We’re less than two weeks away from the start of Targa Newfoundland 2024 with a great field of competitors and cars from across North America.

 

We’re pumped about the return of defending Targa 1 champ and racing legend Randy Pobst from Georgia with co-driver Paul Abbott of St. John’s in a 1989 Porsche 911 Targa. Randy won Targa 1 with Craig MacMullin and John Hume in the Team Hume MINI GP last year and has won just about everything in his illustrious sports car career. Their team name? Team Targa Tackles Targa. They chose that tongue-twister because they’re racing Targa in a Targa, get it? Oh, nevermind.

 

Here’s a quick look at some of the other teams racing this year:

 

Team Satish and Savera - Veteran rally champions Satish Gopalkrishnan and Savera D’Souza from New Jersey won the Grand Touring title last year in their 2023 Mercedes-Benz GLA 45 AMG and in the process fell in love with the province. They return this fall to defend their title.

 

Team Newfoundland MotorHead Racing - Rob Thompson and Justin Ronayne, both living in St. John’s, are bringing a modified 2020 Subaru STI. Rob has wanted to do Targa since watching the cars race past his house years ago while Justin, a champion autocrosser, is a veteran of the rally.

 

Team M2 Strategies - Brothers Sam and Rick Marshall from Fort Myers, Florida return to Targa for the second year in a row in their 2016 Subaru STI. Their grandfather came from St. John’s and they still have family on the island.

 

Team Spud Performance - Targa first-timers Keir Pollard and Lance Campbell from PEI are bringing a fully-caged 2003 Subaru WRX to challenge the legendary rally.

 

Team Aylmer Express - Father and son, John and Brett Hueston of Aylmer, Ontario, are new to rallies but have years of motorcycle racing experience. They’ll be racing a 2024 Subaru BRZ TS - possibly on two wheels at times.

 

Team n*synchro - The Eh! Team is back with a new name and different car. Corey Finkelstein and Tom Pokorny of Ontario live and breathe car culture in their work and personal lives. They’ll add Italian flavour to the mix with a 1998 Fiat Coupe.

 

Team WSP Motorsports - Avid autocrossers Cameron Combden and Andrew Keeping from Corner Brook, Newfoundland will get their first taste of Targa in a 1998 Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution V bought especially for this event.

 

Team Bavarian Brothers - Don and Frank Bray, brothers from New Brunswick and PEI respectively, will race a 1999 BMW M3, the “ultimate driving machine” from Bavaria, in the ultimate tarmac rally.

Team Bakery Garage - The intercontinental team of Ralph Wiesbrock of Ottawa, Ontario and his cousin Matthias Boemke of Germany have tackled the Alps and Autobahn together and now will challenge Targa in a 2017 BMW M2.

 

Team Knight Motorsports - Another new homegrown team from Newfoundland, Devon Knight of Corner Brook and co-driver Logan King-Gaudon of Black Duck Siding, will bring some American muscle in a 2015 Mustang GT. Devon has dreamed of racing in Targa since he was a kid.

 

Team Jellybean - Husband and wife pair, Kurt and Lu Penner, get the prize for driving the furthest just to get to Targa. They are coming all the way across Canada from Langley, B.C. in their restored classic 1965 Beaumont Sport Deluxe Convertible and then they plan to drive back through the States. They’re halfway across Canada now and reporting on their progress on Facebook.

 

Team Faster Pastor - A fixture at Targa since the rally began in 2002, Pastor Edison Wiltshire from Clarenville, Newfoundland is back with his grand-daughter and co-driver Olivia Wiltshire-Ryan in a 2007 Saab 93 V6 Turbo. Rev. Wiltshire once performed a wedding during Targa.

 

Team Rumble Strip - Sportscar enthusiasts and racing fans Dale Levandier and Frances Markel from Massachusetts are fulfilling a longtime dream to take part in Targa Newfoundland as well as explore the beauty of this province.  

 

And more to come …

 

We’re looking forward to a great rally with these teams. Don’t suffer from FOMO.

 

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