Targa
Newfoundland Web Site set-up story
by
Jim Kenzie
The
first, next-year-it-will-be-annual Targa Newfoundland takes place next week, and
you will be able to follow the progress on The Star’s web site by logging on
to www.thestar.com/Wheels.
Doug
Mepham, local PR wizard and owner/driver of a brilliant rally-prepped 1971 Volvo
142 S two-door sedan, once again will entrust the naviguessing chores to yours
truly. We’ll report daily in words and pictures to the web site on our
adventures, and those of other competitors as well.
When
we’re not tightening bolts and replacing tires, that is...
For
those who have missed our previous stories on this remarkable and unique event,
the Targa Newfoundland is a six-day performance car rally, primarily but not
exclusively designed for vintage cars. It is modelled after the famously
successful Targa Tasmania, which has just completed its twelfth year.
Rounds
of parties, official appearances and press demo rides take place this weekend.
Monday, it’s the “Prologue” - a short stage through the streets of St.
John’s to “seed” the field in order of approximate speed.
Tuesday
through Saturday will take us through about one fourth of Canada’s island
province, over a total of some 2,400 km of paved public roads in the eastern and
central parts of the island of Newfoundland, specifically the Avalon, Bonavista
and Burin peninsulas.
It
will all come out a, um, “screeching” halt with the awards banquet Sunday
evening.
About
60 vehicles are entered in this first event. This is lower than organizers
originally hoped for - it is the first such event ever attempted in North
America, although the format has been a “hit-for-six” in Australia and New
Zealand, and many potential North American competitors are taking a wait-and-see
approach.
Also,
some American entrants just realized that September 16 - the starting date - is
a few days after September 11, so there have been a few last-minute
cancellations.
Their
loss...
The
Aussies know how much fun this sort of thing is - five teams are making the trek
up from Down Under, and that’s about as far away from Newfoundland as you can
get and still be on this planet.
The
famed Newfoundland hospitality is bound to make this an event to remember - and
there will only ever be one “first ever” Targa Newfoundland...
If
you are reading this, chances are you are not entered in this year’s event.
We
hope our daily reports will whet your appetite for next year.
“Lard
t’undrerin’ Jaysus, byes, we’ll be havin’ a foine toime...”
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...return to Targa Newfoundland Index page