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Strap in Bunbury. The GT Fabrication Targa Bunbury Sprint is driving motorsport excitement into town on the 12th and 13th of November.
Before competitors take the streets at 9am on Sunday, 13th November, car lovers can get up close and admire the beautiful machines at the Show ‘n’ Shine on Saturday, 12th November event at the Pat Usher Foreshore on Blair Street, Bunbury, from 6.00pm to 8.30pm.
A huge range of rally cars will be put through their paces in a capacity field that includes the oldest car competing, a 1967 Morris Cooper, and other classic makes like Mustang, Datsun, Triumph, Chevrolet Camaro, Ford Escort, Falcon Sprint and Holden Commodore, and modern vehicles like Dodge Viper, Porsche, Audi, BMW, Toyota Yaris Rallye, Nissan GTR, Subaru WRX, Mitsubishi Evos and everything in between.
Event Director Ross Tapper said that Bunbury and the short Rallysprint format have always been popular with competitors who race the clock along closed roads.
“The Halifax street circuit is exciting for competitors – it’s fast with technical sections, and they love putting on a show for the thousands of spectators who come along,” the Event Director said.
“We had more rally drivers than time available last year – the short, sharp format of the GT Fabrication Targa Bunbury Sprint was so popular that we had to cap competitor numbers, and we have a big field again this year,” Mr Tapper said.
Reigning champion Troy Wilson has won the GT Fabrication Targa Bunbury Sprint four times and comes in as favourite after winning the first round of the Targa Sprint series at the Perth Motorplex in his 2010 Mitsubishi Lancer Evo X last weekend.
In fact, the only Targa Bunbury Sprint Wilson hasn’t won was in 2019 when he had a 15-second lead but snapped the diff at the start line of the second half of the event.
“The atmosphere is amazing in Bunbury with locals who show so much support, the crowds that go along to watch are pretty awesome,” said Wilson, a former AFL West Coast Eagle.
“I love this event because it’s like the street circuits you see on television – you’re allowed to cut loose as fast as you can on the streets, legally.”
A Bunbury local, Greg Freeman of GT Fabrication, has a car you’ll hear before you see. His 1969 Chevrolet Camaro grunts, thumps and screeches around corners. In the passenger seat will be Mandy Lister calling the notes.
“I’ve had the car for about five years, and I love it; I love classic cars; it’s old, just like me!” said Freeman.
“It’s so good to have a Targa Sprint in Bunbury, in my hometown. The whole family, friends and work colleagues, can all come along and watch, and I get to sleep in my own bed at night.
“I like the Targa Sprint format because you can’t get lost!” said Freeman.
There are eleven classes in the GT Fabrication Targa Bunbury Sprint determined by engine size, 2WD or 4WD and decade of manufacture.
Rallysprint requires teamwork between driver and co-driver and the ability to drive with obstacles in close vicinity to the road, neither of which can be practised on a race track.
Each competitor will race the clock along the 4-kilometre course four times clockwise and four times anticlockwise. The odd-numbered cars will go first, and then the even numbers.
If you like fast cars, roaring engines, motorsport action and drama, then get along to a GT Fabrication Targa Bunbury Sprint spectator point on Sunday, 13th November.
All the action at the GT Fabrication Targa Bunbury Sprint will take place in the Halifax Light Industrial Area, with the service park on McCombe Road near the junction of Gibbons Road. The entire GT Fabrication Targa Bunbury Sprint is free.
Spectators are encouraged and only permitted in marked spectators areas:
Corner Halifax Drive and Monkhouse Street
Corner Hensen Street and Marchant Street
Corner Halifax Drive and Clifford Street
Corner of Sherlock Way and McCombe Road
Corner of McCombe Road and Jordan Way (two spectator points)
For more information, visit www.targabunburysprint.com.au. For more info on Targa events, please visit www.targawest.com.au and www.facebook.com/targawest.
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