Targa Newfoundland

I had an idea awhile back and I posted it and wanted your input. i didn't get much so I'll post it again here: Targa Newfoundland. The race is held annually in Newfoundland, and will be held there until 2010. My idea is for us to compete there as a club function. We would draw some attention. I think we could meet somewhere close to the event and have a parade of S12s all the way there. We also may draw in attention from part manufacturers that may have scouts out there to scope out what people are racing. So if we have enough members go we might have a company make some parts for us. I am interested in going, but wont be able to go until 2005 or later. Visit
www.targanewfoundland.com for more info. I think this would be a really great club function. Bad news is that there is no cash prize so travel is all out of pocket. But I want to go and I live in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, about 1200 miles away. And I'm up for it.

Sounds great I live in so cal and Id be willing to go! I would need to fix my car up but I think it would a good idea to get our cars noticed. Most ppl have never even heard of our cars unless you go to an old turbo shop for a rebuild. But every one who kows what kind of car they are has told me to hang on to mine. If I have the money to do it you can count me in.

Count me in. Let's pool together and represent full force. I think this is an awesome oppurtunity to show everybody what these cars can do and on top of that we can all finally meet each other.

I'm IN!!!

Also I may be wrong, but I thought that the entry fee was $4500 for the Targa, and $3500 for the touring...

EDIT: Yah i just checked those are the 2004 costs, that is for a Driver, co-driver, and so on. If we do go, having sponsors may be incredibly beneficial!!

If we plan for next year and actually stay on top of it, I think we have plenty of time to prepare. It's every september so that gives us over a year. Also, I think we should keep our eyes out for other events like this that we could all go to and represent

I kinda had another Idea to go along with this. An aftermarket parts manufacturer to sponsor the club members that want to go. We would do our part in advertising the manufacturer and in return they may sponsor us or start making performance part prototypes that we could test out. It may be hard to do this, but if we go to enough manufacturers pleading our case, one is bound to listen! For this we would need a spokesman to contact the companies. DO NOT VOTE FOR ME! I'm not that kind of person, I'm just the idea man. There is no rush because the race stays in Newfoundland until 2010. So thats our goal, to get an aftermarket parts manufacturer to sponsor our cars in The Targa Newfoundland Race.

Great idea. All of us that seriously want to pursue this should start a list of companies that we would want to sponsor us and that might listen to our plea

I'm willing to email the companies if I see a big enough response that could actually get us somewhere.

Heres some to start. They may be the biggest names, but you never know... They might listen.

AEM
A'PEXi
APC
Matrix GR Motorsports
Ractive
JSP (They make Carbon Fiber stuff!)
Eibach
KYB
Suspension Technologies (ST)
DC Sports
Brembo
Borla
Ram Clutches
B&M
Pace Setter
Neuspeed
VENOM
MSD
Turbo XS
Blitz
Jackson Racing
NX
NOS
BBK
Holley
Edelbrock
Crane Cams
Greddy
HKS
Turbonetics
Stillen

I basically went through the Sport Compact section of one of my Summit catalogs. I think I nailed some of the good ones. if anyone has anything to add, please do.

if you guys are talking about running, you need to take a step back and actually prepare a race car. For anyone who has never done it before, there is a whole new world ahead of you when you build a race car vs. a street car. not to mention does anyone in this conversation have driving experience? If you just want to spectate the race, then knock yourself out, but you are talking about a HUGE investment if you want to run a race like this.

Thats why we are trying to get sponsors... Did you read all the posts? If we got sponsors, the investment on our part would be minimal. I know that we would have to really prepare the cars... And thats another reason for sponsors. If enough S12 owners are interested, we could get REAL aftermarket parts for these cars. Performance or otherwise, we wont have to fab up stuff and hope it works.

Good Doctor has some good points and valid reason for stating them, but all these points were already implied when this serious of a race was even brought up. Yes, surprisingly enough there are a few of us on here that have actual "real" racing experience. This thread wasn't started to have a debate on whether or not we should do it, it was started to see how many people would. So from now on, all due respect to Good Doctor, stop criticizing people for trying to do something good for the S12 community.

