Its been a while, but I’ve finally gotten to sit down and watch the full 2008 Targa Newfoundland teaser compilation that Warwick Patterson and the rest of the crew at Flat Over Crest have put together. What more can I say except it is absolutely awesome!
While the FOC video completely captures the excitement, speed, camaraderie, danger and everything else that makes up this incredible event, there are a two things I have to comment on. First off, who the hell races an open top car like an E-type Jaguar, yet chooses not to install a roll bar? If you need helmets, you need rollover protection. Rules?
Secondly, what the hell was the guy in the Evo thinking when he backed up at speed in front of the Sprongl Quattro? Good way to end up munched!
Oh yes, don’t forget to watch for some candid ACP and Jen Horsey! Yes, the camera was rolling and yes he did use it!
Check out the stunning beauty of Targa Newfoundland after the break.
Thanks to Andrew Harvey for the image up top!
5 comments ↓
Just so the credit goes to the right place, I was just one of the cameramen working on the TV coverage of Targa and didn’t edit this video. Watch for the full TV show on TSN and Speed in the new year, produced by TV2Go!
Hi Gary,
Targa Newfoundland is actually two events running at the same time. Targa Class cars are the full-out race cars we’re all familiar with, while the Touring class cars are regular road cars doing a TSD event of the Targa route. This gives people who want to attend Targa at a cheaper rate a chance to drive the same roads. A roll cage isn’t required in the E-type due to the fact that Touring class cars don’t break the speed limits. But you do raise a good point about the fact that helmet use should cause one to think “roll bar” regardless of the rules.
As for the Mitsu, clearly a case of red-mist after missing the turn. You don’t expect cars to be that close with one-minute intervals!
-Dave
I enjoyed the whole video and loved the great shot of my buddy Bill Arnold flying across that bridge. It may even be partially what cost him the overall win considering a broken strut took him out on the last section of the last day.
Regarding the Jag with no roll bar, say what you like about not breaking speed limits but anyone who races knows that for lots of reasons (i.e., adrenaline, excitement, pressure to beat the other guy) it’s simply not smart. Two years ago a young boy who was navigator in an open cockpit Jag spent a year in a coma and he had a helmet and roll cage albeit a poorly installed one. They were not even racing at the time the wreck happened. Point is… you can NEVER have enough safety equipment when in an open cockpit car. Last year two drivers in a convertible died while doing a single “Parade” lap at Buttonwillow.
Don’t break the speed limit? Dave, I’m pretty sure you’ve run a few navigational events. What happens after you’ve missed a turn or two and are trying to make up time? Here in Ontario, there used to be an event called the Ontario Winter Rally. Most entrants were performance rally crews in their rally cars & as people stopped to pull each other out of the ditch, time had to be made up. For most of the night, it would be like a full on performance rally, complete with sweep trucks.
I agree with the red mist comment, but when the car that is 1 minute behind you is Frank in the Quattro, you had better be aware of your mirrors!
That is one heck of video … bravo! Lots of spills and thrills …
That Mitzu driver should be duck-taped to the mast on the ferry.
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