ST. JOHN’S (June 24, 2013) — The annual Targa Newfoundland driving school has a new face waiting to greet both rookie and returning competitors for 2013, organizers have announced.
Newfoundland International Motorsports Limited, organizer of the annual September motorsports classic, has formed a partnership with renowned Canadian racing driver Rick Bye to stage the annual school.
Bye, of Toronto, and has worked with Targa to create a driver and navigator school customized for the event. The school will be run in St. John’s and on the roads of nearby Bell Island. Classes will be staged on the Thursday and Friday prior the event.
The revised school will provide specialized instruction to both drivers and navigators, and pay special attention to needs of competitors who are entering the different categories of the event; Fast Tour, Grand Touring and Targa.
“The two-day Targa school was created to introduce new competitors to the challenging nature of Targa and increase the level of safety. It will also be a great way for returning competitors to get up to speed quickly and safely. The course has been very successful over the past six years and is a significant part of Targa’s revamped safety plan,” said Robert Giannou, organizer of Targa Newfoundland. “The school was originally located in Placentia and, after outgrowing that area, we moved it to Bell Island where it has been welcomed since.”
Targa organizers reviewed the school to ensure it complimented the enhanced event safety plan. On recommendation of long-time Targa official and respected international competitor Mark Williams, the event started discussions with Bye.
A 30-year veteran of professional motorsports, Bye has experience in all levels of the racing business as a driver, team owner, series administrator and instructor. His past victories include races and championships at several North American tracks and race series including the highly competitive NASCAR Busch Grand National Series, the Daytona Rolex 24, D.I.R.T. Modified Stock Car Championship, Firestone Firehawk Endurance Championship, and Rothman’s Turbo Cup. Bye is twice Canadian Endurance Racing Champion in Porsches. From 1990 to 1994, he was among the top 15 Porsche racers worldwide in the Porsche Cup Championship and was instrumental in establishing the Porsche Advanced Driving School.
He has been a long-time Targa fan, competitor, team manager and official and is one of the most sought-after high performance driving instructors in North America.
The school will continue to be based on a two-day plan, with theory being taught on the first day and practice on the second. Common course material will end after the first day, as the revised school will split into three sections, each individually tailored to the needs of its three divisions. The Fast Tour Division will be overseen by Roland Linder, an international driving instructor from the U.S. The Grand Touring Competition will be under the guidance of Greg Martin, an experienced GT competitor from Gander, Newfoundland, and Targa Division competitors will enjoy the guidance of Bye. The overall course navigation will be delivered by Williams.
Owned and operated by Newfoundland International Motorsports Limited, Targa Newfoundland is one of three internationally recognized Targa motorsports events in the world. The 2013 competition starts in St. John’s on September 14 and concludes back in the capital on September 21. The 12th annual rally will cover more than 2,000 kilometres of the challenging, twisty roads of the central and eastern portion of Newfoundland, including up to 450 kilometres of closed-road, flat-out Targa stages.
Contacts:
Media: Doug Mepham 613 966 4969 d.mepham@bellnet.ca
Competitors: Erin Everard 1 877 332 2413 registrar@targanewfoundland.com
Website: www.targanewfoundland.com <http://www.targanewfoundland.com>
From: Doug Mepham
MacDonald & Co.
+1 613 966 4969 office
+1 905 325 3431 NEW mobile
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