News
An eye for Targa (Sun City News)
18 August 2011
Perth businessman, Lancelin resident and targa enthusiast, Kym Illman, has succumbed to family pressure to dress up his Mitsubishi Evo 9 for Quit Targa West to start on Thursday, 25th August.
Click here to read full article.
Rude Evo Revs Race Officials Wrong Way
27 April 2010
Well known ambush marketer and Perth businessman Kym Illman has incurred the wrath of Targa Tasmania officials after signage on his car was deemed obscene.
Illman is the man responsible for the big Messages On Hold hands behind the goals at West Coast Eagles matches. However, it soon became clear Targa officials weren't impressed with one sign on the front of the Messages On Hold Evo 9 which Kym is piloting around Tasmania this week.
"I didn't think anyone would notice the sign let alone deem it obscene but clearly I was wrong" said Illman. “Luckily I brought with me some other cheeky, although not quite as controversial options so I'll see how they go."
Click here to see what offended the officials.
Illman Looks Healthy
Andrew Van Leeuwen
7 April 2010
Kym Illman will tackle the gruelling Targa Tasmania later this month.
The West Australian businessman, who is becoming a regular on the tarmac rally scene, will have a slightly different line-up for this event, with Antonia Spiers unable to make the event as navigator.
Instead, anther (sic) West Australian co-driver will take the role, Stirling Hammersley sitting alongside Illman for the five-day event.
Hammersley is the former co-driver of Daryl Sosa, and Illman has been preparing himself by doing some driver training with former V8 Utes champion Grant Johnson.
Click here for full article.
Targa West Competitor Prepares For Crash
31 July 2009
Messages On Hold Executive Chairman Kym Illman is a tireless marketer, his company’s logos pop up everywhere. There is, however, one Messages On Hold logo he hopes you’ll never see – the one on the underside of his Mitsubishi race car.
Clearly Illman has little faith in his driving abilities as he's affixed a large Messages On Hold logo on the fuel tank which will only be seen if the car ends up on its side or roof in QUIT Targa West.
Illman is entering his Evo 9 in this year’s event (Perth, Aug 20 – 23), the same car his team drove to 6th in the Bathurst 12 Hour event earlier in the year.
A two-time winner in the Challenge section (max. speed 130km/hr), this year Illman is stepping up to the Competition category where there are no speed limits and roll cages are mandatory.
"These roads are frightening and with speeds reaching 230 km/hr, there’s always a chance of coming to grief, so I thought I’d cover all bases." admits Illman. "In rallying you have to either win or crash to make it on to the tele and I have no chance of winning this year and every chance of crashing."
“This is completely out of character for me, but I have my fingers crossed that no one spots this logo.” says Illman.
Kym will gladly provide you with further information – call him direct on 0418 916 793
See www.targawest.com.au for details of the event.
WA TEAM IN TOP TEN OF BATHURST
22 February 2009
Three blown tyres, a spinout and a damaged diff were not enough to stop the Messages On Hold Racing Mitsubishi Evo 9 from a top ten finish in the 2009 Bathurst 12 hour.
The team’s drivers, Kerry Wade, Steve Jones and Aaron Caratti started from fifteenth, but by the seven-hour mark had wrestled their way up to fourth place.
Keeping the pressure on some of the more seasoned racing teams they piloted the Evo 9 into a final 6th position from a field of 48 starters.
The result is even more surprising given it was the all-Western Australian team’s first ever attempt at the 12-hour endurance race, and not one of the drivers had competed in the 12-hour previously.
Steve Jones, who had never set foot on the hallowed Bathurst track, posted the fastest time of the three team drivers in qualifying.
The 6th place surprised many of the pundits given the shoestring budget the team had to work with.
“With doubts about the brakes being able to last the 12 hours, the drivers had to go easy on them.” said MOH Racing Team owner Kym Illman. "The boys nursed the car around all day and when the first blow out damaged the centre diff, the car became even more of a handful."
Aaron Caratti had a hairy spin at the top of the mountain, narrowly avoiding other cars and rolling back into a tyre wall, causing some superficial bumper damage.
The support of Tyrepower, Ivan Pavlovic & Assoc, Hipwood Constructions and Western United Transport got the Mitsubishi Evo 9 to the track, with the drivers doing the rest to achieve this impressive final result.
For the complete list of placings in the Bathurst 12-Hour Endurance Race, please click on the link below.
http://www.bathurstmotorfestival.com.au/live_results.asp
TEAM BIO
34 year old Kerry Wade is the "elder statesman" of the trio. Kerry has raced HQ Holdens and V8 Supercars at Bathurst and is regarded as one of Perth's best and most consistent circuit races. "12 hours is a heck of a long time to race a car round a track, let alone a track as unforgiving as Bathurst. I don't think Kym (MOH Racing team owner) has any idea what he's got himself in for, but he'll find out quick enough." jokes Kerry.
Of late, Kerry is perhaps best remembered by the general public as "the guy who rolled his car down that hill." Competing in the 2008 Targa West, Kerry diced with death on the treacherous Zig Zag stage, coming off at speed and rolling his car several times before coming to an abrupt halt. "Friends from all over the country were calling me to say they'd seen me on TV, it was on every news bulletin within hours." he said. "It happened so quickly. The rear hit the uphill bank and threw the vehicle across the road and down the hill. When I saw the vision I couldn't help thinking 'what a girl I am'."
Aaron Caratti will be well known to followers of the Carerra Cup series after a successful season that saw him with a number of podium finishes. 28 year old Aaron has been racing for a decade now and has experienced Bathurst on 3 occasions. He is clearly excited by the change from a 2 wheel drive Porsche to a 4 wheel drive Mitsubishi. "The Evo is such a forgiving vehicle." he declares. "I reckon we'll not only end up on pole, but with a modicum of luck, we'll be on the winner's podium come Sunday evening. It's a bold call but one we can back up!"
Interestingly Aaron won the 2003 WA Street Car Championships at Barbagallo Raceway, beating runner up and fellow driver Kerry Wade he adds.
24 year old Steve Jones' is the baby of the team. He has a long racing history dating back to his days as a teenage WA State Go-kart champion. Over the past few years, he's focussed on motorkhanas, supersprints and tarmac rallies. His recent Targa West win over the likes of Jim Richards, Tony Longhurst and Alistair McRae has catapulted him into the motorsport spotlight. "I'm a bit of a loose canon." he claims. "I love going fast although I admit anything can happen."
Steve learnt a lot from his late father, Warren Jones. "Dad was the team manager for Australia 2 when it snatched the America's Cup in 1983." he explains. "He managed the crew, getting them into peak mental and physical shape. He was a perfectionist just like me."
Whilst Steve is the only driver on the team not to have driven the Mount Panorama circuit, he's certainly not frightened by it. "I pick up circuits quickly and love the thrill of door-to-door racing action. It's been some years since I've done it but it'll be a thrill to return to this style of motorsport."