It's early, but still worth a thread. The 2014 Targa Newfoundland runs 14-19 Sep 2014 but the site is already inviting Early Bird registration. I imagine this is a long shot, but maybe there's someone here who's had the itch for years to run the Targa and might like to contact this guy (snipped from the Targa Newfoundland FB page). Anyone tempted?
Apparently the Flyin' Miata team made a documentary film of their experience on the Targa. Here's the blurb (preview video below). [ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QjJFjBMnx_I]Racing The Rock: 6 Days at Targa Newfoundland preview - YouTube[/ame] Flyin' Miata 1 800 FLY MX5s
Been a huge fan of this Targa. Would love to race it myself! But I'm having a hard time finding resources around costs and planning.
One of the entrants. Car #1333 - 2013 MINI GP - Driver: John Hume Sr., Ontario, Canada - Co-driver: Craig MacMullen, Nova Scotia, Canada. Grand Touring Entry.
And another! Car #803 - 2006 MINI Cooper S JCW - Driver: Doug Mepham, Ontario, Canada - Co-Driver: John Solecki, Ontario, Canada. Targa Entry.
Another MINI, no pic of this one yet though. "New entry! Car #1334 - 2006 MINI GP - Driver: Cody Morch, ON, Canada. Co-Driver: Nicole Troster, ON, Canada. Grand Touring Entry."
I met a couple of Mini racers that run their classic in the Targa at the Mid Ohio vintage race. They encourage all of us to come up and either race or watch.
Day 1 report: For immediate release Tight competition on Leg 1 of Targa Newfoundland 2014 CLARENVILLE (September 15, 2014) - As the excitement of the day finally subsides, the results at the end of the Lucas Oil North East Avalon Leg 1 of competition shows some surprising rookies at the top of Grand Touring, a returning team in Classic wanting to redeem themselves after engine issues last year, and a couple of 5 way ties in both Modern and Open divisions of the Targa. The Grand Touring, Equipped leaders are the surprise story so far. The 2015 Nissan Micra SR M/T co-driven by Keri Potipcoe and Michel Crepault, who are both auto journalist selected by the Nissan backed factory team to be the team for that entry, are showing poise and handling the early pressure of the time-distance-speed calculation aspect of the division. They have a 4 second lead over Targa veterans of John Hume Sr. and Craig MacMullen in their 2013 Mini GP, who will certainly be pressuring the rookies in the coming days to see if they’ll crack and give up the lead. The Grand Touring, Unequipped leader is the brother team of Geoff and Lester Pike, who are members of the ‘Racing with the Reverend’ entry. Their 2014 Scion FR-S is showing great handling and is standing up to what the Newfoundland weather can throw at it with the wet conditions on the stages. They currently have a 9 second lead over their teammates, so bragging rights are currently on the line between the teams. In the Classic division, the 1965 Ford Mustang of Americans Jack Rogers and CJ Strupp are on top with a 16 second lead over the local entry of Edison and Marg-o Wiltshire in their 1977 Porsche 911. The American team had to retire mid-event last year due to engine failure, so they are hoping for a much better result in the 2014 event. The first ever pickup truck in Targa is also in the division, with the Ontario team of Mark Bovey and Miles Markovic in their 1971 GMC 1500 in 3rd. The bad luck award goes to the 1959 Corvette of the Brown brothers, who went off the stage in Conception Harbour/Colliers in the morning. No injuries to the crew, but the car did suffer front end damage that did not allow them to complete any other stages on the day. They will however, be at the start line Tuesday morning as the car has since been repaired. Modern division has a 5 way tie at the top after Leg 1. The entries of Hume Jr./Crant, Jullian/Andrews, Oldford/Oldford, Mepham/Solecki, and Hartling/Proudfoot are all at the top. That will certainly change after tomorrow’s northern Burin Peninsula stages. Another eyebrow raiser is the 5 way tie at the top of the Open division. With 2 all rookie teams (Stewart/Smith and Knott/Knott) along with 3 veteran teams with at least a couple Targa’s under their belts (Rittenhouse/Laitenberger, Davenport/Benson, and Atkinson/Corbett), the mixture of savvy young guns against the wise, capable veterans will be a great storyline to watch in the coming days. The City Tire/Goodyear North Burin Leg 2 on Tuesday will certainly spread out the teams in all of the divisions. The mixture of short, tight stages mixed with the longer, spread out routes will give the entries chances to show their stuff and get some distance on their rivals. A favorite area for Targa Newfoundland, the northern Burin stages will certainly be an exciting day for the volunteers and the teams involved. Owned and operated by Newfoundland International Motorsports Limited, Targa Newfoundland is one of three internationally recognized Targa motorsports events in the world. The 2014 competition will start in St. John’s on September 14 and concludes back in the capital on September 19. The annual rally will cover more than 1,550 kilometres of the challenging, twisty roads of the central and eastern portion of Newfoundland, including 430 kilometres of closed-road, flat-out Targa stages.
