- Details
- Category: Oval Racing
By: Anthony Bruno for RaceCanada.ca
August 13, 2024
August 13, 2024
One of the most prestigious events on the NASCAR Canada calendar took place with major championship implications.
The Grand Prix de Trois-Rivières held the Rosseau Metal 60 on Sunday with a massive 31 car field with Marc-Antoine Camirand leading them to the green flag.
It was an intense and physical affair, with the bumping coming right from the start as Kevin Lacroix pushed the polesitter wide at turn two.
The tone of action and aggression was set from there, with moves being made up and down the order and lots of beating and banging to add to the punishing nature of the circuit itself.
After a grueling 72 lap endeavour that needed a couple attempts at overtime to get completed, Camirand crossed the line to take the win and extend his championship lead, putting him in a great position with four rounds to go in the season.
Alex Labbé came home in second, avoiding the late race chaos to close out a good afternoon for himself.
Third was decided by a high-impact drag to the line, one that was won out by Raphael Lessard, just managing to edge out L.P. Dumoulin, who settled for fourth.
D.J Kennington rounded out the top five, another driver that survived the late race madness to bring home a good finish.
Larry Jackson ended up in sixth, with Simon Dion-Viens right behind in seventh.
Donald Theetge had himself a great road course outing coming home in eighth, battling back from issues that plagued him earlier on in the race.
Steve Coté was the highest finishing rookie in ninth with Jocelyn Fecteau rounding out the top ten.
This was a race of attrition and issues, with some big names in the championship fight being affected.
The first casualty was Lacroix, who suffered a rear axle failure 45 laps in and was forced out of the race.
The next was Andrew Ranger, and while he did not suffer a similar fate to his rival, he ran out of gas on the first overtime restart and fell down the order, finishing in 14th.
Jason Hathaway was having a decent race until he ended up in the wall with four to go, ending his day.
Alex Tagliani was another driver that suffered from problems in this race, going from leading at one point and spending some time in the top five to issues that sent him many laps down and settling for an 18th place finish.
It’s back to an oval for the series, as they head off to Delaware Speedway.
Action begins on Saturday, Aug. 17 at 7:00 P.M. EST.
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- Category: Oval Racing
By: Innovation Auto Sport
August 12, 2024
August 12, 2024
Trois-Rivières, Quebec - Once again, Kevin Lacroix walked away from the Grand Prix de Trois-Rivières empty-handed. However, the driver of the #74 NAPA Racing Dodge was in contention for a victory until a mechanical problem forced him to retire.
Kevin Lacroix was in familiar territory on the 2.4-kilometre urban track, as this was his 9th appearance in the event since 2015. In fact, he has two consecutive wins at this prestigious event from the 2014 and 2015 editions. The NAPA Racing team was hungry for another victory, coming off a strong win in Edmonton two weeks prior.
Lacroix set the 4th fastest time in Saturday’s practice session, just behind Marc-Antoine Camirand, JF Dumoulin and LP Dumoulin. Later in the afternoon, he posted a time of 1:07.330, placing him 2nd overall in qualifying.
Thousands of spectators made their way to the Grand Prix de Trois-Rivières site to watch Kevin Lacroix start the 60 tours Rousseau Métal.
"I would have liked to have secured pole position, as 2nd place on the starting grid in the GP3R is often dangerous," he explained. "I was on the outside line for Turn 1, but in a good position for Turn 2. Camirand and I touched on the first lap in that corner. From there, I then took the lead, and held it for about 25 laps. I had Andrew (Ranger) putting pressure on me from behind, but it was a great race, until it wasn't."
Between Andrew applying the pressure and Camirand back on the charge once more, it was an action-packed race full of intensity. However, after a pit stop, Lacroix’s rear axle broke in two, ending his chances of finishing the race.
"It was either a faulty part or just wear and tear," he said. "Yet we change this part quite frequently. These cars are fragile, so if you accelerate over a bump the tire spins and bites, creating stress on the axle. We've seen it break in the past, but it's often on older, less well-maintained cars. This is the first time it's happened to me. Again, it's just bad luck."
The retirement hurt Kevin Lacroix in terms of championship points, as he dropped back to 3rd in the standings, 36 points behind first place. NASCAR Canada's next race is on August 17 at Delaware Speedway in Ontario.
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- Category: Oval Racing
By: DJK Racing
August 12, 2024
August 12, 2024
DJ Kennington, driver of the #17 Castrol EDGE Dodge, showcased his resilience and racing prowess in the NASCAR Canada Series this past Sunday at the Grand Prix of Trois-Rivières. Despite a challenging race marked by on-track contact, Kennington powered through to secure an impressive fifth-place finish.
Kennington demonstrated strong pace early in the weekend, showing speed during practice and backing it up with a solid qualifying effort, securing the 7th starting position on the grid. As the race unfolded, Kennington quickly moved up the field, positioning himself among the frontrunners.
However, a mid-race incident set Kennington back, forcing him to relinquish his position and drop further down the field. Undeterred, the seasoned driver and his team made a strategic call during a later caution period, opting to pit for fresh tires, setting the stage for a fierce comeback.
With renewed momentum, Kennington charged through the pack, picking off competitors one by one. His determination and skill were on full display as he maneuvered the #17 Castrol EDGE Dodge back into contention, ultimately crossing the finish line in fifth place.
