Racing Demons – Porsche and the Targa Florio
By Michael Keyser, Mark Koense and Enzo Manzo
Two of the most magical words in motorsport’s lengthy lexicon of evocative terms are Targa and Florio. Put together as one they conjure visions not only of a supremely challenging 44-mile racecourse twisting its way through the undulating Sicilian countryside, but also of a time when open-road races were cherished and embraced as the ultimate test of man and his machines.
Among the most revered of those machines are the ones bearing the crest of Porsche, which have won the Targa Florio overall on 11 occasions, more than any other marque, while scoring 23 additional class wins as well. The Targa’s Piccolo Madonie circuit demanded precision, agility and power, qualities that have long been synonymous with Porsche.
The authors begin with a biographical capsule of event creator Vincenzo Florio and his immediate family, tracing their efforts to bring their island to international attention. Vincenzo did it with a race that had its first running in 1906, yet this book chronicles only those in which Porsche competed, accompanying each report with abundant photography to illustrate just how unique an event the Targa Florio was. Completing the superb package is a gallery of event posters and a log of all Porsche entries in the Targa Florio.
Available for $150 from publisher Autosports Marketing Associates at www.autosportsltd.com
