Volunteers are essential to Targa Newfoundland. (Photo: Ralph Saulnier)
Targa Newfoundland is accepting applications for Special Stage Set-Up Volunteers who can work in a fast-paced environment, preparing and supervising stages during the competition from Sept. 11-18, 2025.
Applicants must be mature and professional, with a sense of adventure and can thrive on excitement, camaraderie, and teamwork. This is an ideal opportunity for retirees eager to contribute their time and expertise while supporting a dynamic motorsports event.
Volunteers will spend six days on the road, travelling to scenic towns and outports of Newfoundland. Accommodations are provided, along with gas and food allowances.
Interested in becoming a Special Volunteer for Targa 2025? Fill out the form linked below.
In the February edition of the Targa newsletter: Closing in on 1000th stage; Tough competition for Targa 1 title; Terry’s travels; Choosing the right tires; Volunteer at Targa, and more!
Behind the Helmet is a video series produced by Women In Motorsport Canada. Episode 1 shows Targa 2 winning co-driver Leanne Junnila in action.
Over its 23 year history, Targa Newfoundland has been televised – including Speed Channel and TSN – and captured on video many times. Short of experiencing the rally firsthand, video is the next best thing to understanding the excitement and lasting appeal of this event.
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. We’ve posted more videos here as well as on our Targa Newfoundland YouTube channel.
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 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.
Flyin’ Miata raced the Rock in 2011 and their adventure was captured on video.
Finally, here is a flashback to 2008 when Chrysler executive and chief designer Ralph Gilles took on Targa.
Knight Motorsports on the tight Cape St. Mary’s stage. (Photo: Ralph Saulnier)
Local team comes back for more after first Targa
Devon Knight and Logan King-Gaudon were just buzzing after the Gander town stage in 2024. Right then they knew they had to come back for more.
“It was unreal,” says Devon. “I can’t name one time I’ve ever felt like that in my life. It was the most excited I ever remember being. You’re talking about memories like that, you’re talking about building friendships with all these people from all over the world, all walks of life.”
For Devon, who hails from Corner Brook, Newfoundland and Labrador, the Targa bug bit him early. From a young age he watched Targa on the Speed Channel and dreamed of competing. After moving to the Toronto area, he took driver training, spent many weekends doing track days in southern Ontario and got into autocross, something he helped launch in western Newfoundland when he returned there. Devon says track days and autocross don’t compare to experiencing the Targa rally on city streets and closed country roads.
Entertaining the spectators with American V8 muscle in Gander. (Photo: Ralph Saulnier)
“Being on a road course or being in an autocross you don’t really comprehend what it feels like to be on the street because everything’s right there next to you on these narrow lanes. You’re hitting 100 kilometres an hour and it feels like you’re hitting 200 kilometres on the track. It’s the way everything’s flying by.”
Co-driver Logan King-Gaudon is a mechanic from Black Duck Siding near Stephenville and works with Devon at Long Range Outdoors in Corner Brook. Both are members of the Western Speed Park group. Logan has been competing in autocross since it started on the west coast and also has a passion for snowmobiles and dirt bikes. He says Targa is a unique experience in all respects.
“You welcomed us with open arms like you knew us our whole life,” he says. “It was just awesome feeling that way. It made us feel more comfortable and when you got racing I can’t even explain how it felt. It was like seeing everything fly past you in just a blur. It was just unbelievable.”
Team Knight Motorsports really flies. (Photo: Ralph Saulnier)
The sense of community from socializing with other competitors, such as legendary racer Randy Pobst, was another highlight for both of them.
“After every stage you’re having a chat with everyone,” says Devon. “Everyone’s completely down to earth. You’ve got professional race car drivers like Randy Pobst and local community people like us and you can get out and all of a sudden you’re talking to a professional race car driver and it’s like he’s been your best buddy all your life. That and the driving combined, you can’t ask for anything better.”
Even the cars are jumping with excitement about Targa 2025. Team Knight Motorsports were flying at Cape St. Mary’s in the fall. (Photo by Ralph Saulnier)
Targa Newfoundland, the ultimate tarmac rally in North America, is just months away.
We’re full speed ahead as we gear up for an incredible Targa 2025 across the beautiful island of Newfoundland this fall. The rally this September 11-18 will mark 23 years since the first Targa event in 2002 (read more here).
With more than 20 teams registered already (as of Feb. 5) 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 will 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 cover about 2000 km from east to central Newfoundland with its spectacular scenery, unique culture, friendly people, and rich history. That includes about 500 km on closed sections of public roads and streets where they get to ignore the posted limits.
We’ve got space for you. Don’t miss out on the action this year.
