtain fuel at Mansfield at the base of the
mountains.
In Tasmania there is only a small number of fuel stations that action carry 98 octane fuel. BP stations
all do so far as I am aware the other stations may have to be sussed out during your recce. Anything
other than pump petrol will have to be arranged by yourself.
Scrutineering
On Targa Tasmania, scrutineering normally takes place at the Silverdome in Launceston. This is a
warehouse size velodrome with a polished wooden floor and the cycle track running around the
perimeter. This has toilets and a canteen. There is normally a motorsports trade vendor lurking there
for the last-minute purchases for the forgetful or the rejected.
On Targa High Country, scrutineering may take place in an open car park. There may be an awning if
the weather is inclement.
The process can be a bit erratic and rather depends on the latest hot list of items that the scrutineers
are looking for. Almost inevitably they will peruse your driving suit helmet, balaclava, gloves and
underwear for the right labels that meet the latest standard which rather annoyingly often change even
when the essential substance of your item is still the same. Essentially you have to meet the standard
or you will fail scrutiny. This is where your friendly motorsport vendor comes into play at the last
minute....
These officials have a very limited amount of time to check many vehicles so you cannot depend on
them to do anything other than a basic safety check. It is your responsibility to ensure that your
vehicle is in top condition and meets the requirements of the regulations.
Scrutineers will often prowl around cars during the event to ensure that no naughty things happen
such as substitution of tyres. Your tyres will be marked at scrutineering with a unique mark as you are
not permitted to use more than six tyres during the event. Given the option, some competitors would
fit new tyres every day!
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Tip! Scrutineers like clean cars that look well cared for. If you present with a grott box, expect to be
given a hard time.
Servicing
Once you have passed scrutineering your car will be placed in Parc Ferme for the night. This means
that you are no longer able to work on your car before the start of the event unless you have written
permission of the scrutineers. If that is the case you would have to remove the car from Parc Ferme,
resolve your problem and then return the vehicle to Parc Ferme. This procedure is explained in the
regulations.
Generally speaking, everyone wants to see you continue in the rally despite any mechanical problems
that you may be experiencing. So the attitude of the organisers is pretty liberal providing you let them
know what you are up to.
Service crews may be as simple as a mate who is following you around in another car with his toolbox
or alternatively it can be a fleet of vehicles with many helpers and mechanics, subject to your budget.
In every event there will be remarkable stories of how a service crew in the vehicle back in the event
after misdemeanour of some kind. In order to gain access to Parc Ferme, all service crew members
must be registered and carry identification. Also they will be provided with instructions as to where
your vehicle may be accessed or refuelled en route. They will also be covered by the event insurance.
If your service crew has access to the Internet they will be able to track you live using the RallySafe
website. This is incredibly helpful and will enable you get back into the event sooner than in the past
where information was a bit sketchy is to your car's whereabouts.
Stickers
You would think that putting stickers on the car is a simple process. I
have seen some dreadful attempts at mounting number stickers with the
whole thing on a slant and full of air bubbles. This looks shocking. Take
a small spray container of soapy water, spray it on the location for your
sticker and then strip the backing off your number, use two people to do
this if outside in the wind, then offer it up to your door panel. Use the
bottom edge of the door as a reference point to make sure it is level and
lay it gently on. As the soapy water prevents it from sticking instantly,
you can reposition it until it is located to your satisfaction. When you have
it right, get out your credit card and use it as a squeegee to ease out any air
bubbles by working from the centre of the sticker to the outside.
Sickness and injury
If you have any doubts whatsoever about your health, consult with your doctor.
Organisers will usually provide a list of service providers in the areas you will be passing through.
Organisers are also obliged to provide emergency healthcare services such as paramedics in the first
intervention vehicles that accompany the event and can be seen usually at the start of a special stage.
All vehicles are required to carry a basic first aid kit. I suggest you take the trouble to learn basic first
aid skills.
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Sponsors
You will be incredibly lucky to get a sponsor to help with your costs. If you do get one, make sure
you look after them, not just slapping a sticker
on your car. Keeping in mind anything on the
internet lasts longer than cockroaches, I make
small videos and give my sponsors (such as
Juice Plus) coverage there and credit them
wherever reasonably possible. My own
business, Blue Mountains Getaways is always
credited wherever possible as I use the vehicle
as a legitimate advertising medium. By doing
this, my business and Juice Plus has been exposed to thousands of people that may otherwise have
never heard of us.
Always refer to a website if they have one. e.g. www.juiceplus.com.au
Towing
If you have never towed your rally car before, there are a few lessons to be learnt.
