Motorsport: Gentlemen drivers v stars

Six months ago Neil Allport was competing against the world's best in Rally New Zealand.

In the coming week he will be contesting the New Zealand Targa, where gentleman drivers vie with current stars in a wide variety of exotic cars.

So what's the attraction for multiple national rally champion Allport, who drove a four-wheel-drive car in last year's Dunlop-sponsored Targa, but this time will be at the wheel of a sportscar, a Lotus Exige turbo?

"I think it's the challenge of something different, driving a different kind of car on tarseal instead of gravel," said Allport.

"The event is quite long, not the one-day sprints you have in rallying these days, and the competition's not too shabby either.

"Last year we could only reach the speed limit of 200km/h on the closed stages in a couple of places, but this year we'll have more speed. The trick will be to balance the pressing-on with the distance involved.

"The social side of the event is very good, too. There is a vast array of cars, and old can mean very old - and that goes for the drivers, too. Everyone has a great story to tell at the end of the day."

For many motorsport fans the Targa has been a bit of an enigma since Mike John introduced the concept 11 years ago - is it a proper sporting event or just a chance for rich boys to show off their toys?

John, a South Auckland car dealer, unashamedly based the New Zealand Targa on a similar event that has run successfully for years in Tasmania.

"It is a road race rather than a rally," he said. "The closed sections are highly competitive, with all the usual rally safety regulations. And the quality of the field, with Jim Richards, Neil Allport, Joe McAndrew and Steve Millen among those involved, means the standard is high.

"But there is also a big element of rich boys and their toys - there are 30 Porsches this year. Some of these guys are really wealthy and they're in it for the kind of challenge they can't find elsewhere. It's a serious event, but you don't have to take it seriously.

"We deliberately work on the camaraderie. We tell them we're here to help each other, whether it's in a Hillman Avenger or a Porsche. You don't go home if you have trouble. Somebody will be found to fix the problem."

The first Targa had 78 cars and no sponsor. There will be around 200 entrants this weekend and John has deliberately kept to that number for safety and portability as the Targa weaves its way from Papakura on Monday, criss-crossing the North Island before finishing in Hastings next Saturday.

"We go where we're welcome, and that means many smaller centres which welcome the chance to see the cars and some of the stars involved. We could have ended up with a field of modern rally cars, but we've deliberately favoured unusual cars and a wide variety."

Last year's winner, Jim Richards, will compete in the Carrera Cup Porsche races at Surfers over the weekend before crossing the Tasman to drive a Porsche GT-3. Millen will pilot a new Ford Focus, powered by a Falcon XR6 turbo engine.

Previous winner Tony Quinn will be in his 2001 four-wheel-drive Porsche, Gavin Riches has brought the very latest 997 Porsche, and long-distance rally ace McAndrew has a Nissan "Godzilla".

A Living Legends race day at Pukekohe will precede the event.

TARGA TIMETABLE

* Tomorrow: Twilight publicity stage, Papakura.

* Monday: Prologue stages at Waiuku and Pukekohe. Living Legends at Pukekohe.

* Tuesday: Pukekohe to New Plymouth. Publicity stage at Otorohanga.

* Wednesday: New Plymouth to Palmerston North.

* Thursday: Publicity stage Feilding, return to Palmerston North.

* Friday: Palmerston North to Hastings.

* Saturday: Finish at Hastings.

* Total touring: 1500km.

* Total closed stages: 770km.