Driver: Keir Pollard Co-driver: Jeremy Boehner Vehicle: 2006 MINI Cooper S JCW Division: Targa 2 Country: Canada
Spud Performance on the last stage in Brigus. (Photo: Matt Myler)
Spud Performance ready to ‘tear it up’ in Targa 2
Keir Pollard and Lance Campbell had never done a rally before they entered Targa Newfoundland in 2024 but they went home with a trophy. Despite their lack of experience, they were impressive, claiming the Targa 2 title with a quick, consistent, and clean performance.
Spud Performance 2025 edition – Jeremy Boehner (left) and driver Keir Pollard.
When Spud Performance returns this fall to defend that title, it will face some stiff competition from several teams including some rally veterans. Keir will also have a new co-driver, long-time friend and motorsports enthusiast Jeremy Boehner.
Keir says last year the goal was simply to learn about the rally and survive but this fall the team will be ready for battle.
Lance Campbell (left) and Keir Pollard receive their Targa plate from rally officials Nancy Dowden and Leah Dalton. (Photo: Ralph Saulnier)
“We were really just going for learning and making it through clean, not breaking the car, not breaking ourselves or breaking anybody,” says Keir. “We wanted to learn a lot and come back to try to do competitive stuff. Mission accomplished on all fronts. We learned a ton every single day and continue to learn, but I think we were just starting to figure out what the job is about on the final days and can’t wait for (this) year. We’re gonna tear it up.”
Keir and Jeremy are both from Prince Edward Island, famous for its potatoes, hence the cheeky team name. Keir is an experienced competitor in autocross and iRacing, and has been racking up track days at Atlantic Motorsport Park in Shubenacadie, Nova Scotia. Jeremy has decades of experience in tactical driving. Keir had been daydreaming about Targa for years and finally made it happen last year.
The 2006 MINI Cooper S John Cooper Works is a veteran of many Targas. It used to belong to Targa co-founder Doug Mepham, who had it built to his specifications and raced it from 2008-2016. The rally-prepped MINI is tough and seemingly bulletproof.
Keir says he had the time of his life at Targa and can’t wait to come back in 2025.
“It exceeded my expectations,” says Keir. “Everything was terrific. The driving was great. Absolutely terrific scenery when you look up from the road. The communities have been wonderful to drive through and to meet people there. Wonderful people welcomed us in every place we stopped – waving and happy on the sides of the road. It was absolutely terrific.”
MINI at speed through Bay Bulls. (Photo: Larry Strung)Keir and Lance (far right) celebrate on the podium in September 2024. (Photo: Ralph Saulnier)Crossing the narrow bridge in Brigus. (Photo: Larry Strung)
Rob Thompson and Justin Ronayne of Newfoundland MotorHead Racing in a modified Subaru STI on the Eastport Peninsula in fall 2024. This area will host the 1000th Targa stage this year. (Photo: Ralph Saulnier)
Targa Newfoundland, one of the longest running tarmac rallies on the planet, will hit another major milestone this September. Teams competing this fall will cover the 1000th stage since Targa began 23 years ago in 2002. Robert Giannou, Targa co-founder and owner, says that will happen on the Eastport Peninsula portion of the rally.
“This is a fantastic milestone in a province not known for motorsports,” says Giannou. “It represents a lot of time, a lot of effort and a lot of joy in Newfoundland communities. It’s a remarkable achievement. I’m not sure any other rally in North America has achieved 1000 stages and we have one of the best – if not the best – safety record over 23 years.”
Targa co-founder and longtime competitor Doug Mepham says it’s a noteworthy achievement for the legendary rally.
The first Targa Newfoundland. Doug Mepham and Jim Kenzie raced the Volvo.
“When we started the first event in 2002, we were just focused on one stage — the first one! We figured if we got the first stage completed, we’d move on to the second one. It was literally one foot in front of the other,” says Mepham. “Remarkably, as I recall, we got all of the scheduled stages completed that first year. That was a minor miracle in itself. No one could have possibly dreamed of a thousand stages or running them for more than 20 years.”
Jim Kenzie, Targa co-founder, past winner, and well known automotive journalist, adds: “I doubt Doug or I even considered how long it would last. Even the Targas in Tasmania (the original) and New Zealand have had some ‘issues’ recently. Targa Newfoundland’s record is one everyone involved can be proud of.”
