According to the president, Gander is one of the more pristine Targa stops. Because of the tight turns, drivers get to use their cars as track cars, which, according to Giannou, is why they love it here so much.
“The reason Targa drivers like Gander so much is because the course is similar to a race track,” he said, adding Gander is second to Brigus as the most popular stop. “If you go to places like Leading Tickles, it’s open road and you have to run it very fast. In Gander, it’s lower speed compared to other stages, and it’s track-like. There are a lot of 90-degree turns, and guys get to run it like a track car. They have lots of fun.”
Lorenzen said he’s already looking forward to navigating Melendy through the streets of Gander in their 1986 Chevrolet Camaro IROC Z28. However, there’s another stop he’s looking forward to.
“Gander and Garnish. My dad is from Garnish, so I spent a lot of time growing up there,” said Lorenzen, a first-time Targa participant. “I know that town very well, and I can’t wait to attack that stage. I’m sure we’ll do well on that stage, and I’m sure we’ll do well in Gander.”
Though Gander is a favourite, roughly 122 kilometres away lies another stop drivers look forward to. However, it isn’t because of sharp turns, or because there’s the opportunity to step on the gas — it’s because of the challenge. In fact, past winners have said the Greenspond stop is the most challenging of all circuits.
“We couldn’t run Targa without Greenspond. Where else can you get an island that’s about a kilometre long, and a half kilometre wide, with 2.7 kilometres of event in it? Glenn Clark is one of the guys who has won Targa, Roy Hopkins is another, and so is Bill Arnold, and they say that Greenspond is, hands down, the most challenging,” said Giannou. “It’s not a lot of the drivers’ favourite, but it’s a challenge. There is no point where you’re level, or where you’re going straight. You’re either going sideways, uphill or downhill. Where else do you go up at a 45-degree angle, jump over the top, and be turning left?”
Once Lorenzen and Melendy leave Gander on Sept. 14 to attack Appleton and Glenwood, Giannou said more challenges await. Appleton presents five unique challenges, while Glenwood presents a new course.
“Appleton is a very interesting course. It’s the second day of a stage course. There are five corners in Appleton and each one is different. The surface is good, the road is great, it’s short, and it’s optically simple. A lot of drivers have trouble in Appleton,” said Giannou. “Glenwood is the first time drivers encounter a real town stage. Unfortunately, the town has had some issues because of the storms they’ve had, which has seriously depleted the Town’s ability to repair its roads. Council was not happy with its roads last year, and they didn’t feel it was safe. This year, we went in to work with council. They had some paving money, so we went in and changed the course.”
Visit www.sidewaysmotorsports.ca to follow Melendy’s and Lorenzen’s Targa 2010 preparations, and visit www.targanewfoundland.com for a complete list of stops. Be sure to pick up the Sept. 14 Beacon for coverage of Targa, and keep checking www.ganderbeacon.ca for photo galleries and video of the event.
info@ganderbeacon.ca
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