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Hello Fellow Motorsport Enthusiasts,

I write to you to introduce Targa Canada West. In 2010, our week-long competitive tarmac event will join Targa Tasmania, Targa New Zealand, and Targa Newfoundland on the world Targa stage. I invite you to get involved!

The first annual TCW will run May 23-28, 2010. As such, the event boasts over 500 km of closed tarmac stages spanning the Canadian May long weekend, to the American Memorial Day weekend. Our inaugural event will both start and end in beautiful Kelowna, British Columbia.

Routes in subsequent years will vary. We'll take in gob-smacking mountainous terrain from Whistler to Banff. By our May 2010 debut, Targa Canada West will have been 5 years in the making. The process started while I was writing a 50th anniversary piece on Stirling Moss' famous 1955 Mille Miglia win. That story evolved into an in-depth review of modern day motorsport on closed tarmac roads. Living in the mountains of British Columbia and reveling in our glorious roads..... as they say, one thing led to another.

Along the way, I and my co-conspirators in TCW will have completed the three existing Targas nine times...in old cars, new cars, fast cars and slow cars. Our Technical Consultants John Bellefleur and Pete Gulliver have been involved in running just about as many Targas. We've also enjoyed great support from the existing Targas, with a shout out of thanks to Mark Perry, Peter Martin, Bob Giannou and each of their staffs.

Our unrelenting goal throughout has been to bring TCW an unrivalled combination of roads, classes and rules. I'm pleased to propose six TCW classes, each named by the average stage speed an entered team aims to equal: 90 kph class, 100 kph, 110 kph, 120 kph, 125 kph, and 130 kph. Our TCW Modern winner will be the highest placed 1985 or newer car in the 130 kph class, while the TCW Classic winner will be the highest placed pre-1985 car in either the 125 kph or 130 kph class. "Green" entrants will be welcomed.

The slowest two classes are suitable for cars virtually off the showroom floor. The higher the speed class a team proposes to enter, the more safety equipment and competition experience will be required. Unrivalled safety is also our objective. All teams must prove their cars are currently road registered, plated, and liability insured.

Our 2010 Event design targets 120 competition cars. Steven Millen of IMSA/ LeMans/ Rally/ Stadium/ Targa fame has secured the first official TCW entry with his new Nissan GT-R racer in the 130 kph class, (see build coverage at roadandtrack.com/stillen). For other competitors ready to commit, the TCW Early Bird team entry fee is $3900 U.S., (or Canadian dollar equivalent). That rate increases to $4400 U.S. on November 15th and $4900 U.S. on February 15th. Compared with the other Targas our entry fee sales tax is a cheap 5%.

The TCW website (www.targacanadawest.com) accepts feedback and inquiries from competitors and volunteers. The website content will be updated as event arrangements are confirmed. Back in the non-virtual world, we'll meet as many of you in person as we can at the motorsport events we visit throughout 2009.

Before I sign off, I'd like to thank the skilled volunteers who have already sought out TCW. Targa events are nigh impossible without the operational and safety expertise that is unselfishly contributed, mostly by the gravel rally community and retired RCMP officers. Without them, the rest of us track day, solo, exotic, tuner, green, and vintage car nuts would never experience the magic of competing across hundreds of kilometers of stupendous closed tarmac roads.

Dr. Kelly Silverthorn
CEO & Founder,
Targa Canada West