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August 15 2021
Trois-Rivières, Quebec – Marc-Antoine Camirand and GM Paillé were full of hope when they entered the 51st Grand Prix of Trois-Rivières; Camirand had not one, but two chances to improve his own record for most victories (14) at GP3R, as he was racing in the Défi Urbain Chevrolet and the NASCAR Pinty’s series. Although he qualified strong for both races, he was forced to retire early in both events.
Camirand had been fast all weekend at the wheel of his GM Paillé n°22 Chevrolet Camaro in the NASCAR Pinty’s series. Second in practice, he also qualified outside pole for Les 60 tours des Anges Gardiens, the main event of the 51st Grand Prix de Trois-Rivières.
“I really thought that it would be a great weekend for me at GP3R. I wanted to achieve a 15th win at this event,” stated the driver from Saint-Léonard-d’Aston, located just 20 minutes south of Trois-Rivières.
After the green flag dropped for Sunday’s race, Camirand managed to stay in second place and kept a good pace behind the leader. He knew that his GM Paillé n°22 Chevrolet Camaro was fast and that he would be able to fight for the lead later in the race. Unfortunately, he completed only nine laps out of 60 and was forced out of the race because of a transmission failure.
“I am so disappointed of how the weekend finally turned out. I know that we had a car to win and it makes the situation even more frustrating. There is nothing that I could have done differently. We have been having hard luck for a few years here in Trois-Rivières and I’m just hoping that this is now behind me… We will come back next year to finally get that 15th win at GP3R,” Camirand told.
Marc-Antoine Camirand and the GM Paillé team also experienced difficulty on Saturday, for the Défi Urbain Chevrolet. DIRT Sportsman Modified were on the GP3R narrow street course in a unique race, as these cars are used to race on clay oval.
Marc-Antoine Camirand teamed up with dirt track specialist David Hébert with ONE Racing team, and quickly managed to adapt to these open-wheel cars used to turn left only on a totally different racing surface.
He qualified on pole on Friday, and he was aiming at a podium finish for his first race in a DIRT Sportsman Modified car. Camirand didn’t make it through the first turn of the race, as he was pushed from behind at the green flag and wasn’t able to turn. His GM Paillé ONEc car ended up in the tire barrier outside turn one.
“I’m the one who had to dictate the pace before the green, but the car behind entered turn one faster than me and pushed into my rear bumper so hard that I couldn’t make my car turn right. I really thought that I could have a good race, but it’s a shame that it ended up that way. I’m disappointed for my sponsor GM Paillé and ONE Racing team who worked very hard to prepare the car for GP3R”, Camirand explained.
Camirand’s teammate in the Défi Urbain Chevrolet, David Hébert, was having a strong race in the GM Paillé ONE car. He was fighting for the lead with only a few laps to go, but he was given a disputed penalty and was forced to go to the rear of the pack.
Marc-Antoine Camirand will be back on track at the wheel of his GM Paillé n°22 Chevrolet Camaro in two weeks, as the NASCAR Pinty’s series heads to Circuit ICAR in Mirabel, QC, on Saturday, August 28th, then to Autodrome Chaudière in Vallée-Jonction, QC for a doubleheader on Sunday, August 29th. David Hébert and the GM Paillé ONE car will be back on dirt at Autodrome Granby, next Friday.
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August 15 2021
All three Dumoulin Competition entries in the top-10: One on the podium, one top-5 and one in 9th place
Trois-Rivieres, Quebec – Jean-Francois Dumoulin and his #04 Groupe Bellemare | Trois-Rivières Mitsubishi | Omnifab | Bernier Crépeau Chrysler Fiat put in their best qualifying lap ever in the NASCAR Pinty’s Series to date. Fifth on the starting grid of the Grand Prix de Trois-Rivieres "Les 60 tours des Anges Gardiens", Jean-Francois Dumoulin had one objective in mind only: to win! He showed relentless determination, fighting like the warrior that he is for the lead, and giving his all to reach the podium. Off the track, Jean-François also excelled in his role as General Manager of Dumoulin Competition and can be proud of all the members of the team who led all three drivers to top-10 finishes.
