Porsche Racing History Honoured at 2003
Targa Newfoundland Rally Program
(April 2003) The colourful history and
timeless mystique of decades of venerable
Porsche racing cars will be honoured at the
second annual Targa Newfoundland international
rally for historic, classic and modern sporting
cars, event organizers have announced.
photo: Randy Dawe
photography
"In recognition of their terrific support of
our event in our first year and their storied
racing past, Porsche will be the Honoured Marque
for the 2003 Targa Newfoundland," announced
rally organizer Bob Giannou.
Six of the nearly 40 cars entered in the
inaugural Targa Newfoundland rally were Porsche
models, including a 2002 Porsche 911 Targa model
entered in the touring class by Porsche Cars of
North America, Inc. Porsche cars were crowd
favourites with the thousands of fans who lined
the route of the 2002 event.
In addition to a special tribute to Porsche
cars at the event, organizers will offer a
discounted entry to members of the Porsche Club
of North America, Giannou said.
Porsche has a long history in Targa events.
The German manufacturer won no less than 11
victories in the famous Targa Florio race in
Italy, the event that gave its name to the
current style of long-distance rally
competition. Popular Porsche wins in the Targa
Florio included the company's fifth victory, in
1964, in the legendary 904 Carrera GTS Coupé
just five months after its debut, and a
compelling win in the final Targa Florio in 1973
(911 Carrera RS). Porsche has been the dominant
manufacturer for the past five years at the
Targa Tasmania event in Australia.
"We hope to start a tradition of recognizing
the great companies in racing," Giannou said,
"and there is no better place to start than with
Porsche - a company recognized for its rich
history and its consistently high level of
achievement today. We have been in touch with
Porsche owners around the continent and we hope
they join us for Targa 2003, either as
competitors or as fans. It will be a
celebration!"
The 2003 version of Targa Newfoundland will
again be a six-day, 2,000-plus kilometre
automobile adventure for the owners of historic,
classic and modern sporting cars from around the
world. This year's event will start and finish
in St. John's and run September 13 through
September 21.
Last year, competitors from Australia, the
U.S. and Canada crisscrossed eastern and central
Newfoundland in the first Targa-style rally in
North America. Patterned after the successful
Targa Tasmania (Australia) and Targa New Zealand
events, Targa Newfoundland was created to
provide the owners of these pedigree machines
the opportunity to drive them the way they were
intended to be driven, safely and in the spirit
of goodwill and good competition.
Targa Newfoundland is owned and organized by
Newfoundland International Motorsports and is
sanctioned by the Canadian Association of
Rallysport (CARS). Targa Newfoundland 2003 is
listed on the FIA calendar.
Information: Website:
www.targanewfoundland.com
Newfoundland International Motorsports Ltd.
Ph +1 709 722 2413 Fax +1 709 722 1116
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