The Inaugural Targa Tabula Rasa (TTR) was held May 13-14 in Nakusp, B.C.
During the rally all of the cars stopped in Kaslo for an hour lunch break. From a Honda Fit the competing cars increased in performance to several Subaru WRXs, a 1976 Porsche 914 and an antique Porsche 911T. There were many exotic BMWs, several of the famous 911-styled Porsches with a newer Porsche GT3 RS imported from the Newfoundland Rally. The highest performance vehicle on the lot was the supercharged 2001 Dodge Viper GTS “Team Viper” from Nimpo Lake, B.C.
Many of the competitors were invited to attend and showcase this first ever B.C. Rally. Reid Trummel and Larry Lefebvre won first place overall in their ‘76 Porsche 914. This team from Oregon have been competing in Road Rallies all over the continental U.S. and eastern Canada. Racing for decades these experts were no surprise to win the event.
What was a surprise was Ted Hlokoff (Nimpo Lake) and Trevor Cameron (New Serepta, Alta.) winning Novice Class and placing second overall in the 750rwhp Dodge Viper.
It was the first ever “real rally” that either team member had participated in and they managed a win. The co-driver Trevor Cameron obviously learned well during his time at the Rally Driving School to give the winning directions.
This event went so well that the next Targa Rally can be expected as early as this fall.
The mayor of Nakusp invited the Targa Rally back to her town and Duane Bently (CEO) gladly accepted. Nakusp was an excellent base for the rally, as the area is beautiful with many tight, twisty roads to be enjoyed.
“It was interesting in a TSD (time, speed and distance) event like the Targa Rally, despite the average speeds changed often, raced near 10 per cent under the posted speed limits on average,” Hlokoff said. “What kind of race goes under the speed limit?
“The Targa Percision isn’t about fast or high speed, it’s about driving and navigating skills. Miss one turn and that can cost you the entire event.”
The less you slow at the corners, the easier it is to maintain average speed.
Hlokoff said there are “transits” which are quite easy. Follow directions and don’t get lost which will usually give the drivers a 10-15 minute rest before starting the timed “regularity” section of the event.
“There were about 35 checkpoints in various spots along the routes and if you arrived too soon or too late you acquired penalty points,” Hlokoff said.
“One second equals one penalty point.”
There was an awards banquet and a breakfast as part of the competitors package.
“The rally school was extra cost but explained scoring, navigating, route directions and the mathematics to figure what time you should be at many points along the route,” he said. “Unfortunately for us was that the rally started shortly after the school and there was no time for figuring all the times, so ... we ‘winged it.’”