Features and Tips

DAY 3: Our smarts take on an arctic storm You know what? I don’t really thing any of us knew what we were getting into when we decided to drive to Inuvik in smarts. We journalists certainly didn’t, and the folks at smart/Mercedes probably didn’t either. We hadn’t really figured …

Smart or no smart, it’s a crazy plan. Making it to Inuvik is a feat even for the big pick-ups and 4x4s of this world. Now imagine it in a smart... Moreover, everyone we tell about our intention to drive the little cars on the only Canadian highway that crosses …

Journalists frequently participate in media events all over the world and these events are almost always very well structured and leave little room for adventure. But I must admit that the idea of participating in an expedition to the Arctic Circle at wheel of a Smart is anything but ordinary.

The 1992 launch of Bridgestone’s Blizzak winter tires was a veritable revolution. This tire was considerably more effective than all other products on the market. Like many others, it was excellent on snow, but it really set itself apart by offering incredible traction on ice. Passionate drivers all switched over …

This year I am driving Subaru Canada’s official entry at Targa Newfoundland, a fully race-prepared Impreza WRX STI. Subaru Rally Team Canada is thus competing on the Rock for the seventh consecutive year and our goal is to become the first team ever to win overall in the Targa class …

There was a steady rain over Marystown as teams filed out of the arena for the long transit to the first stage of the ultimate day of competition in this 8th edition of Targa Newfounbdland. The Subaru Canada Targa Rally Team had a surprise for their driver that morning. As …

Team Subaru Targa had a very good Fourth Leg on Thursday. Our goal is to be safe first and foremost, and then turn in the best possible stage times. Happy to report that we have given our guys no work beyond the normal checks all through Thursday, with the single …

We were in very good shape entering Leg Three on Wednesday. The car felt strong with the slightly higher boost pressure co-driver/chief mechanic Stewart Hoo had dialled in. And if it wasn’t good, he would whip out his computer and change it as we rolled on in a transit. How …

You really need to sleep as well as possible when tackling the six-day endurance race that is Targa Newfoundland, but that is easier said than done. As a driver, you must first let the adrenalin consume itself in your veins after the utter thrill that is the in-town stage at …

Sorry for not updating or adding much to this blog in the past two days. I was frankly not in the shape or spirit to do so. We effectively went off the road quite hard on the very first Prologue run on the Flatrock stage on Sunday. There is a …