Local boy Nino Vaccarella wrestled his big Ferrari into third place around the ‘Piccolo Madonie’ circuit in 1970…
Sensational Rainer Schlegelmilch shot captures the very essence of Targa, its geography and contrast of tradition and contemporary technology.
Porsche had ‘the game covered’ in 1970/71, they had the nimble, light 908/3 for Targa and the Nurburgring and the legendary 917 for power circuits such as Le Mans, Daytona and Monza. Brian Redman and Jo Siffert won the race in a 908/3 from Pedro Rodriguez and Leo Kinnunen in the other JW Automotive Porsche.
Ferrari only entered one factory car, Vaccarella partnered by compatriot Ignazio Giunti, a promising driver who made his F1 debut with Ferrari in 1970. He perished in a tragic accident in Argentina in 1971 when his Ferrari 312P (sports car) ran into the back of Jean Pierre Beltiose’ Matra 660 which he was pushing along the track, having run out of fuel.
Nino Vaccarella was a good bet for the win though, a local, he grew up in Palermo and knew the circuit ‘like the back of his hand’. He started the season well winning the Sebring 12 Hour with Giunti, and Mario Andretti. He won Targa thrice; in 1965 in a Ferrari 275 P2 and in 1971 in an Alfa T33/3. His final win was in an Alfa TT12 after Targa became a National Italian event, Targa losing its championship status after 1973 when the cars simply became too quick for the circuit on Sicilian open roads…not too quick for an Italian event however!
Vaccarella also had some Grand Prix experience, his best GP result ninth in the 1962 Italian Grand Prix in a privately entered Lotus 24 Climax.
Predominantly a Sports Car Driver, he also won the 1964 Le Mans 24 Hour Classic sharing a Ferrari 275 P with Jean Guichet and the Nurburgring 1000Km with Ludovico Scarfiotti in another 275P.
He is still alive and well living in Sicily.
Stunning shot and an epic vantage point for the boys, Collesano. Vaccarella/ Giunti Ferrari 512S Spyder in shot (Pinterest)
Vaccarella in the Sicilian countryside, the unique challenges of the circuit and driving a 5 litre 550 BHP V12 Ferrari 512S apparent (Pinterest)
Vaccarella in the car he shared with Ignazio Giunti, Targa 1970 . A second Ferrari 512S was entered by Scuderia Fillipinetti driven by Herbie Muller and Mike Parkes finishing sixth (Pinterest)
Vaccarella finishes his 11th lap, the event which started and finished in Cerda. The lap record for the course was set by Helmut Marko in an Alfa 33TT3 in 1972 at an average speed of 128.253 KmH for the 72Km course on Sicilian open roads. (Pinterest)
Cutaway of the Ferrari 512S. Space-frame chassis, 5 litre, DOHC V12, circa 550BHP. 5 speed gearbox, independent suspension by wishbones at front with coil spring/dampers (Koni), and single top link, inverted wishbone, radius rods and coil spring/damper units at the rear. A superb car if never as successful as the Porsche 917, its direct rival. (Pinterest)
Etcetera…
Nino Vaccarella, Targa 1970 (The Cahier Archive)
Vaccarella competed for Ferrari in the 1965 Italian GP in a 158. His engine failed in the race won by Jackie Stewarts’ BRM P261, the first of his 27 Grand Prix victories. (Pinterest)
Jo Siffert in the 1970 Targa Florio winning Porsche 908/3 he shared with Brian Redman (Pinterest)
Photo Credits…
Rainer Schlegelmilch, The Cahier Archive, Pinterest
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