The 2025 Targa NZ 30th Anniversary event delivered drama, mechanical challenges, and impressive performances across all classes, culminating in a thrilling finish for competitors and fans alike.
Day 3 saw a shake-up in the overall leaderboard for the first time during the event. Australians Paul Dowie and co-driver John Allen moved into the lead after starting the day just 1.9 seconds behind Dave Rogers heading into the 22km Ratapiko stage at the foot of Mt Taranaki.
Misfortune struck Rogers’ Mitsubishi Lancer Evo X RS when it lost 4th and 5th gears, costing them 20 seconds on the stage. The DNG team swiftly installed a new gearbox, allowing Rogers and co-driver Shane Reynolds to return for the two afternoon stages, where they recorded the third fastest times on both.
In the Production 4WD class, Andrew Oakley and Steve Hutchins maintained their lead by four minutes despite the rear differential overheating in the morning.
A simple oil change solved the issue, and the pair continued to run faultlessly. Ben and Gus Forrest were second in their Toyota Yaris GR, while Michael Chora and Rachael Ferrante held third in a Subaru WRX STi.
Charlie Evans and co-driver Carol Liston led the Allcomers 2WD class with a three-minute advantage over first-time Targa competitor Dave Strong and Rob Scott.
Strong, driving an RX7, used the extended service period to replace the axles nearing the end of their lifespan. Long-time Targa competitor Mike Lowe rejoined the Classic 2WD 3401cc+ class after extensive engine repairs completed in Cambridge until 2:30 am, while Bevan Claridge and Campbell Tannock led the class in their Holden Commodore.
Regional entrants were set to join the two-day Regional Targa the following day, including four-time New Zealand Rally Champion Bruce Herbert in a BMW 325 with co-driver Samantha Cox.
Ultima driver Craig Haysman and co-driver Jason Page remained in the hospital recovering from their crash on Day 2. Competitors would depart Palmerston North Square at 8:30am for seven stages in the local region, finishing in Hawke’s Bay.
Day 4 began with the 19km Pohangina Valley stage at the foot of the Ruahine Ranges, followed by two more northern stages before the lunch break in Taihape.
The afternoon stages featured the Gentle Annie split into three tests, with the final Hawkes Bay stage requiring assessed times after Robert Darrington’s Toyota Yaris suffered a mechanical issue between the finish line and timing control.
Dowie and Allen continued to extend their lead, holding a 58-second buffer over Rogers and Reynolds, while Mike Tubbs and Matt Bailey were six minutes further back.
In Production 4WD, Oakley and Hutchins suffered an “off” on stage 29, allowing Chora and Ferrante to inherit the class lead.
Targa regular Martin Dippie retired after clipping a bridge on Stage 24, rendering his Porsche unrepairable. Dippie had begun the day searching for his keys, which were eventually found in his sock.
Bevan Claridge and Campbell Tannock maintained their Classic 3401cc+ lead, though an electrical issue with the fuel pump motor left them third in overall 2WD Classics behind Mark McCaughan’s Mercedes 190E 2.3-16.
In the Regional Rally, Derek Moore and co-driver Fleur Pedersen led by one minute over Bruce Herbert and Samantha Cox, with David Smith and Ian McKee in third, three minutes behind.
The fifth and final day concluded with Australians Paul Dowie and John Allen claiming overall victory in a Porsche GT3RS. The pair had taken the lead after the first stage on Day 3 and gradually extended their advantage to finish 1 minute 16 seconds ahead of Rogers and Reynolds.
Dowie reflected on the win: “This event was epic. We’re so glad that we got the real award, which is keeping the car in one piece.
“Thanks to Dustin and the boys at DNG Automotive, and John Allen, who is officially retiring—it’s great to finish on such a high.”
Charlie Evans and Carol Liston completed the podium in a Mazda RX7, winning the Category 7 Allcomers 2WD. Rogers and Reynolds took the Allcomers Competition victory, while Dowie and Allen also secured the Modern 2WD Class.
Mark McCaughan and Lindsay Lyons held the Classic 2WD Competition lead in their Mercedes, ahead of Chris Barendregt and Richard Leggett in a BMW E36.
Derek Moore and Fleur Pedersen won the two-day Regional Rally, with Bruce Herbert and Samantha Cox finishing second. In the Time Trial, Craig Inger and Oliver Going triumphed in a Mazda MX5, followed by siblings Dallis Yates and Alise Inger in a Toyota MR2.
Event Organiser Peter Martin summed up the event’s success: “We had an act of God this week that threw challenges at us from the start. Most of that was out of our control, but the resilience of the team, officials, and marshals in redirecting and keeping everything on time was amazing.
The pleasure the customers got from the event and how they saw the seamless operation is obvious. That’s a real testament to the people and systems we have in place to deal with unexpected things.”
The 2025 Targa NZ 30th Anniversary proved to be a memorable celebration of motorsport, showcasing skill, endurance, and perseverance across the country.
Header Image: Geoff Ridder