“The team members have been working hard for the past three weeks to prepare the three cars. The #04 Groupe Bellemare | Trois-Rivières Mitsubishi | Omnifab | Bernier Crépeau Chrysler Fiat was performing well at the beginning of the race as the driver took it easy on the car, especially on the brakes. I was concentrating on not making any mistakes and we had a battle over several laps with the #74 car. I managed to overtake him on a restart on lap 34. I then switched to protect mode to make sure I kept that position to the end. We are all very happy with the podium, and see you next year for a victory,” explains the driver.
Weekend Summary
Jean-Francois Dumoulin had his hands full throughout the weekend. The General Manager of Dumoulin Competition was responsible for the preparation of three cars, including that of Louis-Philippe Montour who drove the #07 Kamloop in his first Pinty’s start. On track for Saturday morning's practice session, Jean-Francois Dumoulin attacked the track and set the 6th best time in the first moments of the session. Then, in early-afternoon qualifying, Jean-François achieved a top-5, and signed his best qualifying result ever in this series.
Jean-Francois Dumoulin likes above all to drive and to enjoy himself by pushing to his maximum on each lap and for as long as possible on-track session, which has earned him an enviable reputation in the world of professional endurance racing, particularly in the United States, where he has taken several victories. In the Pinty's series, he is known for his lap-race sprints especially on road courses as he overtakes competitors at will with a car that has become seemingly irresistible.
Louis-Philippe Montour #07 Kamloop
The young Montreal driver raced in two classes this weekend, the Canadian Touring Car Championship (CTCC) as well as making his NASCAR Pinty's Series debut in the #07 Kamloop car prepared by Dumoulin Competition. The order was a tall one and Louis-Philippe Montour was able to pull it off. “I felt at ease in the car right from the start and improved as I learned how to drive it harder and enjoy it more”. Thirteenth on the starting grid, Louis-Philippe Montour tamed the Trois-Rivieres track at every level: battles on the track, overtaking, “rubbin” and more.
“My first weekend in NASCAR Pinty's, an unforgettable experience! It's part of my 2022 plans to do road courses with Dumoulin Competition. They gave me a very good car to race all the way through the event, with a strong car right to the end of the race. Finishing in the top-10 is what I was aiming for. Mission achieved! » according to the rookie driver.
NASCAR Pinty's Series – August 13 to 15, 2021
Event | Grand Prix de Trois-Rivières |
Track | Grand Prix de Trois-Rivières (Trois-Rivieres, Quebec) |
Format | 60 laps – one mandatory pit stop |
Start / Finish | 5th / 2nd |
Date / Television replay | TSN – Sunday, August 22, 1:00 PM |
Summary – Highlights In Jean-Francois Dumoulin’s Career
· 2019 Season - NASCAR Pinty’s Series two podiums, one top-5 & and a sixth-place finish in four road races.
· 2018 Season - NASCAR Pinty’s Series one podium, three top-5 & five top-10 on 10 races. First championship with cars entirely prepared by Dumoulin Competition;
· First podium in the NASCAR Canadian Tire series on May 17, 2015 (3rd place – Canadian Tire Motorsport Park);
· NASCAR Pinty’s Series Championship since 2015;
· The first Quebec-born driver to win twice the Rolex 24 in Daytona; 2004 (SGS and 2007 (GT);
· Caught the attention of the renowned Player's Driver Development Program scout (Formula Ford and Formula Atlantic), became one of the youngest drivers ever to be recruited, and was touted as a strong contender for the championship title in Formula Ford (1996 and 1997 seasons);
· Champion of the Grand-Am Continental Tire Sports Car Challenge GS, USA in 2003 (9 podiums);
· Champion of the Grand-Am Continental Tire Sport Car Challenge ST, USA in 2002 (5 podiums);
· In Montreal's 2009 edition of NASCAR Nationwide, he finished his first race in 7th position aboard a badly damaged car and won the hearts of numerous fans and reporters;
· In 2000, he was the Motorola Cup Series Vice-Champion, during a season that included a 1st place podium finish after having begun the race in 52nd position at theMolson Indy event in Ontario, Canada.
