Brendan ready for 2011 competitive debut

Brendan will make his 2011 competitive debut next week when he competes in Targa Wrest Point. Driving for Mazda Motorsport, Brendan is looking forward to getting back behind the wheel of the Mazda3 MPS for round 2 of the Australian Targa Championship (ATC).

Back in November, in round 1 of the ATC, Targa High Country, Brendan showed impressive pace in the Mazda and was leading his class by over four minutes before damaging the car when he ran off the road, resulting in his retirement from the rally.

“The Mazda3 MPS was running perfectly at Targa High Country and we were really enjoying our ride, so it was very disappointing not to finish the event,” Brendan said.  “I am aiming to make amends for that in Tasmania and am really looking forward to Targa Wrest Point.”

Tasmanian Simon Vandenberg will call the pace notes for Brendan during the event.  Regular co-driver, Rhianon Smyth, will miss the tarmac event as she recovers from an operation this week to remove a pin from her leg. Whilst disappointed to be missing the rally, Rhianon has heeded doctor’s advice to sit out the event until her leg is fully healed.

Vandenberg is an experienced co-driver having claimed numerous Tasmanian Rally Championships, and his knowledge of the roads around Hobart will no doubt be beneficial to the team.

Targa Wrest Point starts in Hobart on January 29 and finishes the following day after 208 kilometres of tarmac stages.  The Mazda Motorsport Team of Brendan Reeves and Simon Vandenberg will contest the Showroom Class.