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- Category: Oval Racing
By: Allrem Sports and Entertainment
August 8, 2024
August 8, 2024
Montréal, Quebec – Steve Côté will be back behind the wheel of the #29 Evirum/BKFC car prepared by Allrem Racing this weekend for one of Canada's most coveted events. It's time to head to the Mauricie region for the famous Grand Prix de Trois-Rivières from August 10th to 11th.
This historic event is firmly rooted in Quebec’s history. Established in 1967, the event has seen many of the world's greatest drivers take to the streets of the metropolis, including Gilles Villeneuve, who was discovered by James Hunt during the 1976 edition.
Now, the NASCAR Canada presented by Evirum and Pinty's drivers will have their turn to take part in the 60-lap race held on the 2.4-kilometre urban track. Steve Côté is confident and ready for the challenge.
"Some drivers will surely have an advantage as they know the circuit better than me, however, I feel as though I'm very well prepared," he stated. "Many claim that oval drivers are comfortable on the circuit since it turns left a lot, so we'll see if that's true!"
The inclement weather promises to be an added element to contend with, but Côté said he's looking forward to the race; "We don't know what to expect, but I think we're ready for it. We've done a lot of testing at ICAR in preparation for the road circuits. It's hard to go to a track we don't know and can't test on, but I've watched a lot of videos to help me."
"Testing at ICAR went very well," added Team Manager Jonathan Côté. "Although the adjustments we made for the GP3R circuit are very different, we were able to prepare the car well for Sunday's race. The rain may impact our plans a little, but it's a nice challenge we'll take in stride."
The Richard et cie presents Le 60 tours Rousseau Métal in collaboration with Prolon Contrôles will be a 60-lap event, during which more than 30 entries are expected. The practice will be held at noon on Saturday, followed by qualifying at 4pm. The race takes place on Sunday at 2:15pm and will be broadcast live on RDS Info and FloRacing.com for international viewers.
Among the festivities surrounding the GP3R, Côté's main partners Evirum and BKFC will be pleased to welcome several distinguished guests. These include Quebec fighter Jade Masson-Wong, who is preparing for her next fight that will take place in Salt Lake City on September 6. She will be at the Allrem Racing hauler on Sunday at 11am, right before the race.
Find the complete schedule of the Grand Prix de Trois-Rivières here, and the Allrem Racing calendar here.
About Allrem Sports and Entertainment
Allrem Sports & Entertainment, a company of Allrem group of companies, is the powerhouse behind all sports and entertainment endeavors within the Allrem group of companies, with a strategic focus on ensuring optimal business development, brand awareness, and marketing opportunities for the entire Allrem group of companies and its partners.
Through the collective power of its diverse subsidiaries (Allrem Racing, BKFC, Les Pétroliers du Nord), Allrem Sports & Entertainment delivers unparalleled value to its sponsors and the Allrem group of companies. We provide our partners with business development opportunities, corporate hospitality programs, targeted brand awareness initiatives and innovative sponsorship activations. We ensure that all our partners receive maximum exposure and tangible returns on their investment to meet their objectives. Learn more at allremsae.com
About Evirum
Evirum, part of the Allrem group of companies, is a Canadian residual materials management brokerage offering eco-responsible solutions across North America to minimize environmental impact and promote recycling and other innovative practices. Evirum is committed to providing companies, events and industries with the best sustainable practices and services. Learn more at evirum.com
About BKFC
Bare Knuckle Fighting Championship (BKFC), the World's Fastest Growing Combat Sports Promotion, in which Allrem is a shareholder, is the first entity sanctioned to hold regulated bare-knuckle events in the United States since 1889. BKFC is based in Philadelphia (PA) and headed by President and Founder David Feldman. Learn more at bkfc.com
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- Category: Oval Racing
By: Thomas Nepveu Motorsport
August 8, 2024
August 8, 2024
Oka, Quebec - The NASCAR Canada Series is making its return to street circuits, and therefore Thomas Nepveu will be back on board the yellow #24 Richelieu | Home Hardware | Cromwell car.
During the last road course event at Canadian Tire Motorsport Park (CTMP), Nepveu had performed very well and was challenging among the front runners. However, a mechanical problem forced him to retire.
