Martin Dippie is staring down the barrel of 807km of flat-tack driving over 34 closed special stages, linked by 1828km of touring, when the six-day Targa South Island begins on Monday.
Is he nervous?
Worried?
Frantically making last-minute preparations?
Short answer, no.
''We are all set to go,'' Dippie said.
''My usual preparation is very relaxed.''
He has replaced the tyres on his faithful Porsche GT3 RS, which carried him to overall victory in last year's North Island-based Targa.
His co-driver, Jona Grant, will again call the directions, and Dunedin mechanics Roy Turner and his son, Rhys, join up with a couple of Dippie's ''old uni mates'' to form the service crew.
After taking a surprise win last year over the generally faster four-wheel-drives - the first year in the past seven that the overall win has gone to a two-wheel-drive car - Dippie has scaled back his aims, planning to take his Porsche to the head of the Modern 2WD class by event end next Saturday.
Going into the gruelling event ''in a good space of mind'' was important, as alternating the intense concentration needed when hammering through the special stages with long bouts of touring was mentally and physically draining, Dippie said.
One of his main category rivals will be Auckland's Clark Proctor, who will contest this year's 20th anniversary Targa event in his Ford Escort, which has undergone a complete nut-and-bolt rebuild.
Kaiapoi's Marcus van Klink will also be setting the pace driving a genuine ex-works Citroen S1600 ''Junior WRC'' car.
In the same class is Queenstown's Grant Aitken, who insists he is ''going for a week's holiday''.
His entry is the ''not very modified'' Toyota TR86 he has raced in the South Island Endurance Series and his co-driver will be Highlands Motorsport Park's secretary Caroline Cullimore.
Another Otago entry is Queenstown lawyer Ron Mackersy, with Dunedin-based son Tim calling the notes.
Mackersy competed in Targa between 2000 and 2005 and has a record he wishes to maintain in his Peugeot 106.
''I have done it [Targa] five times before and finished five times, so I hope to do the same,'' he said.
In the modern 4WD category, competition will be fierce among the 23 drivers.
Hoping to win his sixth Targa crown will be Highlands Motorsport Park owner Tony Quinn.
He has the machinery to do so at his disposal, having recently taken ownership of a brand-new, 449kW, 5.2-litre, V10-engined Lamborghini Huracan.
Quinn has picked the highly modified entries as his stiffest competition.
These include two-time Targa Rotorua winner Leigh Hopper in his Subaru WRX; rally specialist Glenn Inkster in a Mitsubishi Evo 8; and Jason Gill, who led the 2013 Targa until the last day when his Evo 9 retired with engine failure.
The public can see the competitor's cars, plus the non-competitive Targa Tour entrants, parked up in Dunedin at Forsyth Barr Stadium on Tuesday and Wednesday nights from 5.30pm to 7pm.
Targa South Island
TUESDAY
Oamaru
• Special stage 5 (Gum Tree, 19.01km, road closure 1pm-4.45pm): Starts on Gum Tree Flat Rd then takes a left into Waikakahi Valley Rd, a right into Pikes Point Rd then a final left into Cock and Hen Rd. View each end (west and east) of Pikes Point Rd and also at intersection with Gum Tree Flat and Waikakahi Valley Rds.
• Special stage 6 (North Oamaru, 17.49km, road closure 1.45pm-5.45pm): Starts on Horse Gully Rd and takes in Oamaru Creek Rd and Devils Bridge Rd and finishes on Ardgowan Rd. View at the intersection of Horse Gully Rd and Oamaru Creek Rd.
• Special stage 7 (Kia Ora, 9.99km, road closure 2.45pm-6.45pm): Starts on Cormacks-Kia Ora Rd then turns into Roundhill Rd then Kieleys Rd. Watch from the intersection of Round Hill Rd and Kieleys Rd.
WEDNESDAY
Dunedin
• Special stage 9 (Mt Cargill, 13.68km, road closure 7.45am-12pm): Starts on North Rd before moving into Mt Cargill Rd and heading downhill to Waitati. Access mid-stage using Blueskin or Green Rds or Waitati Valley Rd and Green Rd.
THURSDAY
Dunedin
• Special stage 18 (Larnach, 11.21km, road closure 9am-1.30pm): Starts Highcliff Rd, along the top of the Otago Peninsula ridge before dropping into Seaton Rd. Watch from the intersection of Highcliff Rd and Camp Rd.
• Special stage 21 (Catlins, 44.69km, road closure 2.15pm-7pm): Starts on the Papatowai Highway and finishes at the intersection of the Niagara-Tokanui Highway. View from Maclennan settlement of the cars traversing the Papatowai Hill.
FRIDAY
East Gore
• Special stage 25 (Moa Flat, north to south, 42.84km, road closure 10.15am-6pm): View from Edievale Rd's intersection with McCutcheon Rd.
• Special stage 26 (Maitland/Chatton, 16.75km, road closure 1pm-5.30pm): View at intersection of East and North Chatton Rds.
• Special stage 28 (Moa Flat, south to north, 42.84km, road closure 10.15am-6pm): View Edievale Rd intersection with McCutcheon Rd.
SATURDAY
Queenstown
• Special stages 29 and 31 (Crown Range to Cardrona, 23.69km, road closure 7.25am-1pm): Head to summit car park before the road closure. Stay there and watch the cars return for a second run over the stage. Stage finishes at the Cardrona Hotel.