Yes, that is my point exactly.

Also the gasoline, and tire companies. A lot of times if they see that our cars are different from everybody elses they will want their names on them. These companies won't help a lot with aftermarket, but could give money to support our racing efforts...8)

Very good point. The gas and tire companies do have a lot of money:headbang:

your right guys, i have done nothing for this community.

with that out of the way, there isnt a company in its right mind that wil give you a sponsorship without some credible race experience, something you can show them, something that you can prove to them that the car they put their name on will be seen and seen in a good light. who wants to sponsor a car that is just a bunch of guys who havent built a race car on this platform. if you guys already have a car done, then please, let me see it. what are the plans for the car? what are the limitations on the race? what class are you running in? how well does this platform fit into the class you are intending to run? what material are you using for a cage? who is making your suspension and what design are you using? what are you using for fuel management? what is the weight limitation to the class you are running? will you be running a lexan window? do you have your donor car already? how is the frame? what fluids do you intend to lose? how much dyno time is it going to take to properly tune the car for the race? what octane is legal in the class? what tire size? you guys going to use fiberglass panels, carbon fiber? what is your radio system going to be based on? what kind of spare parts do you have? I would suggest basically a spare car, with a spare motor EXACTLY like the race motor in the car, ready be dropped in. a replacement tranny, and rear would probably be needed as well. how much track time do you intend to need before the race? will there be any open track time before race week to tune the car for the race? how many companies do you think are willing to cough up a couple dollars for a bunch of guys getting together to run one race. hell, amatur teams have trouble getting sponsers for a full 13 race season that is televised. i think you guys just dont know what your getting into. you are going to need something on the order of 10-5+ grand in my mind if you want to make a serious effort and i still dont think you will be that competitive. it all depends on the class system.

but you guys are right, i am just a hater and have no clue what I am talking about. I've never been on a race team and haven't spent the majority of my college days with the better part of a trans am team.

One: There is not "a" car. There will be multiple cars. Whoever wants to drive basically. Two: There are only 2 classes in the Targa Newfoundland. I forget what they are but one is like a full-on race car class the other is like an "open" class, a"run what ya brung" so to speak. Three: You really have a way of shattering dreams... Thanks, really. Now I see how un-reachable that goal is.

something like an open race is not a good way to start racing. don't let me shatter your dreams. if they are really your dreams, then go grab them. start off doing local autocrosses. Look up a local SCCA group and start paling around with them. you will get the hang of racing. Take your car to open track events (after you build it to the level that is required at an open track SCCA event). Go to some open track events that include driving lessons. Volenteer to wrench on a race team for food and shelter only. Get into the racing biz. It is a COMPLETELY differnet fish than a street car. get some racing experience. make a rep. THEN talk about starting your own team. Start with one car. Then work up to a few cars. Build a rep as a team, get a sponsor/s. Then go after the big races like targa. Start small, work your way up. If you really want get into racing, take baby steps. You'll love it. (but be prepared to learn alot and bust your hump)

The Good Doctor isn't being harsh ... he's being realistic, and has legitimate racing experience. I'd be the first to say this "community" would be a bunch of kids blowing up turbo motors if Jeff hadn't come along, so don't bite the hand that ... well, boosts.

Now, on to the Targa and the scotch taping of dreams.

Hands up who has racing experience?

"some" of us do yes. But drifting, autocross or solocross doesn't count here. This is a tarmac rally, pretty much the only open speed contest around. People crash, people get hurt. Cars get broken.

I'm certified to drive open wheel race cars as well as CASCAR, but I don't know if I'd want to try the Targa. There's no safety fences, nothing ... hell some of the "track" runs right past people's driveways.

I have seen the Targa Newfoundland on TV, but not in person. It is sort of a ... competitive/non competitive race. If you want to be competitive, pardon my Canadian, but "No ****ing way, Eh?"