Here are the numbers and they are impressive:
23 years of Targa Newfoundland (except during COVID)
1000th competitive stage in 2025
About 2000 km per year (transits and stages)
1.5 million km (transits and stages)
315,000 km of competitive stages
About 1000 competitors
About 2000 volunteers
130 communities
Targa Newfoundland is one of only three internationally recognized Targa events in the world. Over its storied history, Targa has attracted many notable competitors such as accomplished racers Randy Pobst, Steve Millen, and Andrew Comrie-Picard; Murray Smith, racing promoter, driver and car collector; celebrities such as actors Robb Wells and John Paul Tremblay, better known as the “Trailer Park Boys“; automotive executive Ralph Gilles, Chief Design Officer at Stellantis (Chrysler, Dodge, Jeep, etc.), who led the design team that created the 2013 SRT Dodge Viper; and hundreds of racing and car enthusiasts from all over the globe.
“The big attraction to Targa is that every corner and every stage is an adventure,” says Giannou. “As Jim Kenzie has said, It’s the most fun you can have in a car with your clothes on.”
The 2025 rally is scheduled from September 11-18 with that magical milestone taking place on Tuesday, September 16 somewhere along the Eastport Peninsula. Information on all of the stages is posted on the Targa website.
Driver: Cameron Combdon Co-driver: Andrew Keeping Vehicle: 1998 Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution V Division: Targa 1 Country: Canada
WSP Motorsports in action in Bay Bulls. (Photo: Ralph Saulnier)
Newfoundland racers are revved up for more rally action
It took all of one stage for Cameron Combdon and Andrew Keeping to become hooked on Targa. The pair from the west coast of Newfoundland took part in their first Targa Newfoundland in 2024 in the shorter Bambina event. Before they finished, they’d already decided to return for the full Duemila event in 2025.
“I had no idea what to expect coming into Targa,” says Cameron. “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. Coming out to this was super exciting for us. We spent all summer putting the car together. It still exceeded my expectations. I can’t even describe the feeling of the courses. You spend so much time psyching yourself up in your head what to expect and it just it was way better than ever anticipated. It just made us have to do the full event.”
WSP Motorsports ripping along the Cape Shore. (Photo: Sam Heron)
Cameron and Andrew are driving forces in the autocross community on the west coast of the island. Both are members of Western Speed Park so they named their team after their club. Neither of them had experienced anything like Targa before.
Co-driver Andrew says it began to click after the first stage. “It all started to come together, the people, the places, the culture, all of it. It was a completely new experience, and something I never thought I’d do. I was initially nervous about co-driving. I did grow up watching rally racing and the responsibility that the co-driver has is immense – understanding the timing, transits, the callouts, etc. It seemed like a monster of a task just thinking about it. But actually doing callouts in stage, and at speed for the first time, it made everything just click. After each new stage I understood more and by the end I was like ‘Yeah, I got this now.’”
Cameron Combdon (far left) and Andrew Keeping compare notes with fellow Newfoundland racers Logan King-Gaudon and Devon Knight. (Photo: Ralph Saulnier)
Cameron has about five years of experience competing in autocross in the Corner Brook area and Gander. He won the “Fly Your Car in Gander” autocross event last summer in his Toyota GR Corolla. Andrew is also a die-hard motorsports enthusiast and while he hasn’t been involved in autocross quite as long as his partner, he has impressed people with his skills.
Cameron and Andrew carve through the streets of Gander. (Photo: Ralph Saulnier)
Both say their first Targa experience was amazing not just for the time on the road but the camaraderie with like-minded people. That includes some more experienced racers who gave them welcome advice.
“It was just amazing,” says Cameron. “The driving is one thing, but the experience of the meals and talking with people is also great. You’re at a table with somebody different every time and everybody’s having these big conversations all about cars. That’s all I’m talking about all day long anyway. It’s all about cars.”
Cameron and Andrew are excited about experiencing the full rally event this fall. “I’m really looking forward to just being able to do the full event with everyone else, from start to finish,” says Andrew. “That’s the most exciting thing for me.”
They’re also grateful for all the support they’ve received from family, friends, and businesses in western Newfoundland.
Cameron and Andrew with their supportive families following the Gander stage.
Watch for their wild Mitsubishi Evo stickered up with logos from a number of supportive west coast businesses and you can be sure there will be plenty of fans rooting for this homegrown team.
Driver: Enrico “Rico” Bouchard Co-driver: Patrick “Pat” Levesque Vehicle: 1968 BMW 1600ti Division: Targa 2 Country: Canada
Stream Racing’s Pat Levesque and Enrico Bouchard celebrate a podium finish in the Canadian Rally Championship (CRC). (Photo: Clement Tavernier)
Proven rally winners ready to take on Targa
Taking on the challenge of Targa Newfoundland has been a longtime dream of the Quebec-based rally team of Enrico “Rico” Bouchard and Patrick “Pat” Levesque.
“Not long after we started rallying together with the vintage BMW it became our goal to make it to Targa,” says Enrico. “It’s the ultimate race for a vintage car in North America.”
