St. John’s, NL – The Fast Tour division of Targa Newfoundland lives up to its name, providing the thrills of the ultimate North American tarmac rally experience without the stress of competition. Drivers and co-drivers tackle the same course over the same roads as the competitive Targa 1 and 2 divisions, just without timing and scoring.
“Fast Tour is designed to allow the owners of sports, classic and exotic cars to drive them the way they were built to be driven, within the limits prescribed by the event. But that doesn’t stop entrants from pushing as hard as they can and having a great time,” says Targa Newfoundland President Joe Dowden.
Top speed in Fast Tour is restricted to 130 kph, well beyond the posted limit on any of the closed stages on twisty coastal roads and narrow streets through towns and outports of Newfoundland.
There are two classes within Fast Tour:
- Internal Combustion Engine (ICE) Touring Class
- Electric Vehicle (EV) Touring Class
Fast Tour attracts owners of a wide variety of cars, such as modern Porsche, Ferrari, and Lotus sports cars, as well as classics, muscle cars, and hot rods, who just want to enjoy their cars on the open road.
Longtime Targa competitor John Hume Sr. takes the wheel of Fast Tour guide car
John Hume Sr., a longtime Targa Newfoundland competitor, supporter, and past class winner, is stepping back from racing this year but he’s not leaving Targa and he’s not slowing down. Hume and his trusted co-driver Craig MacMullen will drive the guide car for the Fast Tour in September instead.
Hume has been racing Targa since 2009. He’s run it 11 times and has won four times in two divisions. He and MacMullen won the Grand Touring Division three times, in 2012, 2014 and 2017. In 2023, he shared his speedy MINI John Cooper Works GP with sports car racing legend Randy Pobst and co-driver MacMullen, and they also shared the win in Targa 1.
This fall, Team Hume will again bring its two fast and agile MINI JCW GP cars to Targa. John will step aside and manage the team, while Randy takes the wheel. Pobst is a two-time winner of the grueling Rolex 24 at Daytona, winner of over 90 pro road races and a member of the Sports Car Club of America (SCCA).
John is the president of Hume Media Inc., which he founded in 1988 as a small two-person copy shop and has grown to become a full-service media company in Toronto. Hume Media is a proud sponsor of Targa Newfoundland.
About Targa Newfoundland
Since 2002, Targa Newfoundland, the only tarmac rally in North America, has attracted professional and amateur racers from around the world. This year’s event runs Sept. 12-19, 2024. Competitors will cover over 2,000 km (about 1,240 miles) including about 500 km (310 miles) of closed courses on winding, narrow, public roads through spectacular scenery, towns and outports. The six-day competition will take teams from the historic capital city of St. John’s to the charming fishing outport of Leading Tickles and about two dozen points in between. A two-day Bambina event is also an option.
Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada’s easternmost province, is a land of adventure and breath-taking natural beauty. With rugged coastline, towering cliffs, and pristine wilderness, Newfoundland and Labrador is a paradise for outdoor enthusiasts and thrill-seekers alike.
Owned and operated by Newfoundland International Motorsports Limited, Targa Newfoundland is one of only three internationally recognized Targa motorsports events in the world.
- By Blair Riddle/Targa Newfoundland
