ST. JOHN’S, NL – The rally teams have arrived from across the continent, and they’re revved up for the 2024 edition of Targa Newfoundland, North America’s ultimate tarmac rally since 2002. The rally starts this Saturday with an exciting field of competitors and cars from across North America.
After two days of training in the course familiarization program, the ceremonial start is scheduled for Saturday, Sept. 14 at St. John’s City Hall beginning at 9 a.m. NDT before the teams head south to Bay Bulls and Witless Bay for the first stages of the rally. Spectators are welcome to cheer them on though we urge them to stay safe by watching from well off the course.
From Sept. 14-19, teams will race from eastern to central Newfoundland and back again covering about 2000 km (1240 miles) including about 500 km of closed courses.
“We’re looking forward to a thrilling rally for teams and spectators,” says Targa President Joe Dowden. “This rally is unlike anything else in North America. We couldn’t do this without the generosity of our host communities, the work of our dedicated team of volunteers, and the support of our sponsors and partners.”
Drivers and co-drivers from across Canada, the United States, and as far away as Germany are competing on 16 teams this year. They include competitors from four states – Florida, Georgia, Massachusetts, and New Jersey – and five provinces – British Columbia, Ontario, New Brunswick, PEI, and across Newfoundland and Labrador.
Here’s a look at teams racing this year in the Duemila (six-day) and Bambina (two-day) events:
• Team Targa Tackles Targa – Defending Targa 1 champ and sports car racing legend Randy Pobst from Georgia joins forces with co-driver Paul Abbott of St. John’s in a 1989 Porsche 911 Targa. Randy won Targa 1 with Craig MacMullin and John Hume in the Team Hume MINI GP last year and has won just about everything in his illustrious sports car career. They chose that tongue-twisting team name because they’re racing Targa in a Targa.
• Team Satish and Savera - Veteran rally champions Satish Gopalkrishnan and Savera D’Souza from New Jersey won the Grand Touring title last year in their 2023 Mercedes-Benz GLA 45 AMG and in the process fell in love with the province. They return this fall in a 2018 VW Golf R and this time are trying their hand at Targa 1.
• Team Husband + Wife Racing – Popular Targa veterans Justin and Erin Crant from Paradise, Newfoundland and Labrador return this year with their wild, winged 2009 BMW 135 in Targa 1. They came so tantalizingly close to winning the division in 2023. Maybe this will be their year.
• Team Newfoundland MotorHead Racing - Rob Thompson and Justin Ronayne, both of St. John’s, are bringing a modified 2020 Subaru STI. Rob has wanted to do Targa since watching the cars race past his house in Point Leamington years ago while Justin, a champion autocrosser and racer, is a veteran of the rally.
• Team M2 Strategies - Brothers Sam and Rick Marshall from Fort Myers, Florida return to Targa for the second year in a row in their 2016 Subaru STI. Their grandfather came from St. John’s, and they still have family on the island. They first heard of Targa during a family reunion here and have been hooked ever since.
• Team Spud Performance - Targa first-timers Keir Pollard and Lance Campbell from Prince Edward Island are bringing a car familiar to longtime fans of the rally – the rally-prepped 2006 MINI Cooper S JCW that used to belong to Targa co-founder Doug Mepham.
• Team Aylmer Express - Father and son, John and Brett Hueston of Aylmer, Ontario, are new to rallies but have years of motorcycle racing experience. They’ll be racing a 2024 Subaru BRZ TS – possibly on two wheels at times.
• Team N*SYNCHRO - The Eh! Team is back with a new name and different car. Corey Finkelstein and Tom Pokorny of Ontario live and breathe car culture in their work and personal lives. They’re racing a 2018 Mercedes-Benz C43 AMG after their intended ride, a 1998 Fiat Coupe, let them down. No comment.
• Team WSP Motorsports - Avid autocrossers Cameron Combdon and Andrew Keeping from Corner Brook, Newfoundland and Labrador will get their first taste of Targa in a 1998 Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution V bought especially for this event.
• Team Bavarian Brothers - Don and Frank Bray, brothers from New Brunswick and PEI respectively, will race a 1999 BMW M3, the “ultimate driving machine” from Bavaria, in the ultimate tarmac rally.
• Team Bakery Garage - The intercontinental team of Ralph Wiesbrock of Ottawa, Ontario and his cousin Matthias Boemke of Germany have tackled the Alps and Autobahn together and now will challenge Targa in a 2017 BMW M2.
• Team Knight Motorsports - Another new homegrown team from Newfoundland, Devon Knight of Corner Brook and co-driver Logan King-Gaudon of Black Duck Siding, will bring some American muscle in a 2015 Ford Mustang GT. Devon has dreamed of racing in Targa since he was a kid.
• Team Jellybean - Husband and wife pair, Kurt and Lu Penner, get the prize for driving the furthest just to get to Targa. They are coming all the way across Canada from Langley, B.C. in their restored classic 1965 Beaumont Sport Deluxe Convertible and then they plan to drive back through the States. The car bears special decals for the rally and they documented their epic road trip on Facebook.
• Team Rumble Strip - Sportscar enthusiasts and racing fans Dale Levandier and Frances Markel from Massachusetts are fulfilling a longtime dream to take part in Targa Newfoundland as well as explore the beauty of this province. They’ll be piloting an Acura.
• Team Faster Pastor - A fixture at Targa since the rally began in 2002, Pastor Edison Wiltshire from Clarenville, Newfoundland and Labrador is back with his grand-daughter and co-driver Olivia Wiltshire-Ryan in a 2007 Saab 93 V6 Turbo. Rev. Wiltshire once performed a wedding during Targa.
• Team Sideways Motorsports – Our special guests on the Gander “Come From Away” stage are local racing legend Brad Melendy and co-driver Kate Melendy in a rowdy 1986 Chevrolet Z28 Targa 2 car.
• Team Sideways Motorsports 2 – In a second entry for the Gander stage, driver Michael Neary and co-driver Andy Proudfoot, another Targa veteran, will race a 1974 Dodge Duster.
Sponsors
• Hume Media Inc.
• K & K Insurance
• C&W Partners
• WIM Canada
• Community Food Sharing Association
• Newfoundland Chocolate Company
• Dream Drive Vacations
• Sphere Media
• Simcoe Online
• Centsible Rentals
• Hickman Automotive Group
• St. Andrew’s College
Be a smart spectator. Think Safety.
• Stand at least 15 metres from the road
• Never stand on the outside of a turn
• Choose high ground
• Never stand behind red tape
• Always stand, do not sit down to watch AND
• Advise others to be safe.
Targa Newfoundland : Owned and operated by Newfoundland International Motorsports Limited, Targa Newfoundland is one of only three internationally recognized Targa motorsports events in the world. Since 2002, Targa Newfoundland, the ultimate tarmac rally in North America, has attracted professional and amateur racers from around the world. This year’s event runs Sept. 12-19, 2024 including two days of instruction and training. Competitors will cover over 2000 km (about 1240 miles) across the island of Newfoundland including about two dozen towns and outports.
Visit www.targanfld.com for more info and details.