Pat and Enrico – Stream Racing
In both business and rallying, Enrico does everything without compromise “with a tasteful and distinctive touch of class.” As a car enthusiast, he shares the love of German cars with co-driver Pat Levesque and their crew, Nico and Éric. Enrico is an experienced driver but a licenced racer only since 2023. As a rookie driver he managed to win the Vintage class in the Canadian Rally Championship (CRC) with Pat as co-driver in the same BMW 1600ti they will race at Targa. There is never a dull moment when Rico is around.
Stream Racing in action in the BMW 1600ti. (Photo: Clement Tavernier)
Pat has been a co-driver in the Canadian Rally Championship since 2008 and has competed in the World Rally Championship (WRC). He was the first Canadian co-driver to ever finish Tour de Corse WRC (2016) and Rallye Monte Carlo WRC (2017). He was also a navigator in a Trophy truck race in the United States. Working with different teams at different levels, Pat developed a broad network of contacts bringing interesting opportunities such as testing (as a co-driver) the car Antoine L’Estage is racing in CRC for the CAS Competition team or private test days with Vermont Sportscar. Pat just added his name on the Marcel-Paul Raymond Trophy in 2024. This award is for Rallye Sport Quebec’s top co-driver.
The pair met in Charlevoix while fellow competitors were testing a Porsche 911 rally car. When Enrico revealed he planned to enter a vintage BMW in rally, Pat replied: “If you’re crazy enough to race such car I will co-drive for you!”
Enrico imported the 1600ti from France in 2023 to compete in the Canadian Rally Championship. Despite winning their class, Enrico and crew chief Nico were not satisfied with the BMW and after the season ended, they started a total restoration through the following year. “We can’t wait to show this car to Newfoundland race fans,” he says.
You can follow Pat Levesque on Facebook. If Targa goes their way, the other teams will be following Stream Racing across Newfoundland.
Driver: Chris Mason Co-driver: Jeff Mason Vehicle: 1965 Volvo Amazon 122S “Mzcalero” Division: Targa 2 Country: United States and Italy
The Rally Brothers and Mzcalero at La Carrera Panamericana. (Photo: Rally Brothers)
Rally Brothers bring international flavour to Targa
Chris and Jeff Mason, the Rally Brothers, grew up in New Jersey, as close as two brothers could be but after college, life took them in opposite directions and thousands of miles apart. Jeff headed west to Colorado, USA and Chris went east to Venice, Italy. Rally racing together, Chris as the driver and Jeff as the navigator, has become a way to bridge the distance and stay close with each other.
The brothers’ rallying began in 2018 when they first raced the Carrera Panamericana, the seven-day rally across México. They have since raced it in 2019 and 2022, achieving an overall class podium and numerous stage wins.
Their car of choice is a vintage 1965 Volvo Amazon 122S named Mzcalero, which was built for the Carrera Panamericana.
“It’s a street legal race car that is happy on a track but comes into its own on rally,” says Chris.
In 2019, the Rally Brothers finished third in the Historic A+ class at La Carrera Panamericana. (Photo: Rally Brothers)
The Amazon’s nickname is derived from the word Mezcalero, someone who makes mezcal, a Mexican alcoholic drink, and it became a running joke for the team at the event. “Our team has a particular soft spot for mezcal. It is hard not to in Mexico. In fact, we created a Driving La Carrera cocktail including the spirit.” See the recipe below.
In 2023, the brothers ran the Mille Miglia USA Warm Up with the Mzcalero, finishing first in class. The win secured them a berth in the 2024 Mille Miglia in Italy.
They participated in the 2024 Mille Miglia in a 1939 Fiat Balilla 508C 1100. Unfortunately, a problem with the rear differential ruined their podium chances but they still got the car to the finish, in decent form no less.
This year, the pair have set their sights on winning Targa Newfoundland.
“Targa Newfoundland has been on the radar for years,” says Chris. “Numerous past competitors have insisted we go. The stars aligned for the 2025 event. The team looks forward to competing and, as always, a podium finish.”
Driving La Carrera supports The Piston Foundation (www.pistonfoundation.org). The Piston Foundation’s mission is to bring more young people into the collector car industry. By finding skilled trades programs in collector cars, they are working to help today’s craftspeople transfer their skills to a new generation and help young technicians build rewarding careers in the trades and services of the collector car industry.
Driving La Carrera is also a small media production company, producing photography and film of motorsports events. Their work can be seen on their website www.drivinglacarrera.com where you can read many more details about who they are and what they do.
Chris and Jeff Mason, aka the Rally Brothers.
The Driving La Carrera Cocktail
1 shot American Whiskey 1 shot Mezcal 1/2 shot Ancho Reyes Original 1/4 shot Simple Sirup 1 dash of bitters
