It’s a new year and we’re full speed ahead as we gear up for an incredible Targa 2025 across the beautiful island of Newfoundland this fall. This will mark 23 years since the first event of the ultimate tarmac rally in North America in 2002 (see a story about that below).
With eighteen teams registered already and more coming, the stage is set for some epic battles in Targa 1 and Targa 2 and the thrilling adventure of the non-competitive Targa Tour. We have competitors coming from British Columbia, Alberta, Ontario, Quebec, New Brunswick, Prince Edward Island, Florida, Texas, New York, Colorado, and of course Newfoundland and Labrador.
Several teams are returning to The Rock for another run at this legendary tarmac rally including Hume Media, Knight Motorsports (shown above), WSP Motorsports (photo below), Spud Performance, M2 Strategies, Aylmer Express, Bavarian Brothers and more. A number of new teams are signed up as well.
“We’re thrilled with the calibre of the teams and cars entered already and we’re still nine months from the rally,” said Targa Newfoundland President Joe Dowden.
This year we plan to run stages on some amazing roads in the communities that hosted the 2024 rally though the exact routes won’t be finalized until later in the year to keep competitors guessing. Teams will drive at speed over 500 km on closed sections of public roads and cover about 2000 km in total from east to central Newfoundland with its spectacular scenery, unique culture, friendly people, and rich history.
We’ve got space for you. Don’t miss out on the action this year. Register now for Targa 2025!
Targa Newfoundland at Hagerty Garage + Social
If you are in the Toronto, Ontario area on Saturday, January 25, meet us at Hagerty Garage + Social from 1 p.m. – 4 p.m.
Enjoy some authentic Newfoundland treats, chat with past Targa competitors and learn the ins and outs of fielding a car in the 2025 Targa Newfoundland.
We’d love to see you there. Click here to register to attend.
More raves about the rally
Targa Newfoundland is a lot of things to different people – an epic tarmac rally, a motorsport adventure, a bucket list experience – take your pick. Here are some more comments from competitors.
Cameron Combdon, Newfoundland and Labrador – Team WSP Motorsports
I had no idea what to expect coming into Targa. I’d heard the name Targa but couldn’t comprehend what it was. I’d never actually seen a stage. I’d never done anything with it at all. So, coming out to this was super exciting for us. We spent all summer putting the car together. It still exceeded my expectations. Even after the two-day event, I can’t even describe the feeling of the courses, especially Bay Bulls and Point Verde. It’s crazy. You spend so much time psyching yourself up in your head what to expect and it was way better than ever anticipated. Way better. It just made us have to do the full event now. Cameron and co-driver Andrew Keeping have entered Targa 1 in the eight-day Duemila in 2025.
John Hume Jr., Ontario – Hume Media
Brigus is the reason a lot of people do this event, myself for sure. It’s a tight, very fast stage about five kilometres long. It’s very tricky and they make it impossible to make your time which makes it exciting. It’s the last stage of the entire event every year so your adrenaline is running. You’re full of all sorts of emotions because it’s over at the end of this. I just love Brigus. It’s a beautiful little town and I love ripping through it. John won the Modern division with Justin Crant twice and returns in 2025 in Targa 1.
Don and Frank Bray, PEI and New Brunswick – The Bavarian Brothers
Don: It was incredible. The driving was amazing; the scenery and the sights were amazing; the people were amazing. Gander especially was one of the most fun drives I’ve had in my driving career, in my lifetime. It just seemed insane to drive through a community the way we have and everybody’s welcoming you. The spectators love it. People are outside enjoying themselves. It was incredible, just incredible. Frank (co-driver): I was looking down a lot, but when I did look up I saw beautiful scenery and wicked roads. The Brays are returning this year in the renamed Targa Tour.
Justin and Erin Crant, Newfoundland and Labrador – Husband + Wife Racing
Justin: We love being here. This was my 11th full week event, my 14th Targa, including three Bambinas, which were all with Erin. It’s been awesome. Every year it’s great. Every year has struggles. Every year has high points, but just getting to the finish with all your fellow competitors and doing it with my best friend and my wife is incredible. She’s also an incredible navigator. Erin: I learned from the best. We’re so happy to be here. We’re very blessed. All these competitors are now like family. Justin and Erin finished third in Targa 1 in 2024 after fighting back from a puncture. Justin has multiple Targa class wins as a driver and co-driver.
We’d love to hear about your Targa experience. Email us: info@targanfld.com.
Targa on video
Targa is fortunate that some extremely talented photographers such as Ralph Saulnier, Larry Strung and others have captured the rally in fabulous photos over the years. But watching videos adds a different dimension. There is no shortage of great ones from television documentaries to YouTube clips. Here is a small selection to give you a taste of Targa from the drivers’ and co-drivers’ perspectives.
Behind the Helmet – This video series was directed by talented Targa 2 winning co-driver Leanne Junnila, who is also the director of Women in Motorsports Canada. Episode 1 shows her and skilled driver Dave Wallingford in dramatic action during Targa 2023 including thrilling in-car video from their record-breaking run in Brigus.
Return to Targa 2023 – Long-time rally sponsor Hume Media produced this documentary showing the event from the competitors’ point of view. They invited professional driver and motorsport personality Randy Pobst to share in the adventure in a MINI GP.
Street Legal Speed Rally – Randy Pobst’s first attempt at rally ever – and on closed public streets! Randy and navigator Craig MacMullen drive the Hume Media 2013 MINI GP near St. Mary’s Bay on Day 1 of the 2000 km Targa Newfoundland.
Racing The Rock: Six Days at Targa Newfoundland – Targa Newfoundland: six days and fourteen hundred miles of fierce competition on the island’s public roads. Drivers come from all over the world to race at this legendary event. This is racing at its purest; car versus clock, man versus road. To the winners go the bragging rights–and not much else. In 2011, Flyin’ Miata entered two cars in the Targa Newfoundland. This is their story.
Flashback: The first Targa Newfoundland
It was 23 years ago when the first Targa Newfoundland hit the road in September 2002. The rally was a year-and-a-half in the making after Doug Mepham and Jim Kenzie returned from their adventure at Targa Tasmania and inspired Robert Giannou to create a homegrown version in Newfoundland. Doug and Jim raced together in a 1971 Volvo 142S in that first event. From VintageRally.com, here’s a first-hand account of that first Targa written by Tim Winker, co-driver of car #502, a 1976 Porsche 911 S driven by Scott Giannou, Robert’s son (see photo above). Enjoy this look back to the beginning of Targa…
Sunday, Sept. 15, 2002: I can’t remember the last time I’ve had so much fun… and the Targa Newfoundland rally hasn’t even begun yet!
As with any new event, there seems to have been a wait and see attitude among potential competitors. There are only 25 teams entered for the Targa stages, consisting of 35 stages over five days of rallying, all on paved roads. An additional 11 teams will run the closed roads as a TSD rally, getting to experience the driving pleasure at a sedate speed. In all, the course is 2200 kilometers long, with 450 km of stages!
But there are several teams from Australia who are veterans of Targa Tasmania, the event that Targa Newfoundland is patterned after. Jerry Churchill is here with his One Lap of America Dodge Viper. There is a 1938 Alfa Romeo Mille Miglia Spyder, the only Historic category car on the list. Just over half the entries for the Targa Stages are in the Classic category, up to 1977; several Ford Falcons and Mustangs, Porsches, Volvos and a 1967 Acadian Canso (the Canadian version of the Chevy II Nova). Among the Modern cars is one with true rally history, Taisto Heinonen’s 1982 Toyota Celica, driven here by Ralph and Diane Grant…to be continued…
