Whakatane's Maurice Shapley (left) pictured with then co-driver Sheryl Hanright in Shapley's Holden Monaro, returns to drive the Targa New Zealand tarmac rally in Rotorua. Photo/Groundsky Photography
Whakatane's Maurice Shapley (left) pictured with then co-driver Sheryl Hanright in Shapley's Holden Monaro, returns to drive the Targa New Zealand tarmac rally in Rotorua. Photo/Groundsky Photography
Whakatane's Maurice Shapley is driving for a successful return to the Targa New Zealand tarmac rally in Rotorua this weekend after a nine-year break.
Shapley, 60, will compete in the Standard production 2WD class, driving his Holden Monaro in the 23rd edition of the annual event.
The veteran driver islooking to replicate the form that saw him take out second place across all categories in 2007 - only just missing out on top spot because of fuelling issues.
Japanese rally driver Kenjiro Shinozuka in a student built-and-run Honda Civic. Photo/Fast Company/ProShotz
Shapley, competing for the 15th time, was excited to make his return in a much "cherished event" after focusing on circuit racing over the past few years.
"It means a lot to be able to race in front of home fans and that's what makes this so special for me," he said.
"Due to life commitments I've had to have a gap out but in the back of my mind I've always been eyeing a return. Now is the right time and this tarmac event is very similar to circuit racing in many respects."
The event starts and finishes at the Novotel Hotel in Rotorua with seven closed special stages in the Waikato on Saturday and five in Rotorua and the greater Bay of Plenty on Sunday.
The total closed special stage length is 295km while the total touring distance is 423km.
The last leg on Sunday will include a section along Paradise Valley Rd.
Andy Mygind and Anthony Baker in their Datsun 240Z. Photo/Fast Company/ProShotz
Shapley will be accompanied by co-driver Kane Mallasch for the first time and said local road knowledge could be an essential advantage.
"Kane is very experienced and I have a lot of faith in him. We would like to think we can podium. The key here is being able to read New Zealand roads well and I know two of the local stages very well - that could shave crucial seconds off," he said.
"It's so important to get off to a good start in stage one. The tyres will be cold and the track, so I have to go out hard - hopefully I can catch some of them napping and carve out a good lead," Shapley said.
Eighty entrants will be competing across four competition classes - Classic 2WD, Standard production 2WD and 4WD and the All comers 2WD and 4WD and the allied but non-competitive Targa Tour.
Set to defend his 2016 Targa Rotorua win is Auckland Targa veteran Leigh Hooper and co-driver Michael Goudie in a Subaru WRX Impreza. Last year's win was Hopper's fourth in the Rotorua event, the Orewa man leading home five-time Targa New Zealand event winner Tony Quinn and co-driver Naomi Tillett in circuit-owning entrepreneur Quinn's Nissan GT-R.
Quinn and Tillett are back in a new car this year, a Porsche GT3 RS, a car that has already shown impressive form in the hands of Dunedin driver Martin Dippie and his co-driver Jona Grant who last year finished fourth overall and are entered again this weekend.
Targa Rally at the Village Green.
All the way from Japan is a three-car team made up of students and staff from the University of Tokyo and the Honda Technical Institute Kanto. The group build and run rally cars as part of their course and number among their driver line-up legendary Japanese WRC and Dakar Rally ace Kenjiro Shinozuka.
Other drivers to watch out for locally include Whakatane duo, CRC Speedshow organisers Ross and Brenda Prevette - making their Targa debut in a Mini Cooper S in the Targa Tour. Seasoned driver Rick Finucane and co-driver Derek White are driving a Toyota model.
The 2017 Targa is the first of three multi-day Targa events this year. A new two-day Targa Hawke's Bay is being run in May and the annual multi-day Targa New Zealand is running between October 23 and 29.
The best place to see the cars is at the Novotel on Tutanekai St on Saturday morning, with the start time 8am each day, and the Village Green on Saturday evening from 5.30pm or back at the Novotel for the ceremonial finish at 3.30pm on Sunday afternoon.