About Partners
Groupe Bellemare is a 3rd generation family business that has been serving clients since 1959. Today, the company has more than 500 employees and provides them with an innovative work environment facilitating work-family balance and a healthy and safe quality of life. With over a half century of experience and its sustained R&D efforts, the Company offers high-quality products and services in areas as diverse as concrete, abrasives and minerals, dimensional load transportation, and recycling. Groupe Bellemare is also very involved in its industry and attaches great importance to its social and environmental role as a member of the business community. Groupe Bellemare makes a positive contribution to the quality of life of citizens in the communities it serves by supporting numerous social causes and promoting local purchasing through its responsible procurement practices (groupebellemare.com).
Trois-Rivières Mitsubishi is proud to be one of the first Mitsubishi dealers in Canada (opening in 2002). The commitment from Mitsubishi is defined by the quality, reliability and durability of its vehicles, notably with their 10-year warranty, the best in the industry! Pride, integrity and respect are the values of the Trois-Rivières Mitsubishi team (troisrivieresmitsubishi.com).
Omnifab. Since it was founded in the 90s in Louiseville, Omnifab has continuously improved and reinvented itself to better serve its customers. This is essential in a sector such as industrial mechanics, where technologies and needs are constantly evolving. However, some things should stay the same. Our products and services have continued to meet high quality standards because we stay true to our vision and values and share them with our employees (omnifab.ca/en/).
MIA – Motorsports In Action: With over 50 years of combined Motorsport experience, MIA is making a name for itself in the industry in “La Belle Province”. Being trackside, situated at Autodrome St-Eustache, gives our clients “real time” results, testing their vehicles. One stop shopping is our strength, from high-end mechanics, exotic automotive maintenance, complete race car building and design to prestige paint and meticulous detailing. “Leave it, then enjoy it!” (motorsportsinaction.com).
Bernier Crepeau Chrysler Fiat: With 25 years of experience, the family business has built an enviable reputation in the field of vehicle acquisition. If the future of this company is linked to the loyalty of its customers, it is also held by the reliability and strong communication of its team. This team is at your disposal, ready to listen to you, to hear you. Passion, care, and determination. A team willing to go the extra mile, with its ears wide open (berniercrepeau.com).
Dumoulin Competition: Jean-François and Louis-Philippe Dumoulin founded the Dumoulin Competition Race Team in 2009. Working with financial, marketing, logistics and sports management experts, they built up a solid business structure. Dumoulin Competition prepares its on race cars in-house since 2016. Their motto: "Passion - Performance - Partnerships" expresses their will to perform on the track and offer their partners maximum visibility and profitability in return for their commitment. Their vision: To become Canada's leader in motorsports through track performance, entrepreneurial and human values (dumoulincompetition.com).
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August 12 2021
Milverton, Ontario – One of the premier events on the annual NASCAR Pinty’s Series schedule will be held this weekend in Trois Rivieres Quebec after a one-year absence. The Grand Prix de Trois-Rivieres, which began in 1967 makes it the oldest street-course event in North America and a track that Quebec-based team-mates Alex Tagliani and Marc-Antoine Camirand have a great fondness for. This will be Series’ Rookie Treyten Lapcevich’s first visit to this famed circuit.
Tagliani won two Grand Prix’s here in 2017 and 2018 and came close to winning a third at GP3R in 2019. It is no small feat to have won two in a row. The competition for this year’s contest is equally as stout with many of the competitors being road-course aces. Look for Tagliani behind the wheel of his No 18 Rona / Viagra / St Hubert Camaro to be pushing hard to get that a third win and to add to his 6 top-five finishes, 2 poles and 94 laps led here at GP3R.
