Australians planning on contesting the 2012 Targa New Zealand are being offered free shipping as an incentive to compete in the popular road race.
Event director Peter Martin wants to see more Australians contesting his signature event .. and is putting his money where his mouth is.
“This year we are incorporating the cost of shipping cars ex Sydney, Melbourne or Brisbane and return in the entry fee of $AUD7500,” says Martin.
“We’re also putting up a prize for the first Aussie crew home. That’s got to be a good deal.”
Australian Tony Quinn and co-driver Naomi Tillett won Targa New Zealand outright for the third time last year. Martin believes that their appeal, and the ease by which they can be entered and contested, is lost on the majority of Targa regulars in Australia.
“Most of them seem to know about our events, and the fact that we’ve got some fantastic roads here,” Martin said.
“So what’s stopping them having a go? Who knows? At least from now on it won’t be the cost of getting their car to and from!”
The 2012 Targa New Zealand starts in Auckland on Monday October 22 and ends in Havelock North in the Hawke’s Bay (on the North Island’s east coast) on Saturday October 26. In-between is 900kms of special stages plus 1600kms of touring.
