Toowoomba’s Ray Vandersee has maintained an unbelievable charge in Targa Tasmania, guiding his self designed Skelta G-Force to nine stage wins from a possible 12 over the past two days.
Not surprisingly the Queenslander has cleared four other stages within the allocated base time and while not in the reckoning for outright honours there’s no doubt the Skelta G-Force is the talk of Tasmania.
“I’m absolutely wrapped in the overall performance of the Skelta, while also very frustrated with the dramas on day one, ” said Vandersee. “We’re definitely proving a point and are going faster and faster with each stage.
“The times are telling the story and the best thing towards the next couple of days is that we have yet to find the limits of this car. ” Having soaked up 60 kilometres of competitive stages today, Vandersee didn’t put a foot wrong with a fifth place effort this morning at Tunnel Hill the only stage he was bettered in by the opposition.
Equal first on the timesheets with Kevin Weeks just before lunch on the 7.2 kilometre Howden stage was the closest anyone got and was inclusive in an unbeaten run of five straight outright top placings. “This car is unbelievable even without the V8 engine which we are looking at starting with at next year’s Targa Tasmania.
“The longer I get to spend behind the wheel, the harder I’m able to push and that’s an exciting feeling. “Some of the other drivers have been blown away with the performance and now with nine stage wins to our credit we’ll just look to continue to build on that over the weekend. ”
The Subaru Impreza WRX driven by Tony Sullens currently holds a slim 13 second lead over fellow Subary driver Tony Longhurst, while eight time and reigning Targa Tasmania champion Jim Richards is well within striking distance a further nine seconds away in third. Targa Tasmania is considered one of the toughest races of its kind where vehicles are this year required to cover more than 2000 kilometres, including 450 competition kilometres over 42 stages.
The 2007 Targa Tasmania schedule:
Day Two – The Eastern Trundle (Launceston to Hobart) – Thursday 19th April
Stage 10 – The Sideling – (13.97km) 8th
Stage 11 – Legerwood – (5.29km) Clear
Stage 12 – Moorina – (7.70km) equal 2nd
Stage 13 – Weldborough Pass Long – (13.20km) 1st
Stage 14 – St Marys Pass – (5.45km) 1st
Lunchbreak – St Marys Pass
Stage 15 – Elephant Pass – (10.95km) 1st
Stage 16 – Cranbrook – (7.70km) 1st
Stage 17 – Triabunna – (3.30km) Clear
Stage 18 – Glenorchy Night Stage – (1.14km) Clear
Leg two total distance – 467.52km
Competitive kilometers – 68.70km
Day Three – The Southern Loop (Hobart to Hobart) – Friday 20th April
Stage 19 – Grasstree Hill Reserve – (8.35km) Clear
Stage 20 – Tunnel Hill – (3.30km) 5th
Stage 21 – Bonnet Hill – (3.45km) Clear
Stage 22 – Howden – (7.20km) equal 1st
| 
|