The Targa Florio, in the beginning together with the Coppa Florio, was a long-distance race on open mountainous roads in Sicily, Italy. It was created by count Vincenzo Florio, who’s family owned the roads of this so-called Madoni track. He even had participated in the fearful 1903 Paris-Madrid race. The Targa Florio mostly was carried out around May, starting from 1906 even until the nineteen-seventies. Famous and feared by many because of the harsh conditions in the Sicilian mountains, putting cars and drivers to maximum strain and perseverance.

The Madonie track was about 148 km long and for the Targa Florio, it had to be rounded three times, resulting in some 446 km race distance. All through the mountainous roads on Sicily.
On 6 May 1906, the first Targa Florio got on his way. Only ten vehicles participated. The race was dominated by two Itala cars and finally Cagno won with Graziani second.

In 1924, the Targa Florio saw the first race victory of a turbocharged car, a Mercedes.

Although the Targa Florio was admittedly a severe race series, but even so popular by manufacturers and drivers, making it lasting until 1977!

   Interesting information can be found on these two Italian sites: targapedia, as well as on targaflorio