In September, 2002  the Community of Placentia and Argentia will be welcoming aboard more then  600  rally cars from around the world.  Argentia will be the entrance and exit points for all vehicles and teams coming to this wonderful province.  The Joseph and Clara Smallwood will be the transportation means for the many vehicles, drivers and teams.  This portion of the province will be greatly effected by the event through economic and tourism benefits.  The Telegram spoke to Bob Giannou on the economic benefits of the race and his thoughts were "the nine day event could pump as much as $9 million into the provincial economy during the typically slow fall shoulder of the tourist season."

Background On Targa Rallies
The original event, the Targa Florida, was run on the island of Sicily for some years as a road race. "Targa" means "late" in Italian. It was special, as the cars did not compete one against the other but competed time against time, with cars being  started in intervals. In 1990 the concept was re-developed by a group of enterprising motor enthusiasts in the Australian island state of Tasmania. This group restructured the event, using automobiles from another era and combined the "Targa" speed concept where the competitors compete on closed public roads with a "Touring" concept where cars compete on public roads within the normal legal road regulations.  The main organizer of the event, Bob Giannou, a promoter of the motor sport industry and Newfoundland International Motor Sports Co. owner, was able to bring the Formula 2 Championship to Newfoundland in 1976.  He has experience in the procedure and running of such a large event.

Brief overview of Targa Newfoundland
The Targa Newfoundland rally race is the first and only event of its kind to be held in North America. It is an annual event and forms a 2400 km long, high quality automotive adventure. It is held over a nine day period in September on the paved roads of the eastern and central parts of Newfoundland, specifically on the Avalon, Bonavista, and Burin peninsulas.  This event and its organizers are planning on making this an annual event for the province.  This looks great for both the Province of Newfoundland and the organizers of the event. The event allows the owners of historic, classic and modern sporting motor vehicles to drive them the way they were designed to be driven. In the event each vehicle competes against itself on a handicap basis as well as against other vehicles. The competition is for Targa plates which every competitor can win. Unlike other car rallies,  this one does not have any monetary prize; just the experience and the recognition of skill plus a trophy for their efforts.

The Newfoundland International Group of St. Johns, has obtained the support of the Government of Newfoundland and Labrador to develop the Targa Newfoundland. The company that owns the rights to the event is Newfoundland International Motorsports Inc.  Octagon Worldwide, based in the U.K. , is working in conjunction with Newfoundland International Motorsports and the Targa Racing Organization to help run the event and make it as smooth as possible.

Reasons Why Newfoundland was Chosen for the Event:

• The Targa Newfoundland has a much greater long-term entrant and sponsor potential because it draws from some 300 million people in Canada and the United States.

• The Targa Newfoundland will attract Canadian United States, United Kingdom and Western European entrants. This international competition field will represent a world wide marketing opportunity.

• The print media exposure will encompass all areas of the United States, Canada and Western Europe with in-flight, tourism, sports and automotive magazine coverage. 

• The Targa Newfoundland event with its proximity to the North American, South American and Western European markets, will have the potential to exceed the Targa Tasmanian viewing audience of some 480 million people.

•  With the virtually world wide exposure available from the Targa Newfoundland's relationship with the Targa Tasmania and Octagon Motorsports,  the province and sponsors will be able to extend their marketing Bulletins to virtually any place in the world they wish to target.

Objectives of the Event
 

• To bring together an exclusive field of Sports Cars and Grand Touring Cars of distinction,  representing the evolution of the automobile from 1900 to the present day.

• To develop the event into a high prestige occasion recognized throughout the world of automobile competition as an essential annual activity for owners and collectors of Sports Cars and Grand Touring Vehicles.

• To use the competition as a focal point for a festival of functions, entertainment and associated activities, to create an overall event attractive to all audiences.

• To organize and conduct a unique, world standard and seriously challenging international motor sport competition on the paved roads of the Canadian province of Newfoundland and Labrador. 

• To ensure the continuing enthusiasm and support for the event from the eastern and central Newfoundland communities.

• To generate sufficient revenue to meet the expenditure needed to stage the event in accordance with these principles, and a sufficient accumulated surplus to secure its long term financial viability.

• To ensure that the revenue generated by the event accrues, to the greatest extent possible,  into the communities through which it is run.

• To ensure that all involved in the staging of the event derive optimum satisfaction and enjoyment from their involvement.

 
Event Route:

The event takes in the entire Avalon Peninsula and some of Central Newfoundland.  The dates and routes can be seen below:
 

SEPTEMBER 12TH THURSDAY
Registration North Sydney, Nova Scotia

SEPTEMBER 13TH FRIDAY
Ferry N.S. to Argentia, Newfoundland

SEPTEMBER 14TH SATURDAY
Scrutineering Argentia to St. John's via TCH

SEPTEMBER 15TH SUNDAY
Car Expo & Demonstration St. John's

SEPTEMBER 16TH MONDAY
Prologue St. John's to St. John's
Evening Car Expo

SEPTEMBER 17TH TUESDAY
Leg One
St. John's to Clarenville via North Avalon Area
Evening Car Expo

SEPTEMBER 18TH WEDNESDAY
Leg Two
Clarenville to Clarenville via Burin Area
Evening Car Expo

SEPTEMBER 19TH THURSDAY
Leg Three
Clarenville to Gander via Bonavista North Area
Evening Car Expo

SEPTEMBER 20TH FRIDAY
Leg Four
Gander to Clarenville via Notre Dame Area

SEPTEMBER 21ST SATURDAY
Leg Five
Clarenville to St. John's via South Avalon Area

The route map for the race can be seen below:

Check out the overall schedule, broken down hourly,  for the entire event by going to the official Targa Website: ENJOY!

I would like to thank Mr. Giannou for his patience and effort in helping me out with information to complete this page.  I recommend everyone to come out during the event and support our province on their initiatives to help the tourism industry.  GOOD LUCK TO ALL THE CONTESTANTS AND ORGANIZERS!!   By Geoffrey O'Brien

If you require any additional information click here for the Targa Newfoundland Website.