Motorsport: Lowe's incentives for small cars

Rotorua's Mike Lowe (left) and his crew - co-driver Phil Sutton (front right) and crew members Nigel Derbyshire (back left) and Dave Jowett. Photo / Mike Lowe

True to his word, Targa New Zealand veteran Mike Lowe is putting his money where his mouth is.

The Rotorua businessman is putting up a trophy and $1000 of his own money as an incentive ahead of this year's 20th anniversary event.

The six-day Targa New Zealand tarmac rally is being held in the South Island this year starting in Christchurch on October 27.

Lowe and co-driver Phil Sutton (Wellington), racing their Enzed-sponsored Fiat Abarth Berlina Corse 1000, are challenging other drivers in the 0-1390cc class this year.

"When I started, and even when Phil came on board in 2000, there were a whole bunch of small cars competing. There were Minis, a Sunbeam Stiletto, even an Escort 1300 ... a great little car.

"Since then though, the numbers have slowly dropped off to the point where we're often the only ones in it [the 0-1390cc class].

"I said at the prize-giving after last year's event that, on behalf of Enzed, I would put up a perpetual trophy and that's exactly what I'm doing."

Lowe said he hoped the trophy and prize money would encourage others to take part in the six-day Targa New Zealand rally, in a small-capacity car.

"What I'm trying to say is that while you're welcome to, and obviously a lot of people do want to do it this way, you don't need a Godzilla or Evo - you don't need to spend $100,000 on a car.

"We want to promote the fact that you can do it just as well in a small, less-expensive car."

When Lowe takes part later this year he will be one of only a handful of competitors to have started all 20 Targa New Zealand events.

Lowe, his co-driver and two-man crew have faced all sorts of obstacles over the years, from broken crankshafts to an infamous roll-over one year, but they have always got the car to the finish. And they don't plan on stopping anytime soon.

"We're all getting older, obviously the car is 50-years-old this year for a start," he said.

"Yes, I have thought about what we are going to do in the longer term but, right now, it is all systems go for the 20th anniversary event down south."

For the first time in its 20-year history, the Targa New Zealand rally will be held in the South Island. Starting in Christchurch, the event will wind down to Queenstown, visiting Dunedin, Invercargill and Cromwell.

Pukekohe model-maker Paul Lyons is currently putting the finishing touches on the trophy being offered by Lowe. The trophy will look like a small-scale version of his Fiat Abarth Berlina Corse 1000.