TARMAC: Targa Tasmania - Day one Classic summary

Porsches battle for early Classic honours

An enthralling battle amongst four top Porsche crews and a stirring drive by four V8-engined cars in challenging conditions has set the scene for a fascinating four days ahead in the Shannons Classic competition of this year's Targa Tasmania.

Leading from the front as he has done until the final moments of the past three Targas are the NSW crew of Bill Pye and Grant Geelan in their 1977 Porsche Carrera 3.0.

But hot on his tail and just 15 seconds behind on provisional results is the front-engined 1989 Porsche 944 S2 of Victorians Gavin James and Neil McLeod, with a five second lead over former Shannons Classic winners Rex Broadbent and Michael Goedheer in their 1974 Porsche 911 RSR replica.

"We took it easy because of the changing conditions," said Broadbent. "There was also a lot of gravel over the road on one or two stages."

In fourth is David Morton and Malcolm McDonald in a Porsche 944 Turbo a further five seconds back.

In fifth place, despite competing with just seven cylinders for most of the day, just four seconds further back and heading the V8 pack are Steve Coad and Simon Vandenberg in their potent 1972 Monaro GTS, being chased by the Tasmanian crew of Kim Barwick and Paul Walker in their 1977 Torana A9X and Melburnians Garry Tierney and David Carra in another 1974 Porsche 911 RSR replica.

The top 10 is rounded out by Len and Gayle Cattlin in their 1969 Boss Mustang 302, Prologue top-timers Adam and David Kaplan in their 1988 Giocattolo V8 and Hobart's Peter O'Keefe and Julie Winton-Monet in their 1977 Holden Torana SL/R 5000.

Back in 54th place and still coming to grips with the power of his V8 Supercar spec-1974 Ford XB Coupe is Eric Bana with navigator Tony Ramunno.

Top 10 -- Shannons Classic outright
1 Pye +1min 42 secs
2 James +1min 57 secs
3 Broadbent +2 mins 02 secs
4 Broad +2:07
5 Coad +2:11
6 Barwick +2:23
7 Tierney +2:24
8 Cattlin +2:28
9 Kaplan +2:33
10 O'Keefe +2:49

-credit: www.targatasmania.com.au