The year was 2009 and Targa attracted 60 teams and cars, including some heavy hitters, even Godzilla.
The team of Frank Sprongl and Rod Hendricksen became two-time Open Division champs in a 1983 Audi Quattro (see photos above and below). Sprongl, a renowned champion rally driver and car builder along with his brother Dan, is one of only a handful of drivers who have achieved Grand Master status in the Canadian Association of Rally Sport and a member of the Canadian Motorsport Hall of Fame. Hendricksen was also a Canadian Rally Championship winner as a co-driver.
Pairing with Nissan, legendary New Zealand IMSA racer Steve Millen and Mike Monticello from Road & Track magazine took first in the Modern Division in their modified, 620-hp 2009 Nissan GT-R, a car dubbed Godzilla. Speed TV (remember them?) aired a Targa special the following year.
Subaru Rally Team entered Targa with journalist Marc Lachapelle from The Car Guide magazine behind the wheel along with replacement co-driver and chief mechanic Stewart Hoo. They came second in Modern Division behind the GT-R and won the 2009 Churchill Motorsports International Team Trophy. Lachapelle, who ran Targa multiple times, wrote about the experience. Keith Tanner of Flyin’ Miata and a past Targa competitor also wrote blog posts about the rally.
In the Classic Division, Roy Hopkins and Adrienne Hughes made it three class wins in a row in a 1969 BMW 2002. Grand Touring was won by Ferdinand and Christoph Trauttmansdorff running a 1990 BMW 325i while Alan Kearley and Greg Martin in a 2004 Mazda 3 Sport GT took their second of what would become three titles in GT (unequipped).
Warwick Patterson (Audi on the road, Ford Escort, Stillen GTR and cars on causeway)
Check the Rules and Regs page for details on what is required for each division. If you have more questions, visit our FAQ and Event Info pages or contact us at [email protected].
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