Another road-course ace to watch for is Camirand, who’s earned 2 poles, 2 top-five finishes and has led 37 laps around this 1.53-mile 11 turn temporary street course. Although he has yet to taste victory at the Grand Prix in the NASCAR Pinty’s series, he has in many other racing disciplines. The driver of the No 22 GM Paille Chevrolet Camaro will be battling fiercely to get to the top step of the podium this year.
Rounding out the trio of drivers with their sights on a GP3R podium is Rookie of the Year contender Treyten Lapcevich. At the NASCAR Pinty’s Series opening round doubleheader at the Sunset Speedway oval the 17-year-old demonstrated a level of maturity and race craft that kept him in the hunt for the win. As one of the youngest of the Lapcevich racing dynasty, alongside his seasoned teammates and under the guidance of four-time NASCAR Pinty’s Series Champion and team owner Scott Steckly, the pilot of the No 20 RGC / Qwick Wick Chevrolet Camaro is sure to get up to speed quickly.
NASCAR Pinty's Series' Practice gets underway on Saturday August 14th at 11:50 a.m. with Qualifying getting underway at 4 p.m. ET
The race is scheduled for Sunday August 15th at 2:18 p.m. ET, with Live Streaming on TSN.ca, RDS2 and NBC TrackPass in the USA. TSN will air the race on Sunday, August 22nd at 1:00 p.m. ET
This season the NASCAR Pinty’s Series races on oval tracks and road courses in Ontario and Quebec. For more information and updates throughout the season, please visit www.22racing.ca and NASCAR.ca.
About 22 Racing
22 Racing is owned by Four-Time NASCAR Pinty’s Series Champion and Canadian Motorsport Hall of Fame Inductee Scott Steckly. 22 Racing provides highly competitive race cars built in their world-class 7,500 square foot Milverton-based facility and maintained by a team of highly experienced crew members.
22 Racing offer turnkey solutions that range from research and development, construction, testing, logistics to marketing support. Visit 22racing.ca for additional details and a list of previous notable drivers the team has prepared cars for.
Follow the 22 Racing team on social media for behind the scenes updates on; Twitter @22RacingTeam, Facebook Fan Page 22RacingTeam and Instagram 22RacingTeam
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August 12 2021
Millgrove, Ontario – Even though he is a rookie behind the wheel, Kyle Steckly is showcasing that he has the skills to hang with the best in the business.
Just a couple weeks following his first career win, the second generation racer held the checkered flag once again in victory lane on Saturday night at Flamboro Speedway.
It was a perfect night, as he put down the quickest lap in time trials behind the wheel of the No. 24, allowing him to start on the pole. He then led flag-to-flag en route to the victory.
2019 Grisdale Triple Crown Champion Shae Gemmell ran up front throughout the event for a runner-up finish ahead of Shawn Chenoweth, Shane Maginnis, and Rick Burbridge. Mat Box placed sixth, followed by Kevin Albers, Kent Nuhn, David Gallinger, and Kyle Woods.
Unfortunately, a couple incidents took place resulting in Mark Burbridge and Treyten Lapcevich failing to finish.
Going into the final round of the Grisdale Triple Crown, which will take place at Frostoberfest in October, Shawn Chenoweth and Shae Gemmell sit tied atop the standings, six points ahead of Kyle Steckly.
From Kyle Steckly
We started off in practice with a really good car, made a few adjustments and ended practice in first. We went out for qualifying and kept it there, qualifying on the pole. Luckily I drew a 0 for the invert so I started first in the race and never looked back, going on to lead every single lap and get the win! We had the car working great last night and had a great night! Thanks to all of you for making this possible again!
Ontario Pro Challenge Series
Tim Norris continues to show why he’s one of the best in the business when it comes to Ontario Pro Challenge Series competition, scoring the victory ahead of his son Mike Norris in the first feature. Rick Seeley finished third, followed by Larry Majuery and John Dryden. Bryan Stevanus placed sixth, followed by Devon Rayment, Peter Hattin, Mike O’Connell, and Emma Norris.
