Shannons Celebrates 20 With Targa Tasmania

SYDNEY – February 15, 2011: Targa Tasmania will be run for the 20th year from April 5-10 this year and Shannons will be celebrating along with Event Director Mark Perry and his team at Octagon Hobart.

This year also marks 20 years of unbroken support of Australia’s leading tarmac rally for Shannons. Shannons was one of the event’s founding sponsors in 1992 and has maintained a high profile connection with the event and many participants ever since.

In 1998, Shannons increased its involvement to sponsor Targa’s Historic Competition, with founder Robert Shannon taking an enthusiastic hands-on approach in the competition at the wheel of his beloved 1930 Low Chassis Invicta S.

It was through his vision that Shannons pioneered the concept of motor vehicle insurance for enthusiasts, introducing ideas like agreed value cover, monthly repayments, choice of repairer, plus low-priced club plate, limited use and laid-up cover.

This has now grown to include motorcycle insurance and home and contents cover, including Enthusiast Cover protecting the special items in your garage.

Shannons additionally took the naming sponsorship of the Targa Tasmania Classic Competition in 2000, which for many years has attracted the largest proportion of Targa entrants in cars from the 1950s to 1980s.

In 2011, Shannons is moving its support of Targa up yet another gear.

As well as sponsoring the high profile Classic and Historic Competitions, Shannons for the first time will bring the crowed-pleasing Super Rig to many prime Targa stages, including the Georgetown Prologue, Longford, Devonport, Launceston and Hobart.

Jim Richards and Barry Oliver will also be waving the Shannons banner yet again in this year’s event as they attempt a record ninth Targa Tasmania Modern Competition victory in Richards’ new 456kW Porsche 911 GT2.

Meanwhile, Shannons will again sponsor the unique, non-competitive Shannons Historic Rallye.

Run for pre-1970 vehicles, the Shannons Historic Rallye from April 3-11 runs parallel with Targa proper and allows owners of special older cars to experience the thrill of driving over many of the event’s famous special stages, while enjoying less hurried touring through the State’s World Heritage scenery.