New Targa pace-setters emerge

Subaru pair Cameron Ross and co-driver Matthew Buer have emerged as the early event leaders after not one but two of their more fancied runners struck trouble on the first day of competition in the new Hamilton-based two-day Targa Bambina tarmac motor rally today.

Multi-time former Targa Rotorua event winner Leigh Hopper and his co-driver Michael Goudie (Subaru WRX Impreza) made the strongest possible start, winning the opening special stage by 7 seconds from the exotic 2WD Porsche 991 GT3 RS of former Targa NZ winner Martin Dippie and his co-driver Jona Grant, then the second (closed road special stage) by almost 21 seconds over fellow Subaru 4WD pair Ross and Buer.

***In third place is Mitsubishi duo David Rogers and co-driver Shane Reynolds***

Overshooting a junction in the third stage then needing help to get his car back on the road, ended up costing Hopper almost a minute (as well as the overall lead to Ross and Buer) from that point of the event on.

And though Hopper appeared back to his swashbuckling best through the fourth special stage (winning it by 6.1 seconds from Ross and Buer) his run ended at Mercer where he stopped on his way to the fifth (and as it turned out final) special stage – won in his absence by Cameron Ross from fellow Subaru ace Rory Callaway and co-driver Samantha Gray from Christchurch and Aucklander Dave Rogers and his co-driver Shane Reynolds (Mitsubishi Evo 10 4WD).

***First of the older Classic 2WD cars home today was the BMW E30 ‘355i’ of Nigel and Meighan Patterson in 10th overall***

Luck, meanwhile, deserted pre-event favourite Jason Gill and co-driver Nicole Summerfield, Gill’s exotic 4WD VW Polo stopping halfway through the second special stage and taking no further part in the day’s proceedings.

Targa Bambina continues tomorrow with another six closed road special stages in the south and east of the Waikato.