An invert for the second feature proved to no challenge for the Norris family, with Tim securing the win once again ahead of Mike. Bryan Stevanus finished third, followed by Larry Majuery and Peter Hattin. John Dryden finished sixth, followed by Devon Reyment and Emma Norris. Mike O’Connell and Rick Seeley failed to finish.
First Feature https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dnefASYYL1k
Mini Stocks
Despite being challenged throughout the entire duration of the feature, Karl Sault was able to hold off everybody en route to scoring the victory. Gillian Hils finished second, followed by Dylan Sharpe, Dale Millard, and Tyler Lewis. Cole Quinton rebounded to sixth following a spin ahead of Wayde Thorne, Shawn Taylor, Mike Hooper, and Mike Gilmour. Kaitlyn Wallace and Dave Goodacre rounded out the field, while RJ Croteau failed to finish.
The invert worked in Shawn Taylor’s favor, as he turned a good starting spot into a victory in the second feature, marking his third win in four races. Gillian Hils scored another runner-up, this time ahead of Karl Sault, Dale Millard, and Tyler Lewis. Kaitlyn Wallace placed sixth, followed by Mike Hooper, RJ Croteau, and Dave Goodacre. Cole Quinton failed to finish following contact mid-race, while Wayde Thorne and Dylan Sharpe wrecked out on the opening lap of the event. Mike Gilmour did not take the green flag.
First Feature https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-wKz-luH7Z0
Pure Stocks
Kris Lawrence utilized a solid starting spot of third to his advantage, quickly making his way to the lead. He then led the rest of the way en route to the win ahead of Kyle Lucas, Phil Givens, Rodney Rutherford, and Jordan Morris. Rick VanKleef crossed the finish line in sixth, but was disqualified post-race.
Dale Lucas crossed the finish line in seventh ahead of Mark Thorne, Spencer Riddell, and Alex Stewart. Reece Bourgeois placed 11th, followed by Chase Mitchell, Eric Stewart, Bobby Mercer, Scott Tonelli, Courtney Scott, Jimmy Hooper, Roland Goodfellow, Nicole Stewart, Dan Vis, and Cole Ecker.
Starting deep in the field, Rodney Rutherford made his way through the traffic to win the second feature ahead of Scott Tonelli, Kris Lawrence, Eric Stewart, and Reece Bourgeois. Kyle Lucas placed sixth, followed by Bobby Mercer, Spencer Riddell, Courtney Scott, and Rick VanKleef.
Dale Lucas finished 11th, followed by Chase Mitchell, Alex Stewart, Nicole Stewart, Roland Goodfellow, Cole Ecker, Dan Vis, and Jordan Morris. Mark Thorne and Jimmy Hooper failed to finish while Phil Givens did not take the green flag.
First Feature https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5Mff8aGyyC8
Thanks to Derek Smith (http://www.racepulse.com) and Peter Anderson (This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.) for their images of the racing action each week.
Thanks to Ingrid Hartman for filming each week. Be sure to check out her videos at https://www.youtube.com/user/petalpower51/videos
The next event at Flamboro Speedway is scheduled for August 21, featuring Spectator Drags. This is when we give our regular spectators in our grandstands the chance to race their regular cars one-on-one against another fan in a drag race around the track. The winner stays on the track to race another fan and when we are down to two cars left, one more lap will give us the winner of a trophy, $100 cash, and the bragging rights of being named the winner of spectator drags.
The Qwick Wick Can-Am Midget Series, Canadian Vintage Modifieds, Super Stocks, Mini Stocks, and the Pure Stocks will also be on-hand.
With the province moving into stage three of the COVID re-opening government plan, Flamboro Speedway is allowed to host 75% capacity in the grandstands. No tickets will be sold online, but rather available at the gate on a first come, first serve basis. The spectator gates will open at 5 pm with racing kicking off at 6:30 pm sharp.
Tickets will be $25 for adults at the front gate, $20 for seniors 65 and older, and $5 for children ages 6-12. You can also buy a family pass for $55.00 which includes two adults and up to four children.
