Racing cars is something Darren Brake always wanted to do when he was a child growing up in Corner Brook.
He had visions of driving fast, maneuvering every twist and turn of the race track with not a care in the world.
With his 50th birthday only days away, Brake is about to live the dream.
Brake, along with navigator and girlfriend Angela Gill, will be behind the wheel of a 2017 Subaru WRXSTI when the 2018 version of Targa Newfoundland gets underway from Sept. 17-21.
Targa Newfoundland, now in its 18th year, is one of only three internationally recognized Targa motorsports events in the world.
Having a chance to race in a professional race so close to home is something Brake believes he’s ready for now.
He has never even watched a Targa Newfoundland because as his hectic schedule as a Corner Brook businessman during the summer months always stood in his way.
However, he believes the timing is right because he has the time to take on the challenge.
Having a car to race was all the motivation he needed to make the decision that 2018 would be his year.
“It’s been a lifetime dream to race cars and now that I have the opportunity to do it I’m going to do it,” Brake said Tuesday.
The annual rally will cover more than 1,500 kilometres of the challenging, twisty roads of the central and eastern portion of Newfoundland, including over 430 kilometres of closed-road, flat-out Targa stages.
Brake had to participate in a three-day race school in St. John’s in order to qualify for Targa Newfoundland. He and Angela have been driving the car around city streets for a few weeks, albeit not at Targa speeds, to get familiar with the car and they are heading to Marystown this weekend for the Targa Bambina to get in some practice runs at a race designed for rookies who can get used to racing before hitting the start line for the Targa Newfoundland in September.
The rally that will cover more than 1,500 kilometres of the challenging, twisty roads of the central and eastern portion of Newfoundland, including over 430 kilometres of closed-road, flat-out Targa stages.
It’s been a long wait. But, he has the car and time to prepare so he’s excited about sharing the experience with his partner.
