Targa: The Videos
42 competitive stages and 1375 miles and VRPerformance finished its first Targa Newfoundland as overall winners in category 7, second in modern class and third overall. BMW won the manufacturers prize, with the most points scored by teams driving BMWs. The professional team of Andrew “ACP” Comrie-Picard and Brian O’Kane in a Mitsubishi Evolution IX came in first in modern class (they were in a different category).
The party in St. John’s and on George Street that night was one for the record books. Together with our new friends we danced and drank and laughed like only those with a shared experience could. It was, indeed, epic.
Four days, 2000 miles and a ferry ride later we were back at VRPerformance in Michigan. Bill Caswell finished packing his gear and was ready to head back to San Diego, to his home and fiancé when he said something that will stick with me for a very long time. “You will never be the same,” he said. Truer words could not have been spoken.
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In the months since competing in the Targa Newfoundland, Bill has been compiling, editing and posting short stage videos of our effort. We had 3 to 4 GoPro cameras mounted on and in the car to capture the as much of the action as possible.
The following is one of the earlier stages of the event through Marystown. Horst is still learning how to co-drive at this point; remember this is his first time ever in a tarmac rally sitting in the right seat barking out directions and pace notes.
Another one of the early stages, this time through Clarenville.
The event has two basic types of competitive stages— short town stages that are very technical and more rural stages that are long and high speed. The most infamous town stage is a wild, balls out race through a neighborhood in Gander. We saw people sitting on their porches, kid's playing on lawns, while cars raced down their street and around the block. Super technical, we studied the route book carefully the night before and ended up nailing this stage. Adding to the excitement, heavy rain blew through town just before the teams lined up at the start line.
This final video (for now, keep checking back) is a convoluted romp through Carbonear and it highlights Bill's fancy foot work. All week Bill’s fast reflexes and amazing ability to read the road kept us on track. His experience with inexperienced co-drivers sharpened his skills as a driver. He’s always looking far down the road, beyond the next corner. He drives with a good safety margin, hardly ever using the entire road, should that road or the inexplicable utterances of his freshman co-driver surprise him. He reads beyond just the road by looking where the telephone lines, for example, are going in urban stages or how the tree line changes over the next crest on rural stages. This allows him to anticipate the topography and direction of the route. His left foot hovering over the brake pedal, always at the ready to settle the car or scrub speed... NOW!