Nevertheless, he is looking forward to the Grand Prix de Trois-Rivières with a great deal of optimism; "Last year we progressed well," he explained. "I think we'll be able to do it again. We had good pace at Mosport, so I think we'll have a strong car again this weekend."
The driver of the #24 Ford is still conscious of the challenges that will be present this weekend, stating that "we're going to try to fight our way to the front and have a solid Top 10 result. It won't be easy, as there will be over 30 cars on track. There is also rain in the forecast all weekend, so there are going to be a lot of elements to juggle."
The last time the NASCAR Canada Series paid a visit to Quebec was last June. Nepveu is looking forward to returning to the province. "The Grand Prix de Trois-Rivières is such a unique event, and the spectators are always very enthusiastic. My partners will also be there, so it's important for me to put on a good show for them."
The Richard et cie presents Le 60 tours Rousseau Métal in collaboration with Prolon Contrôles 60-lap race will commence at 2:15pm on Sunday, August 11th. The 60-lap race will be broadcast live on RDS Info from 2pm onwards.
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- Category: Oval Racing
By: Anthony Bruno for RaceCanada.ca
August 7, 2024
August 7, 2024
NASCAR Canada’s western swing came to a close in Alberta with domination being the story of the day.
Kevin Lacroix flexed his muscles and took home victory in The NAPA 300 at Edmonton International Raceway, marking his third win of the season.
The 35 year-old led 208 of the 300 laps and, at the halfway break, was a full lap ahead of second place at the time Andrew Ranger and a few others, and two laps ahead of the rest of the field.
Despite losing the lead of the restart, Lacroix would reclaim it with 45 to go and never look back.
Marc-Antoine Camirand came home second, bringing his lead in the points up slightly from seven to 10.
A great run from Danny Chisholm sees him round out the podium, the first of his career, while Donald Theetge came home in fourth.
D.J. Kennington closed out the top five as the last car on the lead lap, with the local Jamie Krzysik finishing in sixth.
Despite not having a retirement in the race, there were still a few that had rough outings and less than ideal finishes.
Ranger was one of those in seventh. Even with 92 laps led, he would be forced into the wall late on, ending any chances of a good result and knocking him back from second to third in the championship standings.
L.P. Dumoulin suffered a puncture early on, taking him out of contention and relegating him to a 10th place finish.
The series heads back east for the race that many look forward to. The Grand Prix de Trois-Rivières.
Action starts Sunday, Aug 11 at 2:15 P.M. EST.
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- Category: Oval Racing
By: TAG Motorsport
August 8, 2024
August 8, 2024
Terrebonne, Quebec - Alex Tagliani will be back on board the #80 St-Hubert / BFL Canada / 440 Laval Chevrolet / Qwick Wick / Arobas / La Petite Bretonne Chevrolet this weekend in NASCAR Canada at the highly-anticipated Grand Prix de Trois-Rivières.
This will be an important event for the Lachenaie-born driver as he attempts to claim a 4th victory at the legendary event. Tagliani will be looking to return to the top step of the podium with the help of Theetge Motorsports, who are preparing his car this year.
Additionally, the weekend will be all the more special as it will be Tagliani's first race since the announcement of 'Tag On the Go', the new energy drink created entirely in Quebec with all-natural, bio and vegan ingredients.
"I'm proud that my partners and I have launched this project that we've been working on for months, even years," said Alex. "I'm particularly happy with the recipe, the design of the can, and the fact that it's entirely made in Quebec. I'd like to thank the Liquid Design team for rising to the challenge." Tag on the GO will also be offering an exclusive 'No Limits Experience' to one lucky winner who will go full speed ahead during a hot lap with the famous driver in a Porsche GT3 RS.
Tagliani will be behind the wheel of his NASCAR Canada car, prepared by the Theege Motorsports team. "The team has been working very hard to create the right opportunities for ourselves for the upcoming races so that we can achieve the best possible results. We're ready to take on the streets of Trois-Rivières. I tested the car earlier this week at ICAR and I think we're on track for a good performance at the GP3R."
Alex has been a previous winner at the GP3R in the 2017 and 2018 editions, then again for the third time in 2021. "It's a track I love, but one I'm also apprehensive about, as there will be more than 30 cars on track. Anything can happen in this race. That's why qualifying will be one of the most important sessions of the season."
