A local Whitianga resident Mike started out in motorsport as a member of the Hamilton Car Club in 1987 aged 17and began competing in club hill climbs and sprints driving a 1300 Mini.
In 1991 Mike entered his first rally in his Hillman Avenger and competed throughout the 1990s on gravel and tarmac rallies.
In 2000 Mike began competing in Targa and continued until 2007, where he achieved first overall classic at Targa Rotorua and third overall classic in the main event. Mike competed in last year’s Leadfoot Festival after eight years break from motorsport and spent most of the weekend trying to knock the rust off and get up to speed. His intention this year is to improve on his best time of 60.3 seconds and feature in the top 10 classics.
Mike Vincent - 1973 Hillman Avenger
A local Whitianga resident Mike started out in motorsport as a member of the Hamilton Car Club in 1987 aged 17and began competing in club hill climbs and sprints driving a 1300 Mini.
In 1991 Mike entered his first rally in his Hillman Avenger and competed throughout the 1990s on gravel and tarmac rallies.
In 2000 Mike began competing in Targa and continued until 2007, where he achieved first overall classic at Targa Rotorua and third overall classic in the main event. Mike competed in last year’s Leadfoot Festival after eight years break from motorsport and spent most of the weekend trying to knock the rust off and get up to speed. His intention this year is to improve on his best time of 60.3 seconds and feature in the top 10 classics.
1973 Hillman Avenger:
This 1973 Hillman Avenger has been owned, developed and campaigned by Mike in regional, national and Targa rallies since 1992. Rolling it in the second stage of his first rally, Mike learnt quickly what it meant to own and run a rally car, with many countless hours spent with his team of supporters. Revenga has been improved and upgraded continuously over the 25 years that Mike has owned it and is currently in group 2 specification. It runs a 2 litre Brazilian engine that produces 200 flywheel horsepower through a tilton twinplate clutch and alloy Quaife 5 speed gearbox to Escort LSD rear end. The car weighs 900kgs in rally trim and has Bilstein suspension. Its Series 5 Mazda RX7 brakes take care of the stopping duties.