2006 is centenary of Targa Florio, the amazing road race in Sicily famous in all of the world like 24h du Le Mans, 1000miglia or 500miles Indianapolis.
Come in Sicily, rent a motorbike and enjoy the targa Florio Centenary!
Races for Targa Florio centenary
30 May / 4 June 2006
TARGA FLORIO of CENTENARY
Historic Rally
Exhibition of SP/GT/T Cars
30 May / 4 June 2006
FLORIO
Speed Race in circuit
Vintage Sports Cars/Prototypes/GTourism & Tourism
Events:
4th May/4th June
Targa Florio Centenary Village
A big thematic park where visitors can admire the cars starring during all the events, including meeting the drivers and other famous people who have contributed to the myth of Targa Florio.
Inside the Village there will also be various exhibition stands for museums, local communities, municipalities, sponsors, together with vintage cars and motorbikes, spare parts, collections, memorabilia, etc.
History of Targa Florio
The race was created in 1906 by Vincenzo Florio. Always one of the toughest competitions in Europe, the first Targa Florio covered 277 miles (446 km) through multiple hairpin curves on treacherous mountain roads, at heights where severe changes in climate frequently occurred.
By the mid-1920s, the Targa Florio had become one of Europe's most important races, as neither the 24 Hours of Le Mans nor the Mille Miglia had been established yet. The wins of Mercedes (still without Benz) in the 1920s made a big impression in Germany, especially the one of German Christian Werner in 1924, as it was the only non-Italian winner in 50 years!
So, over the years, the greats of Grand Prix racing and Formula One such as Juan Manuel Fangio, Stirling Moss came in Sicily to challenge Italian champions, Tazio Nuvolari, Alfieri Maserati, Achille Varzi and other, like local hero Nino Vaccarella.
Several versions of the track were used. It started with a length of 148km (92 miles) for a lap, then was shortened twice to the 72km lap that was used in the last decades, for usually 10 laps in the race. Start and finish was at Cerda. The counterclockwise lap lead from Caltavuturo and Collesano from over 600 meters down to sea level, where the cars raced from Campofelice di Roccella on the Buonfornello straight along the coast, at over 6 km longer than at Le Mans.
After winning the race several times, Porsche named the convertible version of the 911 after the Targa. The name of the car with the large roll bar was a wise choice, as targa means shield.
In the late 1960s and early 1970s, race cars with up to 600 hp (450 kW) such as Nino Vaccarella's Ferrari 512S raced through small mountains villages while the people were sitting or standing right next to or even on the road. Porsche, on the other hand, did not race its big Porsche 917, but rather the nimble Porsche 908/03 Spyders.
Due to safety concerns, the last real Targa Florio as an international professional race was run in 1973. Today continued like a rally race and historycal competition.
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