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Targa South West rallies through crisis

Jackson Lavell-LeeBusselton Dunsborough Times
Dunsborough’s Andy van Kann will drive his beloved Toyota TE27 twin cam 1600 in Targa South West this weekend
Camera IconDunsborough’s Andy van Kann will drive his beloved Toyota TE27 twin cam 1600 in Targa South West this weekend Credit: Jackson Lavell-Lee

Start your engines because the Make Smoking History Targa South West is back with the traditional tarmac rally under way tomorrow in Pemberton under strict COVID-19 rules developed jointly between Motorsport Australia and government agencies.

Dunsborough rally driver Andy van Kann will team up with Perth-based Megan Logue to compete in the classic rally car class, but the highly respected van Kann said the race was a distant second priority after a recent health battle.

The resilient car enthusiast and mountain biking instructor was diagnosed with prostate cancer and underwent surgery only 60 days ago.

“A few little symptoms showed up and it was serious and aggressive but thanks to an extraordinary medical staff, considering this was all done in a medical crisis, it was extremely successive surgery,” he said.

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However well his health battle has gone, van Kann said he held less hope for his chances at winning Targa South West as his vintage Toyota TE27 V4 will compete against V8 Porches and Nissans.

“My car is a classic, at 46 years old the only thing older in this rally is me but it’s a barrel of laughs to drive and a crowd pleaser. It looks and sounds good like rally cars should,” he said.

“The COVID-19 compliance paperwork has been significant just to enter but it is testimony to the WA Government, Motorsport Australia and event promoter Targa West, that we can race at all.”

The Make Smoking History Targa South West tarmac rally begins tomorrow at 8am and will be raced on closed-road special stages in and around Manjimup, Pemberton and Northcliffe.

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