Targa Florio

“Continue my work because I have created it to defy the time”  Vincenzo Florio

The Targa Florio was the open road endurance car race held in the Madonie mountains of Sicily near Palermo.
Founded in 1906 by the wealthy pioneer race driver and automobile enthusiast, Vincenzo Florio, it was the oldest sports car racing event, part of the World Sportscar Championship between 1955 and 1973. One of the toughest competitions in Europe, the first Targa Florio covered 3 laps equalling 277 miles (446 km) through multiple hairpin curves on treacherous mountain roads, at heights where severe changes in climate frequently occurred. While the first races consisted of a whole tour of the island, the track length in the race’s last decades was limited to the 72 kilometres (45 miles) of the Circuito Piccolo delle Madonie which was lapped 11 times.

By the mid-1920s, the Targa Florio had become one of Europe’s most important races, as the 24 Hours of Le Mans or the Mille Miglia. (Grand Prix races were still isolated events, not a series like today’s F1.) In 1953, the FIA World Sportscar Championship was introduced and the Targa became part of it in 1955, appearing in the races’ calendar along with 24 Hours of Le Mans, the 12 Hours of Sebring, the 1000 km of Nürburgring. Thus began one of its happiest seasons, which saw the participation of the most world famous drivers of all times as Varzi, Nuvolari, Fangio, Moss and the most important car manufacturers as Porsche, Ferrari, Alfa Romeo and Maserati, that made it the testing ground for new technologies.

The challenge of the Targa was unprecedented in its difficulty and the driving experience was unlike any other circuit in the world: The final iteration of the course, the 72 km “Piccolo” Circuit had about 800 corners per lap; to put that in perspective, most purpose built circuits have between 12 to 18 corners, and the longest one in the world – the 13mile Nürburgring – has about 180 corners…
So, learning the Targa Florio course was extremely difficult and required at least 60 laps, and the course had to be learned properly in public traffic.

Nino Vaccarella

Enzo Ferrari in his book “Pilots, that people …” dedicated to Nino Vaccarella these words:
“A pilot with temperament. Seemingly calm and measured, was felt in him the fire and passion of his homeland. On the Sport Prototypes cars he was an excellent pilot. The track of the Madonie especially exaltedy his skills as a road racer and only because of unexpected adversity he not to be first – or among the first – at the finish line. He has achieved great victories.”

The racing history of Nino Vaccarella, who was official driver of the Ferrari (twice World Champion Sport Prototypes) and Alfa Romeo, unfolds over a period of time from 1956 – the debut on the Fiat 1100 of his father – until 1975 in which, after getting his third victory in the 59th edition of the Targa Florio, he decided “to hang his helmet to the nail”. In his palmarès are – among others – victories at the 24 Hours of Le Mans, 1000 km of Nürburgring, 12 Hours of Sebring, the 1000 km of Monza and three editions of Targa Florio (1965,1971,1975).

Between the years 60 and 70, these circuits where legendary pages of motor racing would be written, saw Nino Vaccarella on the top step of the podium. Vaccarella, nicknamed “the Flying Dean “, passed naturally from the chair of the executive dean of the school to the driver’s seat of the racing cars like the Ferrari 512 M, the Porsche 917 and the Ford GT40, just to mention a few of which he ran.

Thanks to not common talent and skill, Nino Vaccarella shortly become one of the protagonist of world car races also competing for some races of the Formula One World Championship, driving the Official Ferrari and Porsche. He earned the esteem of men and champions as Manuel Fangio and Stirling Moss, confronting himself with drivers like Graham Hill, Jochen Rindt, Jo Bonnier, Vic Elford, Jo Siffert, the Rodriguez brothers, Gèrard Larrousse, Jacky Ickx and Mario Andretti, whose names evoke some of the most exciting pages of the history of motoring ever written.

Porsche

Targa Florio: the “race of the races” in which it has increased the myth Porsche.

The Porsche was the car manufacturer that for several times has affixed his seal to the modern edition of the Targa Florio race, which took place from 1955 to 1973 as a round of the World Sports Prototype Championship. Along the 72 km of the Madonie’s “Small Circuit”, the car’s brand from Zuffenhausen won 11 times, putting its cars prior to Ferrari and Alfa Romeo, coming to achieve five consecutive victories in the years from 1966 to 1970 and obtained in its medal collection also 9 second places, 12 third places and 8 fastest laps.
This incredible results demonstrate how the Porsche had chosen automobile racing – and the Targa Florio in particular for its unique features – such as testing ground for construction technologies and innovative mechanical solutions.

The Porsche models who have triumphed on the Targa Florio race were: the 550 A Spyder – the 718 RSK Spyder – the 718 RS 60 Spyder – the GTR 718 – the 904 Carrera GTS – the 906 Carrera – the 910-8 and 910-6 – the 907-8 – the 908/02 Spyder driven by Mitter / Schutz who triumphed with a time of 6h07’45 “,record that remained undefeated – the 908/03 Spyder – and at least the 911 Carrera RSR.

The historic connection as well the strong bond between Targa Florio and Porsche is also expressed by the model 911 “Targa”, specifically dedicated to the Italy’s second-most-celebrated road race, in which Porsche dominated in the 1960s. When Porsche produced its first open-top 911 – presented at the 1965 Frankfurt motor show – it was named “Targa” as a tribute to the Company’s victories in the Targa Florio race.

The Flyng Dean

Driving a Porsche 911, Nino Vaccarella takes us to discover the legendary Madonie circuit of the Targa Florio race . Entrusting to his memory and to his qualities as a pilot, we access to that temple of motor racing that the Targa Florio was. Scene of adventure racing that “the Flying Dean” – the nickname with which Vaccarella became known to millions of fans – contributed to make legendary.
Triskell Pictures & Entertainment, on the 50th anniversary of the Porsche 911 has produced this short film as innovative tribute to the brand Porsche to the Targa Florio and to Nino Vaccarella himself. To the Porsche, which more than any other manufacturer has linked its brand to the world’s oldest road racing, up to dedicate one of its successful models: the Porsche “Targa”, reissued today in the GTS version.
To the Targa Florio, the race that until 1973 was valid for the World Sports Prototype Championship and that for millions of fans around the world, still exerts the timeless appeal of one of the most celebrated motoring myths of all time.
To Nino Vaccarella, the world famous Sicilian driver, official pilot of Ferrari and Alfa Romeo, which has obtained three victories in the Targa Florio and memorable successes at the 24 Hours of Le Mans, the 12 Hours of Sebring, the 1,000 km of Nurburgring.

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Triskell srl Pictures & Entertainment is a young Italian Company aims to became the multimedia reference point to develop Computer Graphics and 3D Animation in Sicily as well to produce audio-visual products for both the cinema and web video, intended for the domestic – but especially – for the international markets.

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“Dietro al Volante” film, presented at 36th edition of International Sport Film Festival, has been passed the first selection and is taking part to the second one for the nomination 2015. Check for the final results, after 23 of June 2015 (nomination) at sportfilmfestival.it