Victorian navigator Ian Johnston, 27 lost his life during the 1996 Targa Tasmania - The Ultimate Tarmac Rally, a very fast rally reserved to classic, historic and modern GT and sportscars, divided into many different classes, which was held from 16 to 21 Aprile 1996.
During the last stage of the fourth day near Riana, in northwestern Tasmania, red Mazda MX5 #947 driven by Simon Gerraty, also from the state of Victoria, Australia, went out of control along the Upper Natone Road and struck a power pole. Co-driver Ian Johnston suffered injuries from which he died. Simon Gerraty survived the crash.
The accident happened on Saturday, 20 April 1996, the day was wet and the roads were quite slippery in places. Winners of the 1996 Targa Tasmania were Jim Richards-Barry Oliver in a Porsche. The event was part of the 1995-1996 Australian Targa Championship.
This was the first fatality in the Targa Tasmania since the rally began in 1992. Seven years later, the experienced driver John Mansell, 71, lost his life during the opening stage of the event, near Deloraine in northern Tasmania, on 17 April 2013. But there have been several other fatal accidents in the Australian Targa Championship races, throughout Australia, most notably when the international racing legend Peter Brock was killed in Western Australia on 08 September 2006.
R.I.P
