Driver: Cameron Combdon
Co-driver: Andrew Keeping
Vehicle: 1998 Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution V
Division: Targa 1
Country: Canada

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.”

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 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.

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.

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.  

Learn more about WSP Motorsports and their Evo:

This west coast racer says everyone loves the ‘Fast and Furious sounds’ of his car | CBC.ca