After six long, grueling days, 2000 km of stages and transits across the island of Newfoundland, and variable weather conditions, the final stage in the historic town of Brigus decided the winners of Targa Newfoundland 2024.  

Standings in the competitive Targa 1 division were tight all week with different teams grabbing the lead after different stages and some others running into mechanical woes.  

Team Targa Tackles Targa with racing legend Randy Pobst from Atlanta, Georgia and Paul Abbott, his co-driver from St. John’s, took the lead after the Random Island stages in a vintage 1989 Porsche 911 Targa.

They faced tight competition from several teams, including Rob Thompson and Justin Ronayne of Newfoundland MotorHead Racing in a wickedly fast Lachute-modified Subaru STI; the surprisingly quick Mercedes C43 AMG of N*Synchro teammates Corey Finkelstein and Tom Pokorny; Justin and Erin Crant of Husband + Wife Racing who were flying in their winged BMW 135; and Targa newcomers Brett and John Hueston of Aylmer Express who were impressive in their Subaru BRZ. It was anyone’s rally to win.  

The final day of competition greeted teams with steady rain and standing water. That didn’t seem to slow them down as they charged along some of the most difficult stages of the week including narrow, twisty and rain-soaked roads through Colliers, Conception Harbour, Marysvale, and Georgetown.  

But the most challenging stage of all was the final one in Brigus with a winding course through streets barely wider than the cars, past unforgiving stone walls, over a one lane bridge, around tight turns, and up and down hills. The Crants faced an extra obstacle with a puncture that knocked them down the standings but a tire change in record time got them back in the rally.  

After three hot, timed laps through town past some drenched but enthusiastic spectators, Pobst and Abbott claimed a well-earned victory in the competitive Targa 1 division. Team Newfoundland MotorHead Racing took second place while Husband + Wife Racing clawed back from fifth to third. 

This is the second Targa 1 title for Randy Pobst, who adds it to his impressive collection of about 100 professional race wins in a variety of sports car classes over his illustrious career. This is Paul Abbott’s fourth Targa and second win.  

“Paul invited me to drive his vintage Porsche 911, and it was fantastic,” says Pobst. “There is nothing else like Targa Newfoundland. It’s the thrill of the open road at speed. It’s a unique thrill and experience that you can’t find anywhere else.” 

The Targa 2 title for cars with full roll-cages went to the Prince Edward Island team of Keir Pollard and Lance Campbell in their first Targa Newfoundland. They raced a rally-prepped 2006 MINI Cooper S JCW that once belonged to Targa co-founder Doug Mepham and never put a wheel wrong.  

“I want to thank the volunteers and all the organizers for doing a fantastic job and making this a real pleasurable experience,” says Keir Pollard. “Lance and I (had) the time of our lives.” 

Drivers and co-drivers from across Canada, the United States, and as far away as Germany competed on 18 teams this year. They included competitors from four states – Florida, Georgia, Massachusetts, and New Jersey – and five provinces – British Columbia, Ontario, New Brunswick, PEI, and across Newfoundland and Labrador.   

Targa Newfoundland 2025 is set for September 11-18, 2025.

Registration is now open. Do you have what it takes to compete?