The 2009 Targa Newfoundland Route

New Targa route offers fresh driving challenge, organizer says

ST. JOHN'S (June 11, 2009) - The route for the 8th annual Targa Newfoundland has been set and the September motorsports classic will offer more competitive stages, better competition and a new schedule.
The route for the 2009 Targa features new competitive stages in communities like Petite Forte, Boat Harbour and Harbour Grace, a return to competitor favourites like Brigus and Leading Tickles, and a schedule with just two locations for overnight stops in towns on the route.
"Targa is a constantly evolving event and the route changes to accommodate our partners in the communities, to take advantage of new and different driving challenges, and to keep the event fresh for competitors," explains Targa organizer Robert Giannou. "We've changed the route of the event every year and we expect that will always be the case."
One of the largest changes for 2009 is the addition of a second night in the Burin Peninsula. The rally will now overnight in Marystown for Wednesday, September 16 as well as Thursday, September 17. The move was made due to a change in the route in the lower Bonavista Peninsula that has the teams end the day Wednesday in Marystown rather than Clarenville.
Some stages from previous years were taken out of the 2009 schedule when communities on the route scheduled road repairs, while others were added. There are 42 competitive stages in all. At nearly 12 kilometres, the new Harbour Grace stage promises to be one of the most exciting of the event.
Owned and operated by Newfoundland International Motorsports Limited, Targa Newfoundland is one of three internationally recognized Targa motorsports events in the world. The 8th annual Targa Newfoundland will start in St. John's on Saturday, September 12, 2009, and end back in the capital Saturday, September 19. The competition will cover more than 2,000 kilometres of the challenging, twisty roads of the North and South Avalon, Burin, Kittiwake and Exploits regions, including up to 400 kilometres of closed-road, flat-out Targa stages. Competitors have come from the U.S., Australia, New Zealand, Ireland, Holland, the Bahamas, Turks & Caicos and the U.K. for the first seven editions of Targa Newfoundland and international interest continues to build with competitors registering daily.
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Contact:
Media: Doug Mepham 613-966-4969
d.mepham@bellnet.ca
www.targanewfoundland.com

Competitors: Alexandra Healey 709-687-1150
alexandra@targanewfoundland.com

Sponsors: Scott Giannou 709-722-2413
scott@targanewfoundland.com

Targa Newfoundland, Rally Barbados link hands, exchange winners

ST. JOHN’S (June 3, 2009) – They may be separated by miles of ocean, but the islands of Barbados in the southern Caribbean and Newfoundland in Canada have linked hands in a cooperative effort that could see the winner of the keystone motorsports event in each location take part in the other.

The agreement between Sol Rally Barbados and Targa Newfoundland to provide a free entry as a prize to the winner of each other’s event is part of a promotional drive by the two organizers to solidify a base of high quality tarmac rally competitions in North America.

Sol Rally Barbados has already taken the first step. The Caribbean’s largest international motorsport event was completed May 31 and a representative of the Barbados Rally Club will carry the flag of that nation at the 2009 Targa Newfoundland. Northern Ireland’s Kris Meeke and co-driver Paul Nagle won the grueling three-day contest in a Subaru Impreza WRC S9. Because of a scheduling conflict, Meeke and Nagle cannot make Targa Newfoundland but donated their entry to the Barbados Rally Club, which will send a top finisher in their stead.

The winner of the eighth annual Targa Newfoundland will get an invitation to next spring’s Sol Rally Barbados in return.

“Until recently, tarmac rallies have been a bit of a curiosity in much of North America,” explains Targa Newfoundland organizer Robert Giannou. “But that is about to change. With long established events like Rally Barbados and Rally Jamaica at one end, and eight years of successful Targa Newfoundland at the other, we are starting to see more paved road rally events turn up around North America. With at least two events in Canada and two in the U.S., there are enough tarmac rallies to create a terrific season for competitors.”

Sol Rally Barbados organizer Barry Gale agrees. “Our event has attracted an international field of competitors for years, proving that high quality tarmac rallies have appeal no matter where they are. To have a calendar of great events in North America – even as far apart as we are – is an important step in developing the sport.”

History buff Giannou points out that linkages between islands of the Caribbean and his home in Newfoundland run deep. “We have been trading partners for years, going back to the days of rum and salt exchanged for cod and timber,” he says. “Our histories are intertwined. Getting together with Sol Rally Barbados is like catching up with old friends.”

