Targa Tasmania 2002 was officially launched in Hobart on Friday, August 10, 2001 some 9 months ahead of the start of the event on Wednesday, April 17, 2002. The organisers have been busy in the few months since the finish of the 10^th Anniversary Event earlier this year however. On this page we provide:

• News Highlights

• 2002 Course Summary

• 2002 Course Outline

• 4WD vehicles permitted in 2002

• the 2002 event will be a 5 day event and not a 6-day event as was canvassed. Apparently the difficulties associated with a six day event did not justify running it every year;

• the Sunday sailing of the Spirit of Tasmania will become a regular feature, but the traditional Friday night sailing will remain;

• the Longford street stage used to close Day 1 in the 5-day format is under threat due to the large crowds in attendance this year and the risks to public safety ... hopefully this can be overcome through the use of more effective barriers to minimise the risk of any incident, but that of course costs money;

• the proposed night stage in Hobart is back on the agenda, hopefully the cost of the barriers required there can be successfully addressed;

• vehicles in Modern MS which have previously competed will be able to continue in that spec until 2003, but no new vehicles will be accepted;

• production-specification 4WD cars as raced in rally events to be included for the first time in Modern

• category 6 (1977 to 1981) in Modern is to be dropped

• the prospective move to Appendix K regulations in Classic has been resisted;

• some change to capacity classes in Classic categories 4, 5 and 6

• perhaps the worst-kept secret floating around is that Peter Brock will be back in the new Holden Monaro ... now that will really get the fans out at Longford!!

A sign of the continuing strength of the event was the 195 Early Bird entries received by the July 31, 2001 cut-off date. The entry level is higher than that recorded for the 2001 event and parallels that recorded in the record-setting Millennium event. It would appear that Targa Tasmania 2002 is already off to a flying start!

The Targa Tasmania 2002 course will comprise a total distance of 1,950 km, with approximately 480 km in 43 competitive stages. This is a shorter distance than in 2001, when the event covered a total 2,110 km and there were 54 stages with 525 km of competitive driving.

Clerk of Course Tom Snooks said the shorter course in 2002 was a consequence of reducing the rally from six days of competition to five, excluding the Temco Prologue in George Town, which will be held on April 16.

Targa was contested over five days until the past two years when it was extended to six days for the Millennium event in 2000 and the 10^th Anniversary Rally in 2001. "The Millennium and 10^th Anniversary events were unique, but now we are going back to the five-day format and the feedback from competitors is they are very much in favour of this" said Snooks.

A total of 41 stages from the 2001 rally have been retained for 2002. The St Marys Pass (5.5 km) and Cranbrook (10 km) stages return to the course in 2002 after an absence of a year and both have been included on the second day of competition which also includes traditionally crucial stages The Sideling and Grasstree Hill.

The opening stage of the 2002 event will be Legana, near Launceston, as in 2001. The challenging Hellyer Gorge, Strahan will be held on the final day in 2002, after being contested in the fourth leg in 2001. The Cethana stage, where Australias five-times 500 cc motorcycle world champion crashed his Mercedes Benz CLK 55 AMG in 2001, is on the fourth leg of the 2002 schedule, along with a sprint stage at Symmons Plains Raceway.

"We are confident the course will again provide an enjoyable challenge for all competitors, ranging from the professional teams to the enthusiasts" said Snooks.

Start: Country Club Casino, Launceston

Targa Tasmania Vehicle Expo

Start: Launceston City Mall

Stage 1: Legana
Stage 2: Deloraine
Stage 3: Moriarty
Stage 4: Devonport
Stage 5: Nook
Stage 6: Sheffield
Stage 7: Quamby Brook
Stage 8: Longford
Targa Tasmania Vehicle Expo

Stage 9: The Sideling
Stage 10: Derby
Stage 11: Winnaleah
Stage 12: Weldborough Pass
Stage 13: St Marys Pass
Stage 14: Elephant Pass
Stage 15: Cranbrook
Stage 16: Triabunna
Stage 17: Grasstree Hill
Targa Tasmania Vehicle Expo

Stage 18: Mt Nelson
Stage 19: Bonnett Hill
Stage 20: Howden
Stage 21: Oyster Cove
Stage 22: Woodbridge
Stage 23: Cygnet
Stage 24: Longley
Stage 25: Ridgeway Park
Targa Tasmania Vehicle Expo

Stage 26: Hobart
Stage 27: Colebrook
Stage 28: Ross
Stage 29: Symmons Plains
Stage 30: Mole Creek
Stage 31: Cethana
Stage 32: Wilmot
Stage 33: Gunns Plains
Stage 34: South Riana
Stage 35: Natone
Targa Tasmania Vehicle Expo

Stage 36: Hellyer Gorge
Stage 37: Mt Black
Stage 38: Roseberry
Stage 39: Strahan
Stage 40: Queenstown
Stage 41: Mt Arrowsmith
Stage 42: Tarraleah
Stage 43: New Norfolk

Snooks predicts the move will stimulate entries and provide the event with a new competitive rivalry between loyal Subaru and Mitsubishi competitors and enthusiasts. "These WRX and EVO cars have their own clubs and special cult following right around Australia, a bit like the rivalry between Holden and Ford in the V8 market," said Snooks. "Its going to be interesting to see them battling it out on the roads of Tasmania next year trying to sort out once and for all who is the best."