Day 2 (Tue) report: For immediate release Northern Burin stages allow for movement in the standings of Targa Newfoundland CLARENVILLE (September 16, 2014) - The City Tire & Auto/Goodyear North Burin Leg Two of the 2014 Targa Newfoundland concluded today after mechanical failure and penalties caused heartbreak for some teams and lost chances of obtaining a Targa plate at the end of the event. Several teams ran into mechanical issues on the first stage of the morning. The 2009 Subaru STI of the New Brunswick team of Randy Wheaton and Andy MacNeil ran into serious engine issues that may have taken them totally out of the event. The Targa division entry is attending their first event and was hoping for a much better outcome. Instead, a long night of engine work will be in their future. Also having mechanical issues was the 1999 Honda Civic of the Ontario/Quebec team of Peter Andrews and Michel Jullian. After nursing their car throughout today’s stages, they have successfully completed repairs tonight and are expected to compete at a higher level on tomorrow’s Leg 3. Several other teams also had minor issues that were dealt with, resulting in an array of missed stages or just minor delays in getting to the start line. All of those teams will be back in action in the morning. After the results of today’s Leg 2, the Grand Touring, Equipped division looks extremely different from yesterdays. The veteran team of John Hume Sr. and Craig MacMullen in their 2013 Mini GP have taken the lead by 4 seconds over their teammates of Nicole Troster and Cody Morch, who are driving a 2006 Mini GP. Former leaders of Keri Potipcoe and Michel Crepault in their 2015 Nissan Micra SR M/T have fallen to 7th in the standings after multiple stages with penalties that have taken them 42 seconds behind the leaders. The Grand Touring, Unequipped also had a lead change with Reverend Canon David Burrows and Jason Fancey in their 2014 Scion Tc overtaking their teammates of the ‘Racing with the Reverend’ team of Geoff and Lester Pike. In the Classic division of Targa, Mark Bovey and Miles Markovic of Ontario have moved up into 2nd place in their 1971 GMC 1500 pickup truck. The 1965 Mustang of Indiana natives Jack Rogers and CJ Strupp are still in the lead and look to be settling in for the week at that position. Modern division is now a three car fight at the top, with the spot being shared by the 2004 BMW M3 of John Hume Jr. of Ontario and Justin Crant of Newfoundland, the 2004 Subaru WRX STI of Newfoundland natives and father/son team Brian and Matthew Oldford, and the 2006 Lotus Exige of Stan Hartling of the Turks and Caicos and Newfoundland native Andy Proudfoot. All teams have no penalties and seem to be at the top of their game for preparation and intensity while on the stages. The fight will continue as the next couple of Legs are 10 and 11 stages in length, respectively. In Open, it is still a five way tie for 1st, as those teams start to pull away from the remaining Open division competitors. As usual, with the double-digit stages over the next couple of days, it’ll certainly create some separation amongst the top teams in the division. Leg 3 on Wednesday will certainly bring with it a lot of attention, with several of the new stages to the Targa schedule coming into play on the day. Many competitors have never been on the roads of that portion the Bonavista Peninsula before, adding a touch of suspense to the already increasing pressure on the teams looking to place well for a Targa plate. The Eastlink South Bonavista Leg will certainly be one to watch. Owned and operated by Newfoundland International Motorsports Limited, Targa Newfoundland is one of three internationally recognized Targa motorsports events in the world. The 2014 competition will start in St. John’s on September 14 and concludes back in the capital on September 19. The annual rally will cover more than 1,550 kilometres of the challenging, twisty roads of the central and eastern portion of Newfoundland, including 430 kilometres of closed-road, flat-out Targa stages.