The Car Guide at Targa Newfoundland 2009
The Car Guide will be at the heart of the action again this year in the Targa Newfoundland event. After driving a hybrid-powered Lexus sedans in the two previous editions of this unique motorsport event, contributor Marc Lachapelle will indeed be driving a race-prepared Impreza WRX STI for Subaru Rally Team Canada (SRTC).
The carmaker, famous for its rugged all-wheel drive cars and boxer-type engines, will thus be competing on the Rock for the seventh consecutive year. Its goal is to become the first to win this competition overall in the Targa class with a Modern car (built after 1982). No less.
The team’s co-driver is Keith Townsend who has a long experience in Canadian performance rally competition as both a co-driver and driver. Keith won his class as well as the Modern Division in 2006, driving his own virtually-stock Subaru WRX STI. He and co-driver Jen Horsey missed the overall win by only 12 seconds that year and eventually finished third, the best overall result yet for a Subaru.
The SRTC Impreza WRX STI has been prepared by Stewart Hoo and his own team at Can-Jam Motorsport. The same car finished 5th overall in the 2008 edition and has been upgraded and modified to optimize its performance, handling and reliability for this year’s Targa. It also sports the same cool new colour scheme as the Subaru Rally Team Canada STI that is defending its Canadian Rally Championship title this year with Patrick Richard as its driver and Alan Ockwell in the co-driver’s seat.
Targa Newfoundland is the only event of its kind to be held in North America and one of only three internationally-recognized Targa events in the world. This year, the competition will run from September 13 to 18 and cover approximately 2,200 kilometres on paved roads over the central and eastern part of Newfoundland. The teams will compete in 42 timed stages which will total more than 400 kilometres on public roads that are closed to traffic.
The Car Guide will bring you the story before, during and after the event, with text, photos and hopefully some videos too. Stay tuned and come see us often.