Since the first Targa Newfoundland in 2002, the world famous rally has attracted racers from the around the globe but it has also brought out plenty of local talent. And several have taken home trophies. Once again, Newfoundland & Labrador is well represented among the ranks of drivers and co-drivers taking on this legendary and gruelling tarmac rally.
A couple of past Targa winners from The Rock will be in the co-driver’s seat this fall on teams fighting for the Targa 1 title: Paul Abbott of St. John’s and Justin Crant from Paradise.
As for Abbott, this will be his fifth Targa and second time navigating for pro racer Randy Pobst. He first experienced Targa when it raced past his house in Flatrock. He’s achieved class wins three times before as a driver and co-driver, including last year’s victory in his 1989 Porsche 911 with Randy in Targa 1. This year they’ll race a MINI GP as the Maxi Mini Rally Team. What keeps bringing him back to Targa?
“It’s a unique motorsport experience and apparently addictive,” said Abbott. “Every year leading up to September, I can’t help but think about it and my friends. Targa is my ‘home track’ and I like to showcase what we have to offer here.”
Justin Crant will reunite with John Hume Jr. in Team Hume Media in hopes of repeating past glory. The pair has two previous wins together in the competitive Targa Modern division where they raced a 2004 BMW M3 to victory in 2017 and 2018. This year they are racing in the competitive Targa 1 division in an Audi S4. In addition to sharing the podium multiple times before with John, Justin was the co-driver in the winning entry in Targa Modern in 2012 and drove to victory in GT in 2011. He and his wife Erin finished a close second in Targa 1 in 2023 and 3rd in 2024 in their 2009 BMW 135. Last fall was Justin’s 14th Targa.
“I love Targa,” Justin said. “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 is incredible.”
Local competitors, MaxZen Racing, emerged as a grassroots motorsports team in 2015, when Gordon Maxwell and Wayne Lorenzen joined forces. Gordon ran again with co-driver Mark Notftall in 2018 and they claimed triumph in the Modern Open Targa 2 Bambina AWD division. In 2023, Gordon and Justin Gatehouse teamed up for another Bambina class win. They are eager to awaken their mighty 2008 Mitsubishi Evolution GSR, affectionately nicknamed “Leo,” from its slumber.
“MaxZen Racing returns to competing in Targa for one goal, to run the Brigus stage side-by-side, taking turns in the driving seat in the car that we rally prepped from scratch,” said Maxwell.
Devon Knight and Logan King-Gaudon of Knight Motorsports were just buzzing after the Gander town stage in 2024. Right then the pair of enthusiasts from the Corner Brook area knew they had to come back for more. Devon dreamed about doing Targa since watching coverage as a boy. He’s an experienced autocrosser and also has done track days in Ontario but says Targa is on another level.
“It was unreal,” said 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.”
It took all of one stage for Cameron Combdon and Andrew Keeping of WSP Motorsports 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,” said Cameron. “I’d heard the name Targa but I’d never actually seen a stage. Coming out to this was super exciting for us. It still exceeded my expectations. It just made us have to do the full event.”
Targa is something of a homecoming for Stephen Dawe of TADA Motorsports. In early 2002, Stephen drove a shiny new silver Nissan Spec V off a lot in Mount Pearl, Newfoundland and later that year left the island just before the very first running of Targa Newfoundland. Now, 23 years later, both car and driver have returned home to “The Rock” from Alberta to live out a racing dream that has been building for more than two decades. He’s joined by his wife and co-driver Talia Bell and co-driver Craig Lundrigan.
“We have consistently heard Targa is nothing short of a magical experience from the passion of the event to the teams, the support, the volunteers, and to every community that participates in this mystical place called Newfoundland,” said Stephen.
Last but not least is one of the original participants in Targa, Edison Wiltshire, aka The Faster Pastor, from Random Island near Clarenville. A fixture at Targa since the rally began in 2002, Rev. Wiltshire returns this year with his grand-daughter and co-driver Olivia Wiltshire-Ryan maintaining a perfect record of participation. Edison and Olivia are the oldest and youngest competitors in the rally respectively.
“I’ve done every Targa since 2002 when Robert Giannou (Targa owner) asked me to be rally chaplain,” says Edison. “I’ve provided countless numbers of encouraging chats with folks, especially when they ran out of talent and need a shoulder to cry on.”
Rev. Wiltshire once performed a wedding during Targa. Midway through the intense competition, Edison took a break to unite a couple in matrimony, with all the competitors joining in the celebration.
Read profiles of these and other teams on the Targa website.
About 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 hundreds of professional and amateur racers from around the globe to Newfoundland and Labrador.
Held each fall on the ruggedly beautiful island of Newfoundland in eastern Canada, the rally covers 2000 kilometres of challenging, twisty roads through amazing scenery across the island including about 500 kilometres of thrilling stages at speed on closed sections of public roads. Now in its 23rd year, Targa Newfoundland will reach an incredible milestone – the 1000th stage – during this fall’s event.
Visit the Targa website targanfld.com for more information.
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 remind others to do the same.