Targa Canada West spoke to a gathered crowd of more than 50 people at the Bonnington Arts Centre to give a detailed breakdown of a new race they want to take place right here in Nakusp.
The proposed event would take place on May. 14 of this year, featuring 20 cars ranging from suped-up Mini Coopers to modern-day Porsches.
Duane Bentley, CEO of Targa Canada West, said the race wouldn’t have their most exotic machinery on hand, saying it’s more of a smaller test run at this point than anything.
“But there are all kinds of fancy cars all over the world used in these competitions,” he said.
The idea at this point is to put on a race at the Hot Springs Road between 8:30 a.m. and 12:30 p.m. of that day. This would mean the road would be closed between 7 a.m. – 1 p.m. to properly and safely set up the races.
Cars will be racing against the clock, so there won’t be wheel-to-wheel racing.
To go ahead, Targa needs the full support of the community, as well as all the stakeholders of the Hot Springs Road to make it effective.
Targa maintains that the road will be open to emergency services or possible escorts between the campgrounds and the village side during special times.
There will also be a car show where people can meet the drivers and check out their vehicles at the Nakusp arena. The cars will also be doing a victory lap/parade after the event finishes up.
Jennifer Daly, director of operations for Targa Canada West, said this could be the start of something big not only for them, but for Nakusp as well.
“Small communities in B.C. deserve to be showcased to a larger audience,” she said.
Targa is already hosting events all over the world, including New Zealdand, Newfoundland and Tasmania.
They say these events generate millions of dollars in those areas, as well as feature hundreds of thousands of spectators.
For example, Targa Tasmania, which began in 1992, is estimated to leave $10-million in that area over an eight day period with 200,000 spectators.
Targa Newfoundland, our Canadian brother, began in 2002 and features 90 cars in its race, and is the largest single annual event in the province.
Targa estimates the direct and indirect benefits reach up to around $16-million.
And this is what they want to happen in B.C.’s southern interior.
“We hope to have it as an annual, week-long event that tours B.C.’s interior,” Daly said.
If all goes as planned with this test run, Targa will be back to Nakusp for an event in the fall of 2011. They say this will be a bigger event, featuring 25–50 cars, with more competition stages, but that also means more road closures.
Targa already has full support from Nakusp village council, and received plenty of positive community feedback at the Bonnington last Thursday, Jan. 27.
More information will be available in the future.