11 November 2009
Dunlop Targa 2009
After the Audi losing 3rd gear on the second day of the 09 Targa and the gear box giving up the ghost on the 4th day we were left with out a car.
I stepped Dave Taylor with the spare e36 BMW they had sitting in taupo.
Dave had one of his team deliver the BMW to us to start the first stage of the next day.
Having driven one of these cars before it didn’t take to long before we were back into the race.
And I’d have to say that the strong points of these cars are the handling and the brakes which are both fantastic.
Over the next 3 days the car stuck to the road like glue and never ran out of bakes.
I’d have to say hiring one of theses is a good augment for not buying a race car.
Rick Martin
Director
Cornerstonegroup
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22 November 2009
Dunlop Targa 2009
Two days before the Dunlop Targa the engine my race car decide to go bang leaving me with no chance to run in the event I wait all year for. My first call was to Peter Martin, Targa’s main man. He said no problem lease one of the orange BMW’s. First thought, why would a die hard Toyota fan want to drive a euro car, with no option if I wanted to race this was the only way, the deal was done.
Motorsport Service’s gave me the keys to BMW that was so bright it could be seen from the outer space, from the first time the motor howled in to life I was smiling. If only I could touch the pedals, it is this moment where Motorsport Service’s top team jumped and in no time decide moving the seat was a better option than lengthening my legs. Ten minutes of me checking out all 4 of the GT3s in their workshop and I was ready to drive my first ever euro race car.
For the next week this would be my office, tightly nestled in a full race seat and 5 point harness, a roll cage around me that would support a 747 landing on the roof and that exhaust growling behind me. This is so much better than Donald Trumps office and on a par with Hue Heffner’s grotto.
On to the first stage; bringing the rev’s up dropping the clutch, the Dunlop’s screaming to get traction, the rear of the car twitching sideways and this was the start of our journey. We had 900 race Ks and 2000 touring Ks to go, a big ask of any race car and many will not make it to the finish.
The first service park; Motorsport Service’s were very easy to find in the maze of trucks, vans and spectators that crowd every service park. As soon as we got to the service park there was one of Motorsport Service’s crew directing us to their 3 very large white vans with the hard to miss orange stripe, our area was completely set up for us, we drove in to see 8 or 9 pit crew members ready to go and even before we got out the car Cameron was asking if there were any problems, what did we need and were we happy. While answering NO, NOTHING and HELL YES to all these question what looked to be the youngest member of the pit crew was at the back of the car, I may have thought he was trying to steal the badge’s but he wasn’t he was indeed polishing the car.
This was the routine for the week and every service.
Motorsport Service’s are a professional pit crew in everyway, they came fully prepared with 3 large vans with enough equipment to overhaul the Hoover Dam, 2 chase Ute’s 15 pit crew members and Karly, the perfect host making sure the drivers were kept up to date with their progress and also grazed and watered. I mean what could be more perfect, sitting in a director’s chair under a large beach umbrella getting feed camembert and cracker’s while sipping on chilled spring water between race stages.
The BMW race car, I now dislike Toyota’s and it only took me a week, ok after the first 2 days then to decide this.
The car was brilliantly prepared and just thrived on the best roads in New Zealand, very predictable to drive even when I ran out of skill it seemed to laugh at me and ask in a Bruce Willis type of way “was that all I had” . The car was faultless all week and I am sure if we had done a U turn at Wellington my little Beamer would not have had to take a breath before we left to do it all again.
I have competed in 10 Targa’s and this was the best ever Dunlop Targa experience I have ever had and would like to thank Motorsport Services and all their crew members for the hard work and late nights you all put in. The award you received at Targa prize giving was well deserved, congratulations.Amazing team effort.
I will use Motorsport Services again as they are the pro’s and I am happy for anyone to phone me 021 1330111, but you better make sure you have an hour as that is the time it will take me to tell you how good they are.
Gary Stirling
PlayDay on Track Ltd
Happy Targa finisher
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