On Wednesday, April 29, 1992, 196 cars left the portico of the Launceston International Hotel (now the Grand Chancellor) at 30-second intervals to compete in a five-day adventure that many said would never happen.
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Targa Tasmania was conceived by motoring journalist Max Stahl and CAMS president John Large to showcase cars of all ages.
A falling out over the direction of the event left Large in control together with partner Rhonda Matthews and he went on to make his famous statement that Targa was to be “a multi-million dollar mobile motor show”.
The 2000-kilometre five-day event included over 40 stages covering 472 competitive kilometres.
In contrast to this year’s 11 categories, there were just three in 1992 _ thoroughbred (cars manufactured up to 1960), classic (1961 to 1976) and contemporary exotic (1977 onwards).
The field included two former world champions in Sir Jack Brabham in a Honda NSX and Denny Hulme in a BMW M5, as well as Stirling Moss in a Ford Shelby Mustang.
Before the event, Moss was involved in a much publicised crash while checking out the course but despite facial injuries still lined up with wife Suzie.
The unofficial flag car was a 1933 Alfa Romeo 1750 Grand Sports Castagna driven by the late Lex Davison’s wife Diana and navigated by her daughter Catherine.
Local hopes rested with Australian sports sedan champion Greg Crick and three-time Tasmanian rally champion navigator Greg Preece in the Honda Australia NSX who led home Hulme and navigator Angus Mackenzie in the ex-Bathurst 12-hour BMW M5 by just nine seconds.
Fastest car was the fearsome De Tomaso Pantera of Andrew Miedecke and Allan Taylor which won many stages but twice came off to put them out of contention.
The classic division was taken out by Brunninghausen/Horsley in their Porsche 911RS while Begley/Mitchell won thoroughbred in their 356 Porsche.
Local businessman Chas Kelly and wife Robyn had the misfortune to go off on the Oyster Cove stage and hit a tree in their $1m F40 Ferrari. Apart from bruising, they were uninjured but the car had to go back to Italy to be repaired.
In contrast to today, helmets and fire-proof driving suits were optional, lap sash seat belts were the norm and very few cars had any form of rollover protection.
The timing system left a great deal to be desired and in 1993 when Jim Richards and I finished second we were told by the assistant clerk of course that only first place would be presented on the podium as they were not sure who the other placegetters were. We have come a long way.