Owned and operated by Newfoundland International Motorsports Limited, Targa Newfoundland is one of three internationally recognized Targa motorsports events in the world. The 8th annual Targa Newfoundland will start in St. John’s on Saturday, September 12, 2009, and end back in the capital Saturday, September 19. The competition will cover more than 2,000 kilometres of the challenging, twisty roads of the central and eastern portion of the island of Newfoundland, including up to 400 kilometres of closed-road, flat-out Targa stages. Competitors have come from the U.S., Australia, New Zealand, Ireland, Holland, the Bahamas, Turks & Caicos and the U.K. for the first seven editions of Targa Newfoundland and international interest continues to build with competitors registering daily.
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Contact:
Media: Doug Mepham 613-966-4969
d.mepham@bellnet.ca
www.targanewfondland.com

Competitors: Alexandra Healey 709-687-1150
alexandra@targanewfoundland.com

Sponsors: Scott Giannou 709-722-2413
scott@targanewfoundland.com

Sol Rally Barbados: Barry Gale
246-262-2555
barry@rallybarbados.bb
www.rallybarbados.bb

Important Notice to all of our 2009 competitors

Targa Newfoundland is pleased to announce that the 2009 course is now set. It will be composed of 2 Prologue stages, 1 Demonstration Stage and 42 competitive stages. This is the greatest number of stages we have ever run. Competitors will be pleased to know that the course has a number of new stages as well as substantial modifications to some existing stages.
While the overall route is generally similar to TN 2008 there will be one major exception. It was decided by Targa to move the traditional Clarenville overnight on Wednesday to Marystown. This decision was a result of Clarenville council not being able to confirm their desire to host a stage in the community by the time the course was set. This will mean that the free transit to Marystown will begin immediately after the Goosebery Cove stage on Wednesday evening. While this will get the cars into Marystown later in the evening than usual competitors will not have to face the long morning transit which they formally did. Competitors who made their bookings through Maxxim Vacations have had their accommodations adjusted to take care of this change but those who booked through other agencies or by themselves should make arrangements to be in Marystown on both the Wednesday and Thursday evenings. We hope this will not be too much of an inconvenience.

FROM MAXXIM VACATIONS:"Participants who have already secured accommodations with Maxxim Vacations will automatically be booked for the additional night in Marystown, and the night in Clarenville cancelled. Maxxim Vacations will be sending updated itineraries reflecting the change by the end of next week."

See you in September"

STILLEN Targa Newfoundland Sweepstakes!

STILLEN Targa Newfoundland Sweepstakes!

Win a chance to follow along as we take the STILLEN 2009 Nissan GT-R to the Targa Newfoundland Tarmac Rally! Grand prize winner wins an all-expense paid trip for two to the Targa Rally in Newfoundland including interfacing with the STILLEN race team and world champion driver Steve Millen.
ENTER NOW for your chance to win! Open to U.S. residents only!

Grand Prize - One WinnerOne Grand Prize winner will receive a 7-day all-expense paid trip for two at the Targa Newfoundland Rally - which includes airfare from the continental US to St. Johns Newfoundland, hotel accommodations for seven nights, meal allowance & midsize rental car for seven days + $500 trip cash.

Second Prize - Three WinnersThree winners will receive one (1) $500 STILLEN Gift Certificate redeemable by phone, from stillen.com or at our Costa Mesa CA facility. We carry 1000's of products from hundreds of vendors so you're sure to find products to fit your vehicle.

Third Prize - Five Winners For five (5) third prize winners, Road & Track will award an 11"x 14" framed and autographed (by Steve Millen) photographic print of Steve Millen's 2009 GT-R Targa Rally Car.

Fourth Prize - Five WinnersFive winners will receive one (1) $100 STILLEN Gift Certificate redeemable by phone, from stillen.com or at our Costa Mesa CA facility. We carry 1000' of products from hundreds of vendors so you're sure to find products to fit your vehicle.

Fifth Prize - One Hundred WinnersOne Hundred (100) fifth place winners will receive a free annual Subscription to Road & Track Magazine.

No purchase necessary to win.

You can also follow along at STILLEN's blog to see the build progress and all the new parts being developed for the Nissan GT-R.

Rocking The Rock

Kelly Silverthorn talks Targa Newfoundland in the current "Just for Canadian Doctors" magazine. Check it out http://justforcanadiandoctors.com./current.pdf