Stacy and I participated in the first stage of Targa Trophy Rally with our new Evora. This rally started in Hollywood and ran through various roads in the city & country and ended in San Diego. About 70 cars started the event and amazingly most finished! The organizers did a superb job of arranging a fun event that I fully recommend to all sportscar enthusiasts.
The event started with a kick off party at the W Hotel in Hollywood Friday night. We placed sponsors stickers onto our car that eve. Our Evora was staged at the entrance of the W and held it's ground next to a Ferrari & Lambo. We had HRE build us some special wheels for the Evora with a special finish - gold. We had also added a new Larini exhaust to improve the ultra-quiet stock system. It sounds superb.
Saturday morning the organizers had an excellent breakfast ready for us - so we fueled up. We then staged our car at the Car Show they arranged. After the Driver's Meeting we went out and checked out the show before lining up for the rally. No specifics were given at the meeting so we were quite anxious to see what this rally would entail. They informed us that there would be a Navigation Stage and a Driving Stage but that was it. It was the first rally I had participated in so I was very curious.
As we approached the start line, the organizers presented us with the instructions. We were first told to go buy a map of Southern CA and keep
the receipt. We then need to find specific shops in certain cities and buy items from each one. The receipts from each place would be the proof that we had actually made it there. We ran through some city streets, freeways and coastal roads.
We met everyone for lunch at Ferrari of Newport. Then the Drivers Stage started which took us to the desert. In fact, we ended going through some canyon roads that I know - including Mt. Palomar. The Evora cruised serenely through the freeways and then ate up the canyons. I surprised a 997, M3 & M5 with its rapid pace in the canyons. This car may not be as good as the Elise in the canyons but it sure felt awfully close. We were required to get some pie in Julian and then blast through the desert. Stacy got a bit car sick in the canyons so I ended slowing down to keep her lunch intact. But even at 6/10s this car is a blast to drive.
Ultimately we ended up at the W Hotel in San Diego. After 7 hrs of driving we were both in much better shape than if we had attempted it in the Elise or Atom. Frankly I could have gone on for many more hours. The Evora is a proper sportscar that covers plenty of miles with gentleman-like pace and composure.
We had a great time that evening at the awards banquet. We learned that we finished 17/70. The organizers basically keep tabs on your mileage and time and then compare it to their own mileage/time. The contestants who came the closest win. So the fastest team is not necessarily the winner. Luck surely plays a role in this rally but frankly that makes it plenty of fun. You don't needed a massively powerful car to win. The next stage is in late August and will be held in San Francisco. I highly recommend this event - and yes, I paid to run it and will do so again!
