Pukekohe’s Glenn Inkster is aiming for the top five when he takes on the week-long Targa Rally starting 25 October.
Inkster will use the former open-class TransNet Mitsubishi Lancer Evo 6.5 for the event, which starts from Manukau on Monday before working its way through New Plymouth and Palmerston North before finishing in Wellington, on Saturday 30 October.
Although Team TransNet Extreme used a new Group N Evo 9 for their national championship campaign, the car has been used at the recent Ashley Forest Rallysprint where Inkster took victory and the third fastest time in the history of the event.
Targa will be Inkster’s first all-tarmac event this year but he has an impressive tarmac record that includes circuit racing success early in his career and more recently two victories from his last two attempts at the prestigious Taranaki Tarmac Rally.
Joining Inkster in the car for the 712.7 kilometres of special stages will be Spencer Winn. Winn owns major sponsor TransNet and is a regular service crew member throughout the national championship season.
“I can’t wait to get underway, this event is going to be a real adventure,” says Inkster. “It is an event I have wanted to do for a long time and thanks to TransNet and Tyco Electronics we have this opportunity.”
Inkster will face strong opposition, not only from New Zealand Rally Championship rival Glenn Smith in his Evo 10, but also four of the state-of-the-art Nissan R35 GTR’s for defending Targa winner Tony Quinn, Clark Proctor, Harry Dodson and New Zealand Motorsport legend Steve Millen.
“There are going to be some really quick cars, four of the new GTR’s plus Smithy and I’m sure the likes of Jason Gill will be quick as well.”
– Credit: BB Media