The Festival Targa Rally - What does that mean??
Following the enjoyable and wholesome Bath Motor Club’s DAE Castle Combe Stage Rally in November, I hit the ‘attending’ button on a post looking for Marshals for their next event, The Festival Targa Rally 2026.
The day arrived. The car loaded with the usual rally paraphernalia that a marshal thinks is needed for a single day of motorsport.
Once again, the event was at Wiltshire’s Castle Combe Circuit, somewhere I know very well. A route driven hundreds maybe nearly a thousand times during my 25+ years of motorsport there. As I started the familiar drive I suddenly thought, “The Festival Targa Rally?” – What does that mean?
A familiar start to the day, sign on, have a very brief chat with the Chief Marshal who explained to a rookie what was expected. Pick up post pack, goodie bag and head out to the post or should I say control. Of the various tasks that could’ve been assigned, I was assigned Control 11 - Stop and Go. It’s as simple as that.
Parking safely next to the marked position, I put the stove on, opened the pack and learned all about what to expect. Soon I was joined by a fellow marshal who only an hour early had allowed me to enter the venue and directed me to marshal sign on. Thankfully he had a tiny bit more experience of Targa’s than me but only just.
Equipment - One Cone, One Stop and Go Lollipop and a report sheet.
Manning - Two marshals. One to manage the lollipop the other to manage the pen.
Once the official cars had passed, the course car arrived. Bravely stood trackside, my fellow marshal displayed the red side of the lollipop, the car stopped, the green side was shown and it headed off towards the next control. Simple. We are ready.
Time for the competition to start. The first competition car was soon in sight. After getting a signature at the passage control before ours, they headed towards us at what seemed like a much greater speed. Slithering to a halt right on the mark, Red, Green, Gone. Wow! Crikey that was quick. I duly marked our control sheet with the competitor’s number and very soon the next one was on its way. The surface on the rarely used tarmac meant that braking was difficult at times with competitors slithering to halt, nearly all within the marks but one car ‘offended’ by slithering past ending up broadside on the grass. In their haste to make up the time and with a boot full off throttle the car wiggled away spraying the stop/go man with mud, grass and grit. Thanks for that! And thanks for the laughs it gave us!
After the first pass, the cars headed away to other venues before returning for another pass through this test. Now it was my turn on the stop-go board after 30 minutes or so downtime.
Seeing the whites of the drivers’ eyes, the intent of the navigator’s glare and you felt a huge part of their test. Once the fierce front competitors passed, soon the glares began to soften and the smiles, waves, thanks for marshalling and (Diolchs) came from the crews. Soon, all the competitors passed, all well within the control and away they went once more.
Another short spell of downtime, the sun was beginning to vanish behind the hedges and the nip that greeted us earlier in the day began to return along with the competitors for their final test. Brake discs aglow, sparks from the pads and headlights ablaze the remaining crews flashed to a stop and once again away into the dark.
Too soon, the last car passed. The event had finished.
What had just happened, what a blur. But what a load of fun, what fantastic competition, fantastic competitors, fantastic cars. Memories were made, as were new marshalling friendships and an appetite for more Targas to come.
Do yourself a favour, give one a try. I promise that you will not be disappointed. It’s probably the most ‘Connected’ Motorsport Marshalling that I have been involved with.
Nick Ramsden
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