Robert Skase, Leading Fire Fighter at Wangaratta Fire Brigade, assures us, however, that CFA had nothing to do with a current rumour going around Targa circles that a windscreen repair man was flown in by helicopter to fit a new windscreen.
Robert shared the real story, which goes as follows:
"As the cars marshalled for the staggered start of stage 4, one driver asked if anyone knew a windscreen repairer, and - since he did not have any mobile phone coverage - could they put in a call on his behalf," Robert says.
“Fortunately Whitfield members Jamie Newton, Franco Corsini, Andrew Boyd & Doug Groom were all on the case. Franco said he knew a guy in Wangaratta, and got right on to the guys from North East Windscreen repairs. (It is important to note here the car involved was a 1971 LJ GTR XU1 Torana!)
“Under the watchful eye of the CFA crew, the driver & navigator had lunch, re-fuelled , and were just returning to the start line when the windscreen repair man fortunately drove right past them,” he said.
"The windscreen man turned around and followed them to the start of the next stage. When they stopped, he pulled up beside them and started to fit a new windscreen for them on the side of the road.
“He completed the job in record time and driver and navigator went off on their merry way, on time for the start of the stage,” he said.
“But as it happens, a Targa High Country photographer who took some shots of the repair, then realised there was a helicopter in the background of the shot. Hence the rumour that the man was flown in by helicopter to get the job done!
"You know what they say: 'never let the truth get in the way of a good story,'" says Robert.
The Targa High Country event, held on the weekend of 4-6 November 2011, involved some 150 plus competitors in cars ranging from a 1948 FX Holden, 1955 Fiat Abarth 750 & a 1962 Ford Anglia, all the way through the years to a 2011 Volkswagen Golf & a 2011 Lamborghini Gallardo Super Trofeo. All vehicles raced on closed roads around the Mt Buller,
50 Volunteers from 11 local brigades supported the event, along with three full-time staff from District 23 and the Wangaratta Fire Station.
Robert says that aside from the windscreen replacement "it was almost entirely trouble free - though one competitor rolled his car on stage 14, with only minor injuries sustained by Driver and Navigator."
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