@targanl • CLARENVILLE, NL (September 18, 2015) - Leg Four of Targa Newfoundland is in the books, with the final day on Friday looking to be packed with battles for the top spots in almost all divisions and classes.
Thursday was the first incident-free day of the 14th annual Targa, with no cars going off or mechanical failures. The upbeat mood in the paddock from the start of the day carried throughout all 10 stages held on the Bonavista Peninsula.
The high point of Leg 4 was the Bonavista stages, where thousands of fans came out to watch competitors do their thing through the streets of the historic town. Afterwards, Mayor Betty Fitzgerald gave a personal tour of the Matthew Legacy Centre to competitors and service crews. For many in the crowd, it was their first experience with this historic site.
Leading into the final day of competition, the Open division of Targa is down to a two way fight between two Targa veterans. Defending champion Mike Davenport of Ontario is second to Jean Luc Bergeron of Quebec. Jean Luc is trying to win his first Open title in his third try at the Targa.
In the Modern division, the veteran competitor from the Turks & Caicos, Stan Hartling, is leading local rookie Billy Anderson by 35 seconds. Stan has made several previous attempts at the Modern title, and this too would be his first should he be able to hold on to the lead.
In Classic division, local Targa rookie and former long-time volunteer of the event, Mike Mercer, is leading defending Classic champion Jack Rogers of Indiana, U.S.A., by 27 seconds. With 8 challenging and unique stages on Friday, the lead can certainly change before the last car crosses the finish line in Brigus.
In the Grand Touring Equipped division, defending champion Craig MacMullen of Nova Scotia has lost the lead to rookie Marinus Damm of Oregon, U.S.A. The difference is only two seconds so expect that division to come down to the final stage of the day.
And in the Grand Touring Unequipped division, rookie Carson Scheller of California has extended his lead over local competitor Doug Kavanagh to over two minutes.
Friday's Leg 5 will feature the historic communities of Cupids and Brigus, with the Official Finish being in Brigus itself. Then, the 1,600 km adventure called the Targa will come to a conclusion for another year.
Owned and operated by Newfoundland International Motorsports Limited, Targa Newfoundland is one of three internationally recognized Targa motorsports events in the world. The 2015 competition will start in Torbay on September 13 and concludes back in St. John's on September 18. The annual rally will cover more than 1,600 kilometers of the challenging, twisty roads of the central and eastern portion of Newfoundland, including more than 400 kilometers of closed-road, flat-out Targa stages.
Contact: Targa Newfoundland: Darren Sheppard registrar@targanewfoundland.com 1-877-332-2413
Website: www.targanewfoundland.com - www.twitter.com/targanl - www.facebook.com/targanl
From: Darren Sheppard/ General Manager- Newfoundland International Motorsports Limited
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