Porsche Club of America - Upper Canada Region: 35th Anniversary September 2011
Upper Canada Region Porsche Club of America
Bob Carmichael
Stan Carmichael
Yarko Matkiwsky
Tim Sanderson
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Northwest Atlantic Targa Newfoundland 2011 Leg 5 - Final Day of Targa
Northwest Atlantic Targa Newfoundland 2011 Leg 5 - Final Day of Targa
Leg 5 - Final Day of Targa
The final day of Targa, Leg 5 was shortened by the aftermath of a hurricane that hit the Maritimes Friday morning. The storm caused the cancellation of two morning stages so we could clear the Marystown area because the storm could potentially close roads leading off the peninsula. We drove in high winds and rain to Carbonear on Conception Bay, a four hour commute.
We beat the weather to Carbonear and had an enjoyable lunch break where Yarko and Bob prepared the car for the final stages of the week. We were joined by our friends Scott Giannou and Ray Felice and crew members Bob and Ian who we have been travelling with for the event. (Scott and Ray are in a close battle for the Classic division honours which they secured with an amazing run through the second stage in Carbonear, finishing on our bumper after starting 30-seconds behind us.)
The first stage was started in high winds and dry roads, by the time Tim and I got to the halfway point, rain was falling and mixed with oil that a previous car had spilled on the road, all the way to the finish. It was very slippery and Tim drove accordingly. As we drove to the starting box for the second stage, heavy rain began to fall and we had a wet ride throughout the stage and transit to Brigus.
The third and final stages were through a small village, Brigus. the roads were no more than lane-ways, actually, some of the driveways were wider than the streets. (This is one of the stages we drove last Friday so we have video of driving the truck through and the car. We will post both of these videos to show you the difference.)
Like Carbonear earlier today, we drove Brigus twice. In our first run, Tim could not see the road in front of him very well, we had only one wiper and the windshield was fogging badly. Our crew secured a second wiper before the second run and dutifully, cleared the fog from the inside of the windshield as we pulled up to the line for the final stage of the event.
It has been a long and trying week, we started on a high with the potential to win the event, that all went away on Tuesday afternoon when we made the ultimate mistake and crashed the car. Tim and I lost Targa Tuesday, we were now driving for Bob and Yarko who prepared and repaired the car for us, their Targa goal was to see the car finish, and finish it would.
The storm strengthened as we prepared to run the final stage, we were warned at the start that there was standing water on the roads and that the stage conditions had been reduced from "Road Condition 3" to "Trophy". This meant that our target time went from 2:41 to 3:17. I counted the start, three - two - one - go! Tim launched the car off the line, put the strain and disappointment of a trying week behind him and drove it home like he started the week, so long ago. We crossed the finish line 2-minutes and 42- seconds later. It was one of the best drives I have seen, a drive I will always remember.
The final transit took us back to St. John's harbour, where we started six day ago. All of the teams gathered on the patio of The Keg to celebrate and share stories of their journey through Targa. Tim and I were given medals, like all of the teams who finished, for completing the event. We presented them to Yarko and Bob, they are the ones who deserved them, their car finished Targa 2011.
We beat the weather to Carbonear and had an enjoyable lunch break where Yarko and Bob prepared the car for the final stages of the week. We were joined by our friends Scott Giannou and Ray Felice and crew members Bob and Ian who we have been travelling with for the event. (Scott and Ray are in a close battle for the Classic division honours which they secured with an amazing run through the second stage in Carbonear, finishing on our bumper after starting 30-seconds behind us.)
The first stage was started in high winds and dry roads, by the time Tim and I got to the halfway point, rain was falling and mixed with oil that a previous car had spilled on the road, all the way to the finish. It was very slippery and Tim drove accordingly. As we drove to the starting box for the second stage, heavy rain began to fall and we had a wet ride throughout the stage and transit to Brigus.
The third and final stages were through a small village, Brigus. the roads were no more than lane-ways, actually, some of the driveways were wider than the streets. (This is one of the stages we drove last Friday so we have video of driving the truck through and the car. We will post both of these videos to show you the difference.)
Like Carbonear earlier today, we drove Brigus twice. In our first run, Tim could not see the road in front of him very well, we had only one wiper and the windshield was fogging badly. Our crew secured a second wiper before the second run and dutifully, cleared the fog from the inside of the windshield as we pulled up to the line for the final stage of the event.
It has been a long and trying week, we started on a high with the potential to win the event, that all went away on Tuesday afternoon when we made the ultimate mistake and crashed the car. Tim and I lost Targa Tuesday, we were now driving for Bob and Yarko who prepared and repaired the car for us, their Targa goal was to see the car finish, and finish it would.
The storm strengthened as we prepared to run the final stage, we were warned at the start that there was standing water on the roads and that the stage conditions had been reduced from "Road Condition 3" to "Trophy". This meant that our target time went from 2:41 to 3:17. I counted the start, three - two - one - go! Tim launched the car off the line, put the strain and disappointment of a trying week behind him and drove it home like he started the week, so long ago. We crossed the finish line 2-minutes and 42- seconds later. It was one of the best drives I have seen, a drive I will always remember.
The final transit took us back to St. John's harbour, where we started six day ago. All of the teams gathered on the patio of The Keg to celebrate and share stories of their journey through Targa. Tim and I were given medals, like all of the teams who finished, for completing the event. We presented them to Yarko and Bob, they are the ones who deserved them, their car finished Targa 2011.