Adversity won’t stop father and son team from returning to Targa

Courtesy Ruth Marks

February 13, 2006 – ST. JOHN’S – Never mind the broken bones and busted cars: Tony and Ryan Kloosterman are heading back to Targa Newfoundland.

After all, the father and son team from London, Ontario, feel they have some unfinished business with one of North America’s longest and toughest motorsport events.

“After our experience last year, there’s no way that we can’t come back,” said father and driver Tony. “We didn’t feel we had the opportunity to drive the car. When we return in 2006, we’ll have a greater respect for the road and the conditions. And I feel like I owe my son a decent ride!”

That’s a pretty optimistic attitude for a pair that endured a week of pain, hardship, disappointment, expense and, ultimately, redemption at Targa Newfoundland 2005.

The challenges the team faced in their first attempt at Targa reads like the script for a Hollywood movie. An off-road incident on Prologue Day injured Ryan’s arm and forced the competitors to make extensive overnight repairs to their Subaru. True to the spirit of the event, they were back competing the following morning, with Ryan navigating with his broken arm in a sling. The Prologue experience was to set the tone for their week, as a series of mechanical problems and adventures on the route seemed to add daily to the list of obstacles they faced. At almost every stop, from lunch breaks to arena car shows, the Kloostermans could be seen working on their car. A troublesome transmission threatened to end their rally several times.

“At a certain point, we knew that we just couldn’t give up,” said Tony. “It was powerful; we had gone so far and faced so much. If we had given up, we would have failed. We decided that as long as the car could go, we could go. When Ryan didn’t think we could make it, I encouraged him. And when I lost hope, he encouraged me. We worked quite hard and the only day we did not meet our target times was on Day 4, after we lost third gear. We only had first and fifth.”

Most days, Tony can be found working for Canada Post as the Director for South Western Ontario. However, he has been passionate about motorsports ever since he navigated his first rally with his father when he was 12. Tony competed in both the Ontario and Canadian Rally Championships before taking time off to raise a family. About four years ago, he returned to competition, focusing on solo events.

The motorsports bug bit son Ryan about two years ago, when he entered his first solo event. He has been hooked ever since.

“Rallying has always been in the family, but no event could have prepared me for Targa Newfoundland,” said Ryan. “It was something I did not expect. It exceeded my expectations. It was overwhelming and exhausting.”

Even with all the hardships they faced during the week, the Kloostermans kept a commitment they made to the Children’s Make A Wish Foundation before the rally began. On Saturday, September 17, they presented a driving suit donated by OMP to a young boy with cancer. They spent much of the day with him, including taking him for a few spins around Vinland Motorsports’ Charity Slalom.

It’s no wonder the other competitors voted for the Kloostermans for the Spirit of Targa award. This trophy is presented to the entry that, in the opinion of the rest of the competitors, best represents the perseverance, fortitude and determination necessary to succeed in the often-difficult world of motorsports. In the past, the Spirit of Targa award has been presented to teams who have undergone the most trials and tribulations to get to, or remain in, the competition. In the 2005 event, the tale of the Kloostermans set a new standard for perseverance.

Their 2002 Subaru WRX is undergoing some major upgrades for the 2006 event and will feature the team’s new name – Never Quit Racing. There will be an upgraded suspension, a new drive train and, of course, a new transmission. So what are the Kloostermans doing with the transmission that gave them so much trouble?

“A friend is actually turning our transmission from Targa 2005 into a coffee table,” laughed Tony.

The fifth annual Targa Newfoundland will start and end in St. John’s and will cover more than 2,100 kilometres of the challenging, twisty roads of the central and eastern portion of the island of Newfoundland over six days, including more than 500 kilometres of closed-road, flat-out Targa Stages. In addition to the two primary competitions for Targa and Grand Touring entries, a new category known as Targa Tour has been added for 2006. The latter gives motorsports enthusiasts and collectors of unique and rare vehicles the opportunity to enjoy all that Targa has to offer without the pressure of competition or the need for stringent vehicle preparation.

Targa Newfoundland is owned and organized by Newfoundland International Motorsports.