Jim Kenzie, Brian Bourbonniere and MINI Challenge race car reunite for run at 2010 Targa medals.

MINI Canada returns to the ninth annual Targa Newfoundland rally with the MINI Challenge race car, driven by automotive journalist Jim Kenzie of Milton Ontario and co-driven by Brian Bourbonniere of Halifax Nova Scotia.

The five-day performance rally, conducted on regular roads closed off to the public, begins Monday, September 13 in St. John’s. MINI has been an integral part of Targa Newfoundland since 2003, when Kenzie, a co-founder of the event, and fellow auto journalist Gabriel Gelinas of Montreal Quebec, piloted a MINI Cooper S in the MINI brand’s first foray into long-distance rallying.

In 2004 the team switched to a MINI Cooper S John Cooper Works edition, with Kenzie joined by another Quebec journalist, Carl Nadeau. Due to illness, Nadeau was replaced after the first few stages by Bourbonniere, a four-time Nova Scotia rally champion navigator. This team has been together ever since, racking up two Open division wins and several podium finishes in one of the most gruelling motorsports events in the world.

Last year, the JCW was replaced by the MINI Challenge car, which normally competes in one-marque circuit racing series in Europe and Australia. It was the Challenge car’s first attempt at road rallying.

2007 and 2009 Canadian Touring Car Champions, Team Octane Motorsport will manage MINI Canada’s effort in Newfoundland this year. A new rally-style suspension and Yokohama ADVAN tires are expected to cope better with the bumpy and rain-soaked roads that are part and parcel of the Targa Newfoundland experience.

In the mid 60’s the Classic Mini dominated the rally scene capturing championship titles in the 1964, 1965, and 1967 Monte Carlo Rally. MINI has recently announced that they will be back in the World Rally Championship with the soon to be introduced MINI Countryman.