The first of two Grand-Am Continental Tire Challenge races took place yesterday in Trois-Rivières. It was the first race of the 41 years of the Grand Prix’s history to be held under the lights.
Matt Plumb (BMW M3), who took the wheal from co-driver Nick Longhi only five minutes into the race, led half of the two-hour GS race to win over rival Billy Johnson (Mustang) and Jack Roush Jr., who themselves led the opening 33 laps until their first pit stop.
Plumb took the lead then and only pulled further away on the second wave of stops. Jeff Bucknum (Camaro GS-R) and co-driver Matt Bell completed the podium of this first nocturne race in Trois-Rivières as local driver Jean-François Dumoulin (Porsche Cayman), who had battled for third for several minutes, ran out of fuel on the closing lap to finish 10th.
In ST Saturday morning, Owen Trinkler (Mini Cooper S) regained his lost victory (broken seat) of last year in Trois-Rivières by taking the lead from Tom Long (Mazda MX-5) with 40 minutes to go in the race. Randy Smalley and Trinkler had also won the last race in New Jersey, making it a second victory in as many races.
Tom Long and co-driver Derek Whitis took the second position while Andrew Carbonell (Mazda MX-5), who spun in turn 6 after a contact with lapped car VJ Mirzayan moments after most teams pitted on lap 56, took third with co-driver Rhett O’Doski.
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| Matt Plum (photo: Philippe Champoux/Auto123.com) |
Matt Plumb (BMW M3), who took the wheal from co-driver Nick Longhi only five minutes into the race, led half of the two-hour GS race to win over rival Billy Johