Why doesn't the US have "Targas"?

[Doug&Julie]

So the past two weekends I've enjoyed watching the hour long highlight shows of the Australian Targas. And of course, I look forward to watching the Targa Newfoundland when it comes on. They all look like a blast! And it looks like they have something for everybody, from the super competitive to the "average Doug", in terms of various groups and comptetive classes.

So what I'm wondering is why we don't have "Targas" like these here in the states? ..or do we? I know the sport of Rallying is growing, especially in the PNW, but that's all off road stuff. What about tarmac rallies? I'd love to participate in something like the ones seen on SpeedTV. (..of course, I'd need a co-pilot...Julie can't read while she's in the car or she'll puke!)

Would love to hear from folk who have participated in any of these.

Cheers!

[Nostril Cheese]

Too much of a liability. Americans for the most part, don't know how to drive and only feel that NASCAR is racing. Thats my guess...

[lendaddy]

We have too many lawyers for such a thing.

[Doug&Julie]

Stupid f'ing lawyers...

[masraum]

Yep, Lawyers and frivolous lawsuits ruin everything.

[legion]

But what to do about the lawyers?

[81 911 SC]

lawyers and crappy roads

[lendaddy]

Because we have Rodeos instead.

Hey, that works on two levels

[legion]

ROFL!

[Scooter]

Originally posted by Doug&Julie
Stupid f'ing lawyers...

Hey, I resemble that remark.

[pmajka]

What do you mean we dont have targas....??

what about the austrailian targa is different?

[Aerkuld]

When I lived in England I was a member of the local car club and did a few road rallies, which I guess is similar in principle to that which you are referring. These weren't races as such, they were officially refered to as 'navigation rallies'. The idea was to complete the event in a given time which would be worked out on a 30mph average speed.
Basically, at the start of each stage we were given a sheet of paper with all sorts of codes and evil devices for encrypting the route. The idea was that your navigator would set to work on the first few plots while you drove, he would then continue working out the route, navigating you down it, and at the same time keeping an eye on the time and distance to make sure you hit the next control point on time. You were penalised for being early or late, or going off route.
Of course it didn't go that smoothly most of the time, and both he and I would be sitting at the side of the road trying to work on the route, and then I'd have to make the time up that we'd lost.
That said it was very, very rare for anyone to have any incidents and even driving enthusiastically we were probably not going that fast.

I do remember finishing one event in my Mini, and on getting out we noticed we had had grass and other debris wrapped all around the tailpipe. That would have been OK but it was all swept sideways, rather than backwards from a corner that we had taken with the back hanging out off the side of the road. Oops!

If I remember correctly, the local police were informed when an event was on, but they'd generally stay out of the way, and it was all fairly civilized. It was generally done late at night, always on quiet country back roads, and we weren't allowed to drive through villages over the posted speed limit or with our auxillary lights on. Everything was very well controlled, for example there would be marshalls stationed in the villages who'd report rule violatins back to the checkpoints etc. Essentially a lot of fun, for very little expense.

Even at the time though, things were starting to get a little difficult. It was getting harder to find decent roads, diffucult getting volunteer marshals to man the control points and villages, and harder to get police agreement. I just can't imagine trying to get the same thing organized over here, it would be next to impossible without someone suing you.

[fastpat]

Asked and answered I suppose, but here's my take.

Liability is but one issue, blocking off the public thoroughfare is another. In America, the public has a right to the road, and removing it from use is a questionable activity. In europe, this is a non-issue, government owns the roads and sets which ones are available to the citizenry, and that's that.

Not the same here, yet.

[gavinlit]

Interestingly an east coast 'targa' type event over here in Aus has recently folded due to a lack of financial and local support. It's interesting as the two main targa events are in tasmania and adelaide, which are pretty small population centres. The targa tasmania seems such a success in part because the majority of the locals down there are happy to have their local roads closed for a small time. There's a few guys on the board who've participated in the targa events & they are by all accounts a blast. One day...

[Paco Anton]

Originally posted by Aerkuld
When I lived in England I was a member of the local car club and did a few road rallies, which I guess is similar in principle to that which you are referring. These weren't races as such, they were officially refered to as 'navigation rallies'. The idea was to complete the event in a given time which would be worked out on a 30mph average speed.

We also have these events here in Spain. they are allowed by the road law provided the average speed is kept below 50 km/h (30 mph), the cars are road legal and they are at least 25 years old.

They are a blast. Since my SC is "only" 24 years old I purchased a BMW 320/6 (e21) to compete. Here is a shot of my car in action.

[obrut]

"hen I lived in England I was a member of the local car club and did a few road rallies, which I guess is similar in principle to that which you are referring."

nope - completely different animal. closed road, open speed limit, helet, full cage cars, pace notes etc. same rules as WRC - but classic cars.

i've done targa tasmania 3 times, classic adelaide 6 times and one other tarmac rally, all in full competition class in my 2.7RS replica. there is nothing more fun that involves keeping your clothes on.

keeping your foot flat over a blind crest is certainly a rush...

i've done a few pelican write ups over the years - a search for tasmania or adelaide will find them. happy to answer any questions.

[Doug&Julie]

Originally posted by Scooter
Hey, I resemble that remark.

I was wondering when we might get a lawyer's response in here.

[Doug&Julie]

Originally posted by obrut
i've done targa tasmania 3 times, classic adelaide 6 times and one other tarmac rally, all in full competition class in my 2.7RS replica. there is nothing more fun that involves keeping your clothes on.

keeping your foot flat over a blind crest is certainly a rush...

i've done a few pelican write ups over the years - a search for tasmania or adelaide will find them. happy to answer any questions.

Is your RS rep black with orange accents? If so I think I've seen some of your write-ups...very cool! And, in one of the shows there was a great shot of your car starting off one of the SSs...one that started on a dam. (?)

[Doug&Julie]

Originally posted by Aerkuld
When I lived in England I was a member of the local car club and did a few road rallies, which I guess is similar in principle to that which you are referring. These weren't races as such, they were officially refered to as 'navigation rallies'. The idea was to complete the event in a given time which would be worked out on a 30mph average speed.

I think some of the Porsche Club of America regions actually do this kind of rally. They sound like fun, but nothing beats being able to fly down normal roads at speeds limited only by your ability to safely navigate them. (..which, for me, would still be pretty slow.. )

As someone pointed out, the tarmac rallies I'm talking about are very much like pro WRC...only done by amateurs in a wide variety of cars and a wide variety of "classes" and different groups for different levels of competition. It just looks like a lot of fun, mostly because it's not highly competitive and it looks like an event where the priority is having fun and bringing the car home safely, not so much winning the rally.

[svandamme]

Originally posted by Doug&Julie
It just looks like a lot of fun, mostly because it's not highly competitive and it looks like an event where the priority is having fun and bringing the car home safely, not so much winning the rally.

i think you got things confused there


there are time trial classic rallies, no helmets required, open , public roads, navigating and timed for average speed( as close to the target as possible, not faster or slower then) is the name of the game , anyone can enter, with just about any car as long as it is road legal, tools of the trade ,are compass, mechanical trip computer, maps, no gps.

like these guys here



i'm not saying they all drive like snails
some of em do drive faster then the speedlimit, especially when correcting a mistake, but still , it's all within reason


and there are "RAlly's" all the safety gear you can imagine
closed off public roads, balls out ... timed for speed, you need a racing licence before you can enter, your car has to fit certain specs, cannot be modified for power, weight or suspension in certain classes, tech inspection before and after
your co-pilot has to have a racing licence as well, and you have to work with the standardized roadbook...


like these guys :



this type of Rallying is not for the weak of heart, and trust me on this one , they do drive their cars like they stole em, and have cops hot in pursuit...

You do not enter the latter if you cannot afford to wreck it.