Be sure to keep up with the latest by checking out Flamboro Speedway’s website at http://www.flamborospeedway.ca. You can also keep up via your favorite social networking website by following the speedway on Twitter at https://twitter.com/FlamboroSpdwy and Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/flamborospeedway. Fans are encouraged to like the speedway’s Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/Flamboro-Speedway-Authorized-Page-102328664646735/.
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August 12 2021
Saint-Eustache, Quebec – The streets of Trois-Rivières hold no secrets for Kevin Lacroix, who has made five appearances at the GP3R since his NASCAR Pinty's debut in 2015. He is one again thrilled to be participating in the 60-lap race on the 2.46 km urban track this weekend.
He had won the 2015 and 2016 editions before accumulating bad lucks in 2017 and 2018. Lacroix could have won the last GP3R event in 2019 (the 2020 event was cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic) but finished in 4th place, a step away from the podium.
Lacroix is looking to win once again in his #74 Bumper to Bumper / Lacroix Tuning Dodge. "We've done some testing, and I have a very fast car," said Kevin. "I know the GP3R track like the back of my hand, so I'm confident that this event will go better than the first one at Sunset Speedway.
Lacroix was unlucky at Sunset Speedway two weeks ago as he did not finish the second race of the night due to a mechanical failure. However, he plans to make up for it at the Trois-Rivieres Grand Prix in front of the Bumper to Bumper guests in the stands.
"I'm glad to see the fans back at GP3R; it's always a fun and festive atmosphere." While things may not be back to normal yet, fans can opt to watch the race live on RDS on Sunday, August 15 at 2:18 p.m.
The 60-lap Grand Prix of Trois-Rivières will be broadcast on TSN on Sunday, August 22 at 1:00 pm.
2021 Calendar
Races | Tracks | Results |
Frontline Workers 125 : August 1 | Sunset Speedway, Innisfill Ontario | 4th |
General Tire 125: August 1 | Sunset Speedway, Innisfill Ontario | DNF |
Grand Prix de Trois-Rivières : August 15 | GP3R, Trois-Rivières, Québec | |
Circuit ICAR: August 28 | Circuit ICAR, Mirabel, Québec | |
Autodrome Chaudière Course 1: August 29 | Autodrome Chaudière, Vallée-Jonction, Québec | |
Autodrome Chaudière Course 2: August 29 | Autodrome Chaudière, Vallée-Jonction, Québec | |
CTMP Course 1 : Septembre 4 | Canadian Tire Motorsport Park, Bowmanville, Ontario | |
CTMP Course 2 : Septembre 5 | Canadian Tire Motorsport Park, Bowmanville, Ontario | |
Flamboro Speedway Course 1 : Septembre 12 | Flamboro Speedway, Flamborough, Ontario | |
Flamboro Speedway Course 2 : Septembre 12 | Flamboro Speedway, Flamborough, Ontario | |
Delaware Speedway : Septembre 26 | Delaware Speedway, Delaware, Ontario |
About Lacroix Motorsport
Lacroix Motorsport is a race team created in 2015 from Sylvain Lacroix and Serge Bourdeau’s idea. They wanted to race for pleasure on road tracks in the Canadian NASCAR series. After Kevin Lacroix’s first two wins, and seeing his son’s potential, Sylvain decided to participate full-time in the series. Lacroix Motorsport is not only a team in the NASCAR Pinty’s, in fact, Dany Lacroix, Kevin’s brother, also races in the STCH Cup Formula Tour 1600 in Kent Class.
Lacroix Motorsport stems from an idea and passion. By creating this team, world snowmobile champion, Sylvain Lacroix has made it a family affair.
About Bumper to Bumper
The BUMPER TO BUMPER store banner is a turnkey program for auto parts wholesalers looking for complete program support, a strong brand image and a very aggressive go-to-market approach. BUMPER TO BUMPER was introduced to the Canadian Automotive Aftermarket in 1977 and entered the Uni-Select fold in 2006. Today, over 120 auto parts stores operate in Canada under the BUMPER TO BUMPER banner.
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