Old hands to rev-up Targa

Country singer Brendan Dougan will be taking on the city slickers.

Dunlop Targa organisers have added a special event to the annual six-day North Island rally - a race at Pukekohe featuring the "living legends" of New Zealand motorsport.

The meeting, on Labour Day, will see drivers such as Jim Richards, Steve Millen, Robbie Francevic, Paul Fahey, Jack Nazer, Ivan Segedin, Spinner Black, Ken Smith, and Allan Boyle behind the wheel of yesterday's saloon cars - among them the Cologne Capri, Fleetwood Mustang, JPS BMW 635, Falcon GTHO, Jaguar MK2, and Lycoming Special.

It will be the first time in more than 20 years that the Lycoming has been seen at Pukekohe.

Former world motorcycle ace and Group A Holden Commodore driver Graeme Crosby has also been lured into making an appearance.

In the Targa event, reigning motorcycle champion Aaron Slight has teamed up with fellow two-wheel specialist Richard Scott in a Honda Integra R.

Last year's winner, Jim Richards, in a Porsche GT3, is again the favourite but he can expect some hard and fast competition from Steve Millen and his Falcon XR6-powered Ford Focus, previous winner Tony Quinn in an all-wheel-drive Porsche, Gavin Riches in a 997 Porsche, Neil Allport in the latest Lotus Exige turbo, and rally ace Joe McAndrew in a Nissan GT-R Godzilla.

The rally includes 770km of closed stages.

Celebrity contestants include country singer Brendan Dugan, Aja Rock, and last year's NZ Idol runner-up Michael Murphy.