The strategy for the driver commonly referred to as 'Tag' will be to secure pole position, then pull away from the pack during the race. The Richard et cie presents Le 60 tours Rousseau Métal in collaboration with Prolon Contrôles 60-lap race kicks off at 2:18pm. The 60-lap race will be broadcast live on RDS Info from 2pm onwards.
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- Category: Oval Racing
By: Lions de Trois-Rivières
August 7, 2024
August 7, 2024
Trois-Rivières, Quebec – Twenty-three-year-old driver Raphaël Lessard will be donning the Lions de Trois-Rivières’ colours… but not on the ice! Rather, he’ll be driving at the Grand Prix de Trois-Rivières (GP3R) taking place this weekend (August 9 to 11). He’ll be piloting car No. 7 during the NASCAR Pinty’s Series main event; Lessard’s car will sport the Lions’ colours and logo during Sunday’s race.
The Spire Connection!
When he assumed ownership of the Lions de Trois-Rivières, Jeff Dickerson said he wanted to become involved in the local Trois-Rivières community and strengthen his ties with GP3R: This announcement is proof positive of that ambition.
"We are extremely proud having Raphaël Lessard drive the No. 7 car sporting the Lions de Trois-Rivières' colours in the Grand Prix de Trois-Rivières. This collaboration between Spire Motorsports and the Lions de Trois-Rivières symbolizes our combined commitment to support local talent and to strengthen our presence in the community. We have total confidence in Raphaël and are certain he will be a wonderful ambassador for our two organizations on the track." – Jeff Dickerson Lions’ owner and Spire Motorsports’ co-owner.
“We knew that with Spire Sports assuming ownership of the Lions, it would result in the team becoming a greater part of the fabric of the Trois-Rivières community. The partnership between our event, the Lions and Raphaël Lessard – who is the only Quebecer to have won a national NASCAR series race – is a case in point. The Lions are not only enabling us to watch Raphaël perform on the track, but he’ll be doing so in a car that is capable of taking the chequered flag!” - Dominic Fugère, GP3R’s general manager.
"We are very proud to support Raphaël Lessard – an exceptional Quebec talent – at the Grand Prix de Trois-Rivières. Getting to see our logo and colours in an event of this magnitude reinforces our commitment to the community and our desire to promote local talent. We wish Raphaël all the success in the world and look forward to seeing him perform on the track." - Alex Cousineau Lions’ Vice-President, Business Development and Assistant General Manager.
A Promising Young Driver
Still only in his early 20s, Lessard already has an impressive curriculum vitae: He was the first Quebecer to win a Nascar National Series event, winning the Love's RV 250 Stop at the legendary Talladega Superspeedway in 2020.
Lessard will be making his fourth appearance on the GP3R track in the NASCAR Pinty’s series. He’s raced in a total of eight NASCAR Canada Pinty’s series events, and 35 in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series.
Lessard participated in the NASCAR Canada race – as well as the Chevrolet Urban Challenge race – during last year’s GP3R. Although mechanical failure prevented him from completing the NASCAR race, the Urban Challenge was an entirely different matter as he brought home the chequered flag. Lessard will be out to defend his title this year.
About the Lions de Trois-Rivières
The Lions de Trois-Rivières joined the ECHL for the 2021-22 season. Owned by the Spire Hockey group since the end of April 2024, the team plays its home games at Colisée Vidéotron and is affiliated with the Montreal Canadiens of the National Hockey League (NHL) and the Laval Rocket of the American Hockey League (AHL).
About the ECHL
Formed in 1988-89 with five teams in four states, the ECHL has grown into a coast-to-coast league with 27 teams in 20 states and on Canadian province for its 36th season in 2023-24. There have been 740 players who have gone on to play in the National Hockey League after starting their careers in the ECHL, including 13 who have made their NHL debut in the 2022-23 season. The ECHL had affiliations with 28 of the 32 NHL teams in 2022-23, marking the 26th consecutive season that the league has affiliations with at least 20 teams in the NHL. Further information on the ECHL is available on its website at ECHL.com as well as on Twitter and Facebook.
