As a co-driver in Targa Newfoundland, you’re an essential half of a high-performance team tackling one of the most demanding and rewarding tarmac rallies in North America. This guide is here to help you hit the ground running.

One of the most famous, or perhaps infamous, chapters in Targa’s 23-year history was the Ferrari that went for a swim. Years later it was reborn better than ever.

The legendary Targa Newfoundland tarmac rally returns this fall with the biggest field of cars competing in many years. Thirty teams are signed up and gearing up for an epic six-day rally from eastern to central Newfoundland and back again.

Trucks are a rare sight in Targa Newfoundland other than as support vehicles with one distinct exception – a 1971 GMC C1500 street rod pickup truck that raced in 2014 and surprised everyone except the owner.

On Day 5 of Targa, teams will race through communities along Notre Dame Bay in Central Newfoundland. They’ll start the day in the former logging community of Glenwood on the Gander River, then proceed to stages in Bobby’s Cove, Pleasantview, Point Leamington, Leading Tickles and Glover’s Harbour before ending the day in Appleton. 

Winning any competitive division of the legendary Targa Newfoundland rally requires a combination of preparation, endurance, teamwork, concentration, and luck. Jim Kenzie, who has won Targa three times, shares his wisdom.  

The year was 2009 and Targa attracted 60 teams and cars, including some heavy hitters, even Godzilla.

The second leg of the rally concludes in the twisty streets of the Town of Gander in Central Newfoundland. This is one of the favourite parts of the rally for competitors as they navigate the residential streets with hundreds of cheering spectators lining the course.

Whether you are a Targa veteran or new to the rally, the key to having a successful event lies in the preparation before you turn a wheel. Who better to give advice on that than automotive journalist, Targa co-founder and multiple winner Jim Kenzie.

Targa Newfoundland is made up of four distinct divisions. There are three competitive divisions – Targa 1, Targa 2, and Grand Touring – and one non-competitive division, Targa Tour. Targa 1 and 2 divisions are further grouped by two-wheel and all-wheel-drive vehicles made before or after the year 2000.