Evans hoping to bounce back at the 2011 asp Adelaide Hills Tarmac Rally

Fresh from a strong effort but an unfortunate result at Targa Tasmania, NSW motoring journalist Dean Evans is looking at bouncing back at the 2011 asp Adelaide Hills Tarmac Rally. Though not 100 % confirmed, the Sydneysider is doing all he can to get to the start line of the event next week.

Following a technical glitch that dropped he and Perth navigator Toni Feaver from fourth outright after four days of competition and just five stages from the finish, Evans is looking at the Adelaide Hills Tarmac Rally as a way to reunite himself with the tarmac of the Adelaide Hills, and also navigator of five years, Simone Bachmann.

Hankook Evolution X could be a threat in the Adelaide Hills. Hankook’s Ventus TD Z221 R-spec performance tyres will be showcased on the Evolution X MR, which is prepared and run by Melbourne Mitsubishi specialist, TMR Performance.

“We finally diagnosed what the Targa problem was just last week,” explained Evans, “but we were only using that Evo X RS manual for that event anyway. For the ASP we will be back in our Evo X MR paddle-shift. While it’s a 150kg heavier road car with a sunroof and more, TMR has finally sorted the gearbox software overheating issues we’ve experienced previously. At least know we won’t get the same problems as before.”

Evans isn’t a stranger to the course either: “I love those roads in Adelaide; I get to drive on them for new car launches for the magazine all the time, so I know how great they are; and my Adelaide friends are never backward in reminding me how much better they are than Sydney’s.”

One thing Evans is not doing is going in with expectations or ego: “While we were very happy with our performance at Targa, we also recognised there was a gap to Matt Sims’s GT-R in third, so we know he’s probably the guy to beat, and we’re not heading to Adelaide with any delusions of grandeur. We won’t be using the lighter Evo X RS, we won’t be on E85, and we’ll probably be running with very few recce passes, plus we haven’t had time to fit some new performance parts we wanted – in fact they’re sitting in the TMR Melbourne workshop as the car sits in my Sydney garage. I think that’s four excuses, surely that exceeds the standard minimum?”

Having run the Hankook tyres for over a year, Evans is 100% behind the brand. “Hankook is on the verge of huge growth internationally and in Australia, and it has seen tarmac rallying as an ideal arena. I’ve run on them from the freezing wet roads of Tasmania to the sunshine of Perth and even removing my sponsor cap, I have total confidence that they are among the best R-spec tyres on sale.”

“The only issue is us actually getting there,” explained Evans. “After Targa, I spent three weeks sick in bed, but right from last year’s ASP event, we had this Rally in our sights as part of our 2011 Hankook program. I’m sure it’ll be a great event and it’s not one I want to miss out on again.”

The 2011 Adelaide Hills Tarmac Rally will be presenting 28 stages over 3 days, delivering almost 190 competitive kilometres. Friday will start with the prologue at Collingrove, followed by 6 stages that will head towards Penny’s Hill Winery at McLaren Vale through the magnificent Adelaide Hills. Saturday’s 12 stages will be run just south of McLaren Vale down to Victor Harbor, South Australia’s holiday capital and the events service park location for the day. Another 10 stages on Sunday will take place north west of McLaren Vale, travelling through the picturesque towns of Meadows, Macclesfield (location of the Sunday service park) and Strathalbyn before returning to McLaren Vale in the late afternoon to complete the event at Penny’s Hill Winery.

The 2011 Adelaide Hills Tarmac Rally has been scheduled for the 27th through to the 29th of May.

For more details on IMS Ambulance Services please visit www.imssa.com.au

For more details on the 2011 Adelaide Hills Tarmac Rally please visit www.ahtr.com.au

For more details on Variety SA please visit www.variety.org.au/sa

Or phone Andrew Admiraal on 0403 116 400, email [email protected]