Driver: Don Bray
Co-driver: Jim Pentecost
Car: 2008 Porsche Cayman S
Division: Targa Tour
Country: Canada
Maritime motorsport enthusiasts bring a ‘croc’ to race the Rock
Two friends from Atlantic Canada with a shared love of motorsports are teaming up to race the Rock this fall.
This will be Don Bray’s second Targa Newfoundland as he and his brother Frank got a taste of the Targa Tour in 2024 in Don’s BMW M3. This time out, Don is bringing his 2008 Porsche Cayman S and a new co-driver, Jim Pentecost from Hammonds Plains, Nova Scotia.
After experiencing Targa Bambina last fall, Don described the event as incredible. “The driving is amazing; the scenery and the sights were amazing; the people were amazing. Gander especially was one of the most fun drives I’ve had in my driving career, in my lifetime. It just seemed insane to drive through a community the way we have and everybody’s welcoming you. The spectators love it. People are outside enjoying themselves. It was incredible, just incredible.”
Don lives on Prince Edward Island and has been a car enthusiast his entire adult life. Starting in the 1980’s he and his brother were hooked on British sports cars including Triumph Spitfires, TR7s, and MGBs. A few American muscle cars followed and then onto BMW and Porsche as they (somewhat) matured.
Don pretends to be a “shade tree mechanic” in his spare time and has done a couple of High Performance Driver Education (HPDE) weekends, but other than Targa 2024 doesn’t have any (legal) racing experience. “I love driving, tinkering with cars, and experiencing the beauty that Atlantic Canada has to offer.”
Co-driver Jim Pentecost is a construction specialties contractor currently contemplating retirement. He’s had a passion for powersports from a young age and is a past champion motorcycle racer at Atlantic Motorsports Park in Nova Scotia. He also has two years of indoor Kart racing experience. Jim is always up for an adventure and is looking forward to experiencing his first car rally in Newfoundland.
The Cayman S that they are bringing to Targa this year has been lightly modified for aggressive street use and light track duty. Modifications include Ohlins Road and Track coil overs, Tarett Engineering control arms, light weight Apex wheels, and a short shifter.
Don says the team name comes from combining the car and the event. “The car is a 2008 Cayman S and Porsche originally named the car after a species of crocodile. So ‘Rock the Croc’ comes from combining ‘the Rock’ (the nickname for Newfoundland) and ‘Croc’ for Cayman.”