The original Targa event - the Targa Florio, was started in the 1900's, and was run on the island of Sicily as a road race. “Targa” means plate or crest in Italian.

The event was special, as the cars did not compete one against the other but competed time against time, with cars being started in intervals.

In 1990, the concept was re-developed in the Australian island state of Tasmania and the “Targa Tasmania”. In 1994, New Zealand followed with its own “Targa New Zealand”.

The model for Targa Newfoundland is Targa Tasmania, an international event owned and operated by Octagon Motorsports that attracts (on an invitational basis) over 250 entrants. Targa Newfoundland has become one of the “must do” events for motorsport enthusiasts. It is a 2200 km event with some 500 km of competition stages and 1700 km of transit between stages.

Newfoundland is one of the only locations in North America which can offer the roads, the challenges, and the beauty necessary to host this event. Targa Newfoundland is the only event of its kind in North America and the event attracts an international field of competitors and media from all across the globe.

Unlike most events involving motor vehicles, Targa Newfoundland runs directly in front of the public who can watch the event from selected areas at no charge. It is major entertainment for each of the communities through which it passes. In turn, each of these communities have the opportunity to stage their own events around Targa Newfoundland that will attract people to their community from the surrounding areas of Newfoundland.

Targa Newfoundland is based on a ‘roads for entertainment’ exchange with the general public. As such the organizers seek to run the event in a manner which is as safe as possible and will become a model for similar events with respect to the speeds of competitors. Due to this, the organizers have imposed certain maximum speeds upon the event.