Targa Tasmania leg five final summary

Jim Richards charges to seventh win

Porsche driver Jim Richards won the Targa Tasmania tarmac rally for the seventh time after turning back a strong challenge from South Australia's Steve Glenney in today's fifth and final leg.

Richards and Tasmanian navigator Barry Oliver won the 12th annual Targa event in a turbo Porsche 911 with the lowest penalty time of 22-mins 30-secs. They finished 1-min 10-secs clear of second-placed Glenney and his navigator Clayton Lang, also from South Australia, in a Nissan Skyline GTR.

Next best in the six-day rally were Victorian Rex Broadbent in third place, Tasmania's Greg Garwood, and Queenslander Tony Quinn, all driving Porsche 911 cars. Nine-times Bathurst 1000 winner Peter Brock was sixth in a Motorola V8 Holden Monaro.

Richards went into today's leg leading Glenney by 15-secs and they appeared poised for a close battle. There were nine stages from Burnie, down through the west coast region, before the finish in Hobart. Richards proved 55-secs quicker than Glenney, including a 20-secs advantage through the 47km Mount Arrowsmith stage.

Assessing the result, Richards said the mostly dry weather today had been decisive. Yesterday Glenney was 70-secs quicker on the fourth leg, which was held in wet conditions.

"The day went very well," said Richards. "I always said rain wouldn't suit us. It was damp in a few places, but there was no rain which suited us down to the ground."

"Both Glenney and Broadbent put in fantastic drives. It's always satisfying to win Targa and this year is no different. It's such a tough challenge -- that's what makes it so good."

Glenney, who crashed when in second position in his Targa debut in 2002, said he was pleased with his result.

"Everything went to plan for most of the week," said Glenney. "Today we dropped a little bit of time to Jim (Richards) in the first four stages, and then he took quite a lot off us at Mount Arrowsmith."

"I'm delighted to be second. It's great to do so well, especially in the company of a driver such as Jim Richards."

Broadbent, winner of the Classic Competition in 2002, began the leg 56-secs behind Richards, and eventually finished 1-min 39-secs adrift.

"We did the best we could," said Broadbent. "I didn't make up enough time on Glenney for second, but we protected our position from Garwood."

Garwood said his chances would have been boosted by wet weather on the final leg.

"If it had rained it would have suited me better," he said. "I went as hard as I could go to try and get on the podium. In the end we came up one place short, but that's the way it goes."

V8 Supercar driver Cameron McConville finished a superb 13th outright in his Targa debut in a Motorola Holden Astra SRi turbo. McConville consistently bettered the stage times of more powerful cars throughout the event.

Ex-Formula One commentator Murray Walker finished his Targa debut 44th as navigator in the Toyota Camry Sportivo raced by former Bathurst 1000 champion Colin Bond.

The Tarraleah stage today was downgraded to touring because of oil dropped on the road by the Caterham Blackbird of NSW's Vijay Angelo. American Martin Hancock crashed his Alfa Romeo during the stage.

RESULTS (Provisional) <pre> MODERN COMPETITION: POS DRIVERS CAR PENALTY TIME 1. J. Richards (Vic)-B. Oliver (Tas) Porsche 911 22:30 (min/secs) 2. S. Glenney-C. Lang (SA) Nissan Skyline GTR 23:40 3. R. Broadbent-M. Goedheer (Vic) Porsche 911 24:09 4. G. Garwood-M. Perry (Tas) Porsche 911 25:01 5. T. Quinn (Qld)-K. Wenn (Tas) Porsche 911 25:52 6. P. Brock-A. Gigney (Vic) Motorola Holden Monaro 29:04 7. L. Rattray-T. Jackson (Tas) Subaru Impreza WRX 30:00 8. K. Burke-N. Botha (NSW) Porsche 911 30:28 9. P. Blackie-I. Ranson (Vic) Porsche 911 30:41 10. S. Hoinville-R. Williams (Vic) BA Ford Falcon XR6 32:13 OTHERS: 13. C. McConville-G. Warwick (Vic) Motorola Holden Astra SRi 33:58 27. S. Richards-G. Bashford (Vic) Motorola Holden Monaro 48:52 44. C. Bond (NSW)-M. Walker GB) Toyota Camry Sportivo 59:30 67. M. Taylor-B. Humphrey (NSW) BA Ford Falcon XR6 2:52.10

CLASSIC COMPETITION: POS DRIVERS CAR PENALTY TIME 1. G. Copeland (Qld)-J. Siddins (Qld) Datsun H510 22:09 (min/secs) 2. G. Taylor-L. Harper (Vic) Porsche 911 30:26 3. B. Dermott-L. Dermott (Vic) Austin Healey 3000 31:06

SHANNONS TOURING CLASSIC COMPETITION: POS DRIVERS CAR PENALTY TIME 1. B. Titheradge-J. Shuttle (NSW) Jaguar XK140 34:11 (min/secs) 2. D. Matheson-B. Matheson (NSW) Morris Cooper 35:26 3. M. Utber-N. Langford (Vic) Vauxhall Cresta 38:00

SHANNONS HISTORIC COMPETITION: POS DRIVERS CAR PENALTY TIME 1. J. Lawson-P. Lawson (Vic) AC Amilcar Grand Sport 31:15 (min/secs) 2. J. Felder-C. Desomerville (Vic) Oakland 9-101 57:50 3. M. Hipkins-M. Burns (Vic) Vauxhall 30-98 1:00.47

-www.targa.org.au