Le pilote Raphaël Lessard se « joint » aux Lions de Trois-Rivières
Trois-Rivières, Quebec – Le jeune pilote automobile Raphaël Lessard portera les couleurs des Lions de Trois-Rivières… lors du Grand Prix de Trois-Rivières qui se déroulera cette fin de semaine (du 9 au 11 août). Il pilotera la voiture No7 lors de l’épreuve reine du Grand Prix, la course de la série NASCAR Pinty’s, le bolide arborera les couleurs et le logo des Lions lors de l’épreuve du dimanche.
L’empreinte de Spire!
Lorsqu’il s’est porté acquéreur des Lions de Trois-Rivières, Jeff Dickerson a mentionné vouloir s’impliquer dans la communauté trifluvienne et renforcer ses liens avec le GP3R, cette annonce est donc un bon exemple de ce désir.
« Nous sommes extrêmement fiers de voir Raphaël Lessard piloter la voiture No7 arborant les couleurs des Lions de Trois-Rivières lors du Grand Prix de Trois-Rivières. Cette collaboration entre Spire Motorsports et les Lions de Trois-Rivières symbolise notre engagement à soutenir les talents locaux et à renforcer notre présence dans la communauté. Nous avons pleinement confiance en Raphaël et nous sommes convaincus qu'il saura représenter nos deux organisations avec brio sur la piste. » - Jeff Dickerson, propriétaire des Lions de Trois-Rivières et co-propriétaire de Spire Motorsports.
« Nous savions que l’arrivée du groupe Spire à la tête des Lions aiderait l’équipe à s’intégrer dans le tissu communautaire de Trois-Rivières. Cette association entre notre événement, les Lions et Raphaël Lessard, seul Québécois à avoir remporté une course d’une série nationale de NASCAR, le démontre bien. Les Lions nous permettent non seulement de voir Raphaël en piste, mais ils lui offrent en plus une voiture capable de gagner! » - Dominic Fugère, directeur général du Grand Prix de Trois-Rivières.
« Nous sommes extrêmement fiers de soutenir Raphaël Lessard, un talent québécois exceptionnel, lors du Grand Prix de Trois-Rivières. Voir notre logo et nos couleurs représentés dans une compétition de cette envergure renforce notre engagement envers la communauté et notre volonté de promouvoir les talents d’ici. Nous souhaitons à Raphaël tout le succès possible et sommes impatients de le voir briller sur la piste. » - Alex Cousineau, Vice-président au développement des affaires et directeur général adjoint des Lions.
Un Jeune Pilote Prometteur
Âgé de 23 ans seulement, le jeune pilote a déjà un CV bien garni. Il est notamment devenu le 1er Québécois à remporter une épreuve d’une série Nationale de Nascar, en 2020, remportant le Love’s RV 250 Stop, sur le mythique Talladega Superspeedway.
Lessard en sera à sa 4e participation en série NASCAR Pinty’s sur la piste du GP3R. Il a également participé à un total de 8 épreuves dans la série NASCAR Canada (Pinty’s) et 35 dans la série des camionnettes (NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series).
L’an passé, lors du GP3R, le pilote a participé à la course de NASCAR Canada, mais aussi à la course du Défi Urbain Chevrolet, s’il n’a pas terminé la course de NASCAR en raison d’un bris mécanique, le résultat a été complètement différent alors qu’il a remporté le Défi Urbain. Lessard tentera d’ailleurs de défendre son titre lors de cette épreuve alors qu’il y participera encore cette année.
À propos des Lions de Trois-Rivières
Les Lions de Trois-Rivières ont intégré la ECHL lors de la saison 2021-22. Elle est la propriété du groupe Spire Hockey depuis la fin du mois d'avril 2024. La formation Trifluvienne qui évolue au Colisée Vidéotron est affiliée avec les Canadiens de Montréal (LNH) et le Rocket de Laval (AHL).
À propos de la ECHL
Après avoir été formée en 1988-89 avec cinq équipes dans quatre États, la ECHL est devenue une ligue d'un océan à l'autre avec 27 équipes dans 20 États et une province canadienne pour sa 36e saison en 2023-24. Il y a 745 joueurs qui ont évolué dans la Ligue Nationale de Hockey après avoir débuté leur carrière dans la ECHL, dont cinq qui ont fait leurs débuts dans la LNH au cours de la saison 2023-24. La ECHL a des affiliations avec 28 des 32 équipes de la LNH en 2023-2024.