Two hat tricks, Major finishes on top and Holden wins classic battle 

Patchy rain and a storm forecast didn’t deter hundreds of motorsport fans who flocked to Malaga and also the City, lining Victoria Avenue and Riverside Drive to cheer on Quit Targa West competitors as they crossed the finish line on the last stage of Perth’s premier tarmac rally.
 
Day 4 started in Malaga with an exciting 9-kilometre street stage run three times, with crowds entertained by the smoking sideways action of Australian Drift Grand Prix cars in between stages.
 
From Malaga, competitors tackled the final three stages, the 2.15 kilometre Targa City Sprint Stage which challenged competitors with its superkhana-style design that commanded precision driving before demonstrating the full extent of their power along the long straight of Riverside Drive.
 
Peter Major in Modern Competition category and Sharon Gunson in Modern Challenge category were both on a hat trick this year, going for their third consecutive win. The battle everyone was watching was in the Classic Competition between Ford and Holden respective drivers, Simon Gunson a two-time Targa West winner and Mick Bray.
 
Competitors are divided into Competition and Challenge categories with classes for Modern and Classic cars in each. The Challenge category is for showroom style or non-roll caged vehicles. Vehicles manufactured earlier than 1985 are classed as Classic and the Modern class for vehicles manufacture from 1986 onwards. There’s also an award for the Quit Targa West Rallye Rookie (first timer).
 
 
Competition Modern
 
Driving most of Quit Targa West without ABS in his 2004 Porsche 996, braking was extremely tricky particularly in wet conditions for Peter Major. Undeterred, he and co-driver Ben Searcy finished fastest, taking the top step on the podium.
 
Coming into the event on a hat trick, Major said he was thrilled with a win, this one his fifth at Targa West.
 
Leading by 29 seconds at the start of the final day, Quit Targa West was Major’s to lose.
 
“I’m really happy and I’m stoked to be going out on a high,” said Major, referring to his earlier announcement that this would be his last Targa West as he shifts his focus to his young family, business and other motorsport pursuits.
 
“It feels awesome, there’s been lots of emotion with this rally – lots of changing conditions and we’ve had issues with no ABS, aquaplaning on the wet stages and a few other niggling things we’ve had to nurse most of the rally – so it’s good to finish,” the 32-year-old father of two said.
 
Major joked and said that if no one buys his winning 2004 Porsche 996 he could be back next year and ‘do a John Farnham and keep coming back’.
 
Major / Searcy held off Peter Rullo and James Marquet all rally, finishing 24 seconds faster.
 
Rullo / Marquet in their 2012 Nissan GTR pushed hard all rally trying to catch Major after losing time on Friday’s opening stage. They managed to claw back more than half of the deficit but it wasn’t enough to take the top step, thus finished second.
 
“We were on the limit that’s for sure. This morning, every road was different with the wet weather, patches of sun drying the roads, some roads had more grip than others, but the car has been performing well, hasn’t missed a beat,” Rullo said.
 
Rullo said he was happy to have completed every stage of Quit Targa West after being plagued with mechanic issues every year since 2011.
 
“I’m happy we finished and I’d like to thank the crew for making the car reliable – we’ve been chasing this for a while now and although we came here to win, second is a pretty good result, in fact my best result to date,” said Rullo, who finished third at Targa West in 2010.
 
Finishing third and also taking the Targa Cup win was Will White and Matt Thompson in their 2006 Mitsubishi Lancer Evo 9, supported by Store Local.
 
“I’m ecstatic! The car has held together well, the service crew has done a great job and my navigator has done a good job,” a jovial White said.
 
“Yesterday, the car was smoking like chimney – we changed the oil using a different brand and it stopped.  Everything has just come together well, so I’m very happy.
 
“After winning Targa South West and a few Targa Rally Sprints events, taking the Targa Cup title here is just brilliant.”
 
The Targa Cup is awarded to the top placed rally driver who has competed in the new tarmac series that includes in its portfolio of events Targa Sprints and Targa South West.
 
Motorsport legend Jim Richards and his co-driver Barry Oliver had a great time at Targa West, finishing in ninth place.
 
“We enjoy Targa West and come here for Shannons. I like the shorter stages and the fact they are run multiple times – you improve with each run. It’s a well organised event, the locals are friendly and Barry and I always have a good time here,” the seven-time Bathurst winner and four-time Australian Touring Car Champion said.

 
 
Targa Tour
 
New this year was the Targa Tour, a spirited drive behind a lead car along the same stages the competitors race, albeit not timed. All that’s required to participate is a road car and a helmet. It’s designed to give those interested in tarmac rallying a taste of the sport.
 
Targa Tour leader and rally champion Dean Herridge said the group had a good time.
 
“Rally is a specialised sport and the Targa Tour is great entry level way for people to learn about rallying. There’s no pressure, you don’t need a heap of gear and it’s good value,” Herridge said.
 
“The spirit and camaraderie in the rally community is something special and it’s what keeps so many of us in the sport for so long – it was wonderful to share that with those in the Targa Tour.
 
“My wife Natalie was my co-driver on the tour and that was her first experience in the hot seat - we had a ball. It’s always nice to spend time with my wife,” Herridge said with a smile.
 
 
About Quit Targa West 
 
The 13^th Quit Targa West has attracted 64 rally teams in a mix of performance, classic and exotic vehicles.
 
Competitors raced the clock on 34 stages over 242 kilometres in Malaga, Wanneroo, Whiteman Park, Kalamunda, Toodyay, Chittering and Bullsbrook before the finale on Sunday 13^th August at the City of Perth Super Stage and Shannons Classics car display adjacent to Langley Park on the Terrace Road car park.
 
Spectating was free and all 34 stages feature a number of locations where the public can witness prime motorsport action.
 
For more information visit www.targawest.com.au and www.facebook.com/targawest.