An unbalanced load is the worst possible thing you can have. You need to have the centre of gravity
of your car slightly in front of the centreline of your trailer so that you have a small weight bias
towards the front – say around 80kgs. If you have a rear weight bias it may tow OK up to a certain
speed but will then start to sway as the speed increases. This can result in a complete loss of control
as the sway develops very rapidly and next thing you know you are heading for the mulga sideways at
a rapid rate of knots. If you are on a loose surface it can happen very quickly. If a sway develops, all
you can do is slow down by using engine braking until the sway reduces. Stop at once, change your
underpants and move the car forward a few inches. DO NOT speed up to drive through the sway!
Determine the “sweet spot” for your load and bolt a couple of blocks permanently on the trailer so
that the car rolls up against them when you load every time.
When you load the car, pull on the handbrake and leave the car out of gear. If you leave the car in
gear you face the danger of the gears chattering away during your trip as the car moves slightly back
and forth. This will ruin your gearbox.
Secure the car using the towing eyes provided by the manufacturer or if they are not convenient, use
the axles or wishbones to the most solid spot you can find on the trailer frame. Ensure that the tie
downs are as close to horizontal as possible to ensure the least movement.
Personally I prefer chains secured with “D” shackles and steel turnbuckles. Others use load straps
designed for the purpose. Whatever you use make sure the load rating is adequate for the job unless
you enjoy the idea of your rally car climbing in your rear window during an emergency stop.
Ramps need to be relatively long. I have steel ramps that are 1.8 metres long and even then I have to
use a couple of pieces of 50 mm thick wood on the ground before the front wheels hit the edge
otherwise the front splitter will be damaged by the angle of attack.
Carry a bit of rubber matting to kneel on while securing your car. It always rains if you don’t and you
will be grovelling in the mud as your car drips crap all over you at the same time.
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Don’t forget that cars all have different towing capacities. I use a Falcon instead of a Commodore
because it’s rated towing capacity is 200kg higher.
Your To Do List before the Event
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.
11.
12.
13.
14.
15.
16.
Find out what is causing the oil leak and fix it (I know you’ve got one!)
Replace the brake pads
Source spare set of front pads
Change oil & filter
Get some new tyres
Order Rallysafe
Organise Unregistered Vehicle Permit if your car is not registered
Check trailer tyres & spare
Select spare wheel(s)
Check lights
Fill windscreen washer tank
Check under bonnet for anything loose
Make sure lock rings on shocks are secure
Check labels on clothing comply with current regulations
Check the expiry date of your fire extinguisher complies
Register service crew with organisers
Packing list
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Helmet & HANS
Gloves
Balaclava
Suit
Boots
Fireproof underwear
Socks
Cams Licence
Log book
Drivers licence
Insurance details
UVP or permit
Camera & remote
Spare front pads
Engine oil
Coolant (Evans is excellent)
Brake Fluid
Spare ignition & boot key
20 litres spare fuel
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Sunglasses
Peaked cap
Windscreen cleaner
Tyre gauge
Jack in car
Toolbox in car
Safety triangles
Emergency flat tyre pressure pack
Race Tape
Wire
Kitty Litter 1 kg
Service crew jack
Service crew tools
Ground cover
Umbrella
Emergency lights
Tyre pump
Tow rope
Cleaning rags
Axle stands
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Keep a scrapbook
When you are ancient and drooling in your rocking chair you can show everyone how clever you once
were in those old days when we actually had full control of a car and could drive as fast as you
wanted to on a closed road. “The older I get, the faster I wuz!”
A strange concept but that's how it used to be done, once upon a time....
Website
Register your interest on the website at www.Targa.com.au and get regular bulletins from the
organisers on what is happening. You can also find a lot of information on Facebook. See
https://www.facebook.com/targanews
Many people upload useful information and in car video of stages on YouTube. Check out my stuff at
https://www.facebook.com/targa.jaguar
Useful reading
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•
•
•
•
•
Drive to Win, by Carroll Smith
Tune to Win, by Carroll Smith
Engineer to Win, by Carroll Smith
Nut, Bolts & Fasteners, by Carroll Smith
How to Make Your Car Handle, by Fred Puhn
Chassis Engineering, by Herb Adams
Disclaimer
This beginner's guide is written by me as a rallyist of over 40 years experience of stuff ups, mistakes,
moments of high drama and elation. It is a personal set of notes and can easily be criticised or put
into better order. I have tried to point out the pitfalls that you may experience as a new entrant into
this, the most exciting form of motorsport. Please dip into it and use whatever you see fit but
ultimately the preparation of car and crew is the responsibility of the entrant.
It is not the intention of this guide to give you a complete rewrite of the regulations for the event. You
will need to consult the regulations of the individual event to see what is on offer and obtain the entry
fee. Go to www.Targa.com.au for the details and a massive amount of information.
Text Copyright 2015, Geoffrey Bott.
Photos cheerfully stolen from the Internet, taken by me or supplied by Perfect Prints of Hobart.
VALE – Tim Jones. Sadly missed
Email: [email protected]
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