Kennington's performance at Trois-Rivières also boosts him to fifth in the overall championship standings.
DJ Kennington Quotes: "We had a strong car all weekend, and I’m proud of the effort by the whole Castrol team. The contact was totally unnecessary and set us back, we were continuing to move forward. But we made the right call to pit for fresh tires, and I had to really battle in the late stages, so we’ve got a few other bruises. It was a tough race, but we never gave up."
Next Up
DJ Kennington and the Castrol Edge Dodge team are back in action Saturday, August 17th at Delaware Speedway near London, Ontario.
TV & Live Streaming
The Grand Prix of Trois-Rivieres will be broadcast on TSN, Saturday August 17th at 1:30PM and Sunday August 18th at 12:30PM. All races are streamed live on TSN+ and through FloRacing in the United States.
Race fans can follow DJ Kennington and the #17 Castrol Edge Dodge team on their official social media platforms:
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- Category: Oval Racing
By: Allrem Racing
August 12, 2024
August 12, 2024
Trois-Rivières, Quebec – It was a challenging but ultimately satisfying weekend for Steve Côté, who finished in 9th place at the Grand Prix de Trois-Rivières. The NASCAR Canada series hit the streets of Trois-Rivières for this prestigious race, a marquee event that attracts thousands of spectators from all over Québec.
Steve Côté, driving the #29 Evirum/BKFC car prepared by Allrem Racing, took on the urban track for the first time this weekend. Navigating the twist and turns of this legendary circuit amidst 30 other cars made for a difficult task. He approached the Practice session cautiously, posting the 28th fastest time.
"My goal was to learn the track," explained Steve Côté. "I had never driven here before, and since we couldn’t practice beforehand, I had to make the most of Saturday afternoon’s session. However, we were already experiencing engine issues."
Unfortunately, the Allrem Racing team were plagued by mechanical issues, forcing the mechanics to change the engine on Saturday night. As a result, Côté did not participate in the Qualifying session, while his teammates rushed to Mirabel to fetch a replacement engine.
"I’m proud of the team," said Jonathan Côté, the team manager. "Everyone worked swiftly and collaboratively to ensure we could get back on track for Sunday."
Starting from the back of the grid, Steve Côté took on the 60-lap race on Sunday afternoon. Though the starting position was disappointing, Steve demonstrated resilience in the face of the challenge.
"No driver wants to start from the back, especially in a race where 31 cars are competing on such a tight circuit. However, we had a good strategy, so I got to work and climbed up the field with the goal of finishing in the Top 10."
And that’s exactly what he did, as Côté began his ascent right from the green flag. It was a race filled with action and multiple cautions. The driver of the #29 car took advantage of the restarts to gain ground on his competitors.
In the end, he finished in 9th place after this intense race, which ended in NASCAR overtime. "I’m happy with my 9th place. It was a tough but satisfying race. Everything came together at the end with the two cautions we had. We managed to get the Lucky Dog after two attempts. Everyone is pleased!"
Allrem Racing was particularly excited to welcome BKFC fighter and Quebec-native Jade Masson-Wong on Sunday for the race. While Côté battled it out on the track, she is focused on her upcoming fight in Salt Lake City on September 6.
The next NASCAR Canada event will be at Delaware Speedway in Ontario on August 17. Find Allrem Racing’s race schedule 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: Northern Provincial Pipelines Racing
August 11, 2024
August 11, 2024
Edmonton, Alberta - In his official Team NPP debut in Edmonton, Josh Shuflada recorded back-to-back 5th place finishes in the Friday and Saturday night Features at Rad Torque Raceway. “Two top-5 finishes, I really can’t complain,” exclaims the Edson, Alberta driver, “car is all in one piece. There is zero damage.”
Shuflada kicked off Friday night’s action with a 3rd place finish in his first Heat race of the night. In the second Heat, Shuflada pulled off early due to apparent overheating problems. “The temperature gauge was pinned. I didn’t want to take any chances.” It turned out the temperature gauge was malfunctioning.
His crew also discovered a broken ball joint which was quickly repaired. “The track was really rough (Friday). Saturday was really slick. I couldn’t get any traction to the ground.” Traction issues plagued the Team NPP driver in the Friday and Saturday Features.
On both nights Shuflada spun on the opening laps of the Features and had to go to the back of the pack. With 14 strong Super Stock teams in the field, getting back to the front was no easy task. “The car ran really well but I was overpowering the track."
Shuflada finished 2nd in his first Saturday night Heat race but spun in the second Heat and finished 4th. "Next time I come here I’ll changed up the gears.” Shuflada has now competed in nine Feature events in the Team NPP #81 Dodge since his official debut last September in Clearwater, British Columbia. Shuflada has recorded 4-wins.
“We’ve been doing real well so I can’t complain. I’m having fun!” Shuflada now returns to a track where he made his official racing debut. “My very first race was in Rimbey last year (raced the #4 Dodge/finished 5th).
My dad (Terry) is going to make his racing debut in the same car.” The 2024 Duel in the Dirt at Central Alberta Raceways runs Saturday and Sunday, August 17th and 18th. Once again Shuflada will be making his official Team NPP debut at this track in the #81 Dodge.