Kel

Just had the Handley/Handley entry confirmed for High Country by Helen. Now Duncan and I just need to work out if we can sit together in the car that long with me telling him where to go

I have to say that was probably one of the best track days I've been along to. Ando - you did a sensational job keeping everything in order and everyone on track (mostly ). Thanks to everyone who helped out on the day. And thanks to the club & members for supporting the event, and more importantly coming along to it with the right attitude. A+++++ would recommend

Where are they covered in the eligibility regs again? Good to see the guys are serious about this Looks like I now have seats sorted for HC (provided we make the cut), TWP and TT. Now just need to try and find a classic silly seat for Rally Tas! Ben, I'm on my way up wash your mouth out for even saying you're contemplating not doing High Country

It can be a little risky but only if you don't do your homework- these guys are not always looking for a nav this way because no one wants to run with them! This is how my seat for Wrestpoint this year came about. I was put in touch with the Red Back racing guys after letting Octagon know I was keen to compete but found my self seatless (one of the downsides of Steve only competing in Targa). Geoff had plenty of racing experience, but was new to rally, decided to compete at late notice as prep for Targa, and just didn't have the contacts established to sort out someone with late notice. I did a bit of asking around, chatted extensively to him about how we was planning to take the event, what he wanted to get out of it etc - it all added up and we ended up having a fun, safe run. Personal recommendations are definitely always better, but putting your name out there if your regular driver doesn't compete in specific events can work if you approach it carefully?

I was going to make a cheeseburger comment Damo but I thought it might have been too soon You and Jessie seemed to go well, even with all of the misadventures? Hope you are feeling better?

It's on like donkey kong for round three then Timmy

Congrats to young Timmy for the 2WD outright win at round 2 of the Tas Rally Series (ok so it's not Tarmac, but he's normally a Tarmac boy so it counts in this thread right?) a good effort after scoring a puncture on stage, not to mention surviving some of Burnie's finest weather in the afternoon oh, and next time gadget....

Looking like the race car, all going to plan

Kel is in (for the trackday, not the jacket- cool as they are, I have one!)

Good luck fellas (and Sarah!) up in Townsville - hope you have a good time and score some good results.

I hear it's one of those *special* birthdays too Happy Birthday Neily

next time gadget in the meantime... some lol action from the weekend

Damo, I'm still chuckling at the comedy routine you and Jesse put on to describe your misadventures- solid gold! As for me, I had a brilliant weekend- definitely now keen for more of the dirty stuff. Thanks to Timmy and Squeak for giving me some pointers beforehand. It took a little while to get my head around not calling every corner but there's definitely enough going on through the stage to keep you on your toes. If you're in any doubt about that you just need to watch some of the in-car from the quicker cars competing. I had a cracker of a time and as a bonus we won our class and 2WD outright- not a bad way to start my gravel rally efforts

will definitely see you there then Damo!

...and Stu - how are entries looking for HC? I heard a rumour on the weekend that the event was way overscribed and a waiting list had been create? we finally got our slack arses into gear last week and sent Helen our entry- hope we haven't missed out?!

brb- off to Styx Valley Rally. ok so I know it's not Tarmac, but it should be a bit of fun. I'm joining Timmy in Tassie this weekend for the first round of the Tasmanian Rally Series. Jumping into a little Mitubishi Cyborg with Aaron Reader - should be lotsa of fun. Now can you Tasmanians organise some decent weather for me please?

You're only losing sleep TT, that rule cost me an EM 3rd place outright trophy when it let two cars who didn't finish stages creep back into the times!

Tom and Gerard, If there is a God, you boys will be enjoying the Best.MotorkhanaStage.Ever. upstairs right now. Alex, words can't do it justice, but as so many have said we're with you and the boys families and friends right now. Get in touch when you're ready to tell us what we can do.

ahh the stage where we were robbed we'll concede some timing error but we did have a blinder no in car running to dispute the readjusted time so we copped it no wonder i was distracted

Really? I must have had the race face on. You should have said hi

sorry Jess- missed you at Targa What car were you competing in?

+1 on that call! So many people were behind the guys and genuinely gutted for Timmy and Gavin when we heard they were out. You might have lost your passenger Woo!

I was going to let this go since things had settled down, but as the nav in car 803 (the now infamous Just Jap ATTKD Select R SP) I'm a little dirty about some of the things which have been said here and gone uncorrected. So just to set the record straight, car 803 DID NOT lodge ANY protest against ANY car finishing above us in the standings. It was certainly in our interests to do so at one point when we looked to be close to the podium and there is no denying it is something which was considered. Who wouldn't want to be on a Targa podium? If you were in this position, and had heard chat all week about the legality of a car running in front of you (and not from just one person, but many), why wouldn't you consider this? If you say otherwise, I think you may be kidding yourself. In the end though, we had nothing to do with any alleged protest which resulted in Snowy's exclusion from the results. As Snowy has graciously since admitted, he was running an ineligible car and it was the scrutineers, not 803, that decided his outcome. Ben, your dad should now be the one buying the lotto ticket if he made it through final scrutineering with illegal parts on the car, and is now recognised as the winner of EM. But as Snowy will tell you now though, I wouldn't be putting this little fact out there, especially not so blatantly. To all those questioning the integrity of car 803 and its eligibilty - play the ball, not the man. Steve submitted ALL documentation on the car, including specs and units sold, to Targa for consideration months before the car arrived in Tasmania for the event. I don't think the comment about the documents being fabricated deserves a response. Sadly, I don't hear many here bitching about YT or Glenny's car or the Skeltor, all of which I understand fall into the same boat as the ATTKD Select R SP. Like it or not, these are the rules set for the event. Accept them, or if you don't agree with them- lobby to change them. Just please, enough of the sitting back and keyboard warrior-ing about them. And speaking of rules, we were royally screwed by the 999 rule. I read this rule before the event, and never once thought it would be used the way it has in this rally. Not only that it would be used, but that some of the teams using it would do so dishonestly. I have no photographic evidence, but know for a fact (through first hand observation and subsequent conversations) that a number of cars which used this rule stopped and received service from their crews- making them ineligible for the derived time. This is particularly bitter sweet given we stopped on a stage due to an electrical issue, were even out of the car with the OK boards up before Steve managed to get the car fired up again. We went a minute plus down, and dropped 10 places on Day 2. We didn't for a moment think to hang out for the 999 car and use this rule- instead we got on with it and raced our way back up to our position. As I've said earlier though, it was the rule for the event so we like it or lump it. That being the case we've already submitted feedback and suggestions for change on this and hopefully we won't see it decide next years results. All bitching and controversy aside, this was the best run Targa yet, and Stu, Mark and the Octagon team deserve the credit for bringing the event to a new level yet again.

Damn - I knew I should have put in for a derived time plus penalty when they closed the bar early