The last season I watched, the top rankings went to a race tuned Saleen Mustang a Porsche 911 turbo (dynoed at over 600) Callaway Corvette, etc etc.

I love the S12, but as a race car, we've only begun to scratch the surface. The R&D alone to get a competitive race car will be knocking on 6 figures. No company is going to give a bunch of guys who email them a million dollars.

It'll be hard to get any real sponsorship, because the race isn't televised. It's recorded, but not broadcast widely. So approaching a bunch of American tuning companies to pay to advertise to a bunch of Newfie fisherman is unlikely.

Now, to the scotch tape. You love the S12, you love the community ... so why not get 2 cars to go to race? Not to be competitive, not to win - just to keep them between the ditches. Everyone else can show up, but to spectate.

As for sponsorship, why did no one suggest Nissan? All my local dealerships sponsor at least one car, rally or autocross.

Maybe even local bars restaurants, dealerships etc in Newfoundland would be more interested in sponsoring.

Targa isn't a "hot-ticket" event like every rice-eroni drift contest, so companies like APC won't have any interest at all. You'll need real "race" companies that make real race parts.

So enter one or two cars. With 30 guys pouring knowledge and cash into one or 2 cars should get at least 2 decent S12s to run. These would be total race cars too, with roll cages, stripped out interiors etc etc. Figure on $10-15K to put a car like that together.

you could run a mild street car just for fun, but spending $4,000 to push a 150-180 hp S12 around Newfoundland ... hell, if you can get sponsors to just cover the entrance fee and travel costs ... I'd gladly stuff my S12 into a tree, barn, embankment, Buy building a boat (no one but canucks are going to get my humour, I realize this)

Don't give up this. If you want to run your car in the Targa, go right ahead. If you can get there by sponsorship or by your own pocket, I'll drive to the East coast to cheer you on.

I would seriously recommend everyone on here that thinks racing is just "driving faster than the speed limit" give yourself a big head shake. Take the time now to prepare. Join a local rally club, and get some legitimate experience. If you have a rally license, people might listen to you a bit closer when you try and get their money.

Yea... so maybe I'll try that later... But I think it would be a nice thing to have on a racing resume that "I raced in the Targa Newfoundland and finished XXplace" so I think I might do it by 2010... But if I get into the Air Force... Goodbye Targa.

I'd gladly stuff my S12 into a tree, barn, embankment, Buy building a boat (no one but canucks are going to get my humour, I realize this)
I would be willing to do that to mine too. The main thing that will plague 99% of us is the fact that most people only see the 3 million dollar car rigs driving around with the three cars inside, and when they get to their destination the awnings come out, and 12 member pit crew gets out with their Snap-on tools in hand, and they quickly prepare their $500,000 cars for the races.

For us folks right now this is all imaginary. I know, I am there right now. We have two sleds right now with no engines, and no graphics, and only one sponsor after two years racing. Racing takes A LOT of money, and even more time. Only those who love it will do it, and bickering on these boards will solve nothing. We need to band together, decide what king of racing we want to do, get people together who have no lives to work on it, and get out to the SMALL races to start. This is for two reasons. 1. It gives the whole team experience in different events, and 2. It gives more companies the opportunity to see you race. It is for the same reason that I have our team logo on the back of my 200. When we go to races the sponsors there see our name, nd they remember that when we race (and generally win) and it is by doing the races that you will get recognized. It is un realistic to expect sponsorship without showing you are ready to prove you are worth sponsoring. It is a long slow, and expensive, but if you are prepared to give the time, you will be rewarded.

None of my posts were ever intended to try and bash on Good Doctor. I know you have given a lot to this community and I've read about your racing history. Yes, Targa is too big of a race to start with, but that doesn't mean it's not reachable eventually. Now, I think the Silver State thing is a good idea for something that we can use to get a little exposure. It doesn't have to be race exposure even. If we can get a whole bunch of us to show up to a smaller event like that, then at least we can show people that there is a following for the S12 and that it's not just some worthless old 4 banger. On a final note I apologize for any of my offensive statements, they were not meant to start drama or try to put anybody down.