Team VIP Petfoods’ Tony Quinn and Keith Wenn have bravely risen to Targa Tasmania’s final challenges today to claim outright fifth for the event despite the days’ stages living up to all their expectations - with the chase down the island proving as tough, fast and unpredictable as they ever could have imagined.
Battling fraught weather conditions, extra car weight and a day of difficult and highly competitive stages which saw fellow-front runners Longhurst and De Vere temporarily fall from the top three, the Team VIP Petfoods’ duo managed to carry their un-fazable courage through the final kilometres to formally establish their place in the final top five.
With the intermediate wet conditions more suited to those behind the wheel of a 4WD than the Team VIP Petfoods’ Porsche, to hold on for the applaudable standing was extra sweet for the duo in the face of the disappointments of times past.
“So many times before, we have been in the running for honours only for something to go wrong on the final day and put us out, ” said Quinn.
“Last year especially, we were running second when a crash on the Sunday left Keith and I stranded by the side of the road, our top five hopes dashed.
“To finish first of all was our focus, as it is all pointless if you don’t finish, and so to finish in the top five has been a great reward for us both and we will go home smiling.
“Really in an event such this a top five is a fantastic result, and for us especially with a new, underdeveloped car and two old guys in it I think it is great. “
The event honours went to Tony Sullens and Julia Barkley behind the wheel of their Subaru Imprexa WRX RA, followed by Jim Richards and Barry Oliver and a recovered Tony Longhurst and Michael De Vere in third.
This year’s Targa Tasmania was Quinn’s eighth and the first in long line of rally exploits to come for his team this year with up to eight rally ventures on the cards including the prestigous Nurburgring 24 hour, in which the team placed 9th on debut in 2006.
Targa Tasmania Results:
Tuesday 17th April, 2007 – Day One – Temco George Town Prologue – Top Ten
1. #913 – Close/Close – 2001 Porsche 911 Turbo - 03:15.34
2. #902 – Simonsen/Searcy – 2006 Mitsubishi Evolution Lancer IX - 03:15.95
3. #919 – Richards/Oliver – 2007 Porsche 911 GT3 RS - 03:17.76
4. #953 – Heskin/Deniese – 2006 Mitsubishi Evolution Lancer IX RS - 03:18.39
5. #991 – Weeks/Allen – 2006 Lamborghini Super Leggera - 03:18.47
6. #940 – Higgins/Hansen – 2006 Mitsubishi Evolution Lancer IX RS - 03:18.55
7. #939 – Warwick/Murphy – 2003 Porsche 991 GT3 - 03:18.95
8. #996 – Quinn/Wenn – 2006 Porsche 997 Turbo (Team VIP Petfoods) - 03:19.19
9. #934 - White/White - Lamborghini Super Leggera - 03:19.42
10. #972 - Vandersee/Taylor - Skelta G-Force - 03:20.28
Wednesday 18th April, 2007 – Day Two – The Northern Loop (Launceston to Launceston) – Top Ten
1. #902 – Simonsen/Searcy – Mitsubishi Evolution Lancer IX – 8 sec
2. #934 – White/White – Lamborghini Super Leggera – 18 sec
3. #918 – Sullens/Barkley – Subaru Impreza WRX RA – 32 sec
4. #919 – Richards/Oliver – Porsche 911 GT3 RS – 38 sec
5. #991 – Weeks/Allen – Lamborghini Super Leggera – 1 min 9 sec
6. #922 – Longhurst/De Vere – Subaru Impreza WRX STi C Spec – 1 min 12 sec
7. #996 – Quinn/Wenn – Porsche 997 Turbo – 1 min 19 sec (Team VIP Petfoods)
8. #939 – Warwick/Murphy – Porsche 911 GT3 – 1 min 23 sec
9. #903 – Rattray/Jackson – Subaru Impreza WRX STi – 1 min 31 sec
10. #913 – Close/Close – Porsche 911 Turbo - 1 min 42 sec
Thursday 19th April 2007 – Day Three – The Eastern Trundle (Launceston to Hobart)
1. #918 – Sullens/Barkley – Subaru Impreza WRX RA
2. #919 – Richards/Oliver – Porsche 911 GT3 RS - + 6 seconds
3. #922 – Longhurst/De Vere – Subaru Impreza WRX STi C Spec - + 27 seconds
4. #991 – Weeks/Allen – Lamborghini Super Leggera - + 47 seconds
5. #996 – Quinn/Wenn – Porsche 997 Turbo (Team VIP Petfoods) - + 1 min 5 seconds
6. #939 – Warwick/Murphy – Porsche 911 GT3
7. #913 – Close/Close – Porsche 911 Turbo
8. #953 – Heskin/Deniese – 2006 Mitsubishi Evolution Lancer IX RS
9. #940 – Higgins/Hansen – 2006 Mitsubishi Evolution Lancer IX RS
10. #954 - Froude/Logan - Porsche 911 GT3 CS
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