If you want to run the Targa Newfoundland, get out and do it.

Keith's Wilwoods from an early version of the Targa Miata are alive and well on my current miata!

Yes, b'y! 

I'll say this:  If you want to SEE the Targa Newfoundland, get out and do it.

I was there for the 2011 event, and had a blast.  You have to pick certain stages to see so you can beat the circus there.  I had Newfie friends carting me around - Thanks! - and introducing me to the Rock.  I can't thank them enough. 

In reply to Keith Tanner :

I still have my T shirt and DVD.

I honestly thought this event had been canceled ... until I saw I post on FB from Randy Pobst on Day 1 of this year's event. I don't think it was well advertised, which might be why the entries were so light. 

It was better advertised on FB this year than it has ever been - in terms of actual posts, not paid advertising. But, like everything else on FB, you only see what the algorithm decides to show you. Even Randy was posting about it before Day 1. 

OK. I've been wanting to do this event since my friend Judd did it back in the day with his '66 Acadian. I now live in Eastern Canada (PEI to be exact) It's not that far. I have a Westfield Super Seven that would be a blast in the Targa! The full Targa is out of the budget, but the Targa Bambino is doable. The Westie could be ready for this, even though it's now in a hundred parts in my garage. I'm thinking seriously about this now. Thanks for this Kieth.

Cheers

Phil

Here's a pic of the 7 in a regional AutoX. Before I blew it up. And yes, it's RHD.

Judd was still racing the Acadian when I first went in 2008. And there's been a Caterham in the event  before - do it! And post lots of pictures :)

Bumping this from the (almost) dead. New year, so time to set up a bucket list right?

I think I learned of this event in 2014 or so, and thought it was the coolest thing. It's definitely a little steep to enter, but yolo? I have a caged car...just need the funds. Or maybe someone wants to go halfsies!

Hey Keith,

Thanks for the update/promo for this event.

Your video production for this video is first rate.

You guys should do more of this!

Thanks again,

Rog

slantvaliant (Forum Supporter) said:

Yes, b'y! 

I'll say this:  If you want to SEE the Targa Newfoundland, get out and do it.

I was there for the 2011 event, and had a blast.  You have to pick certain stages to see so you can beat the circus there.  I had Newfie friends carting me around - Thanks! - and introducing me to the Rock.  I can't thank them enough. 

 

You how if you say Ted Hitchcock real fast it sounds like.... 

I haven't thought all that much about this event since I watched the video many years back.  All of a sudden I'm mapping it out and realizing in the scheme of things it isn't THAT far from my home in CT.

Well here I am down a rabbithole...

This is another great video showing a little of the course etc:

https://youtu.be/5YvuHbf0cIk?si=mSE93N7vS_xMXR3L

Just try to avoid being the guy in the Enzo....

For those of you who have done it: what kind of support/crew do you need? Looks like at a 24-hr tow from NYC, which is a LONG ways away if something were to go wrong!

In reply to LanEvo :

My first year, support was my 2000 Tundra driven by my parents. I did all the work on the car, they took care of grabbing food and schlepping bags and meeting us between stages. I had a trailer parked in St John's. Doesn't really matter how long a drive it is to get to the start line, you're not really going to go home for repairs or parts. 

Second time, we had one truck supporting two cars and five support crew - mostly because I had a lot of people who wanted to come along :) Four of them were basically spectators. Again, the drivers were the primary mechanics. 

Here's one of our service stops the first year. I was adjusting ride height in the rear. I'd called my parental support crew ahead of time so they were set up at the side of the road with the jackstands. Everything we had with us - including luggage - is in the truck. You also have the overnight stops where you can work in a slightly more controlled environment - usually a hockey rink.

The other teams are really supportive. If you need help, they'll give it.  The first year, there was one particular Mini that was...troublesome. All the other Little British Car teams banded together and vowed to get it to the finish. They did, including an engine swap from another Mini that had ended a stage upside down and was out of the race.

Hoppps said:

Just try to avoid being the guy in the Enzo....

 

Good tires, but certainly not great tires ...

Or something like that.

Also let me just say to anyone here if you need support crew please let me know!

I might be crazy enough to try and do it myself but would also love to go spectate and wrench.

Don't enable me to get stupid by making posts like "support crew."  What about navigator?  That's one I don't have and would clearly need.  

I'm very close to pulling the trigger for 2024. But it's a LONG tow for me and I still don't have any support/crew.

Keith Tanner said:

In reply to LanEvo :

My first year, support was my 2000 Tundra driven by my parents. I did all the work on the car, they took care of grabbing food and schlepping bags and meeting us between stages. I had a trailer parked in St John's. Doesn't really matter how long a drive it is to get to the start line, you're not really going to go home for repairs or parts. 

Second time, we had one truck supporting two cars and five support crew - mostly because I had a lot of people who wanted to come along :) Four of them were basically spectators. Again, the drivers were the primary mechanics. 

Here's one of our service stops the first year. I was adjusting ride height in the rear. I'd called my parental support crew ahead of time so they were set up at the side of the road with the jackstands. Everything we had with us - including luggage - is in the truck. You also have the overnight stops where you can work in a slightly more controlled environment - usually a hockey rink.

The other teams are really supportive. If you need help, they'll give it.  The first year, there was one particular Mini that was...troublesome. All the other Little British Car teams banded together and vowed to get it to the finish. They did, including an engine swap from another Mini that had ended a stage upside down and was out of the race.

Everything about this post mirrors what crewing and specta-participating is like for most amateurs in stage rallies in the US.  If you're curious about the targa, put a local us stage event on your calendar to check out.   There's always GRM folks floating around somewhere at one, too. Look for orange dogs 

It surprises me that the types of people would would race say a 911 GT3 in a series wouldn't be all over targa. Pay to have everything shipped fly for the week. Or the one lap types.