Mazda's Tenacious Two Back to Tackle Tassie

VICTORIA, AUSTRALIA – Jan 24, 2012: The Mazda Motorsport team has confirmed that they will be returning for Targa Wrest Point, the second round of the Australian Tarmac Championship

After successful testing sessions, the rally will see both the Mazda3 MPS and the Mazda RX-8 SP competing over two gruelling days and 14 closed road stages around Hobart.

Victorian-based siblings, Brendan Reeves and Rhianon Smyth will be piloting Mazda’s turbo rotary RX-8 SP. In three previous championships, the siblings have been successful drivers of the Mazda3 MPS, but now step up to the more powerful RX-8 SP for the first time, a move which demonstrates Mazda’s faith in Reeves.

The dynamic brother and sister duo have competed together for Mazda in seven rallies and in their Mazda3 MPS have secured five first places.

Reeves, who tested the RX-8 SP around Wakefield Park last month, was most enthusiastic about its performance, saying, “I am really excited to be driving the RX-8 SP at Targa Wrest Point. Although I have loved driving the Mazda3 MPS in previous rallies, it’s great to be able to step up to another challenge and get behind the wheel of the RX-8, a car which has the potential to take it to the main challengers in the Modern category.

Mazda Motorsport Manager, Allan Horsley, is confident that Reeves driving the RX-8 SP will do him proud. The RX-8 SP had some mixed fortunes in Targa’s last rally in the Targa High Country, but Horsley and his team have been working on it to refine and improve any limitations the rotary previously had. “We are cautiously optimistic that the RX-8 is in for a good run at this year’s Wrest Point, especially after seeing it come second outright at last year’s Wrest Point rally. I believe it should be on the pace again,” said Horsley.

Reeves will be competing in the Modern Category and will be amongst Jason White in his Lamborghini Gallardo, Jim Richards, driving his Porsche GT2 RS, and Tony Quinn in his new Nissan GT-R.

Another Australian Motorsport power couple, Simon and Sue Evans, will be driving the Mazda3 MPS. Their carefully honed driving-navigation skills took out the Showroom category in the Targa High Country 2011 rally and they are now equal leaders in the Australian Tarmac Championship.

The couple are four-time Australian Rally Champions and are notorious for their blistering speed on gravel. Obviously thrilled with their win for Mazda at Targa High Country, Evans is even more enthusiastic to see what will come of the second round. “I’m extremely excited to fly the flag for Mazda again. The car truly is a dream to drive and handles challenging roads with such grace”.

The Mazda3 MPS has shown a lot of consistency with previous wins in both High Country and Targa in Tasmania. “Simon and Sue possess a lot of talent” said Horsley “and this talent makes them an extremely competitive team which will hopefully increase the chances of another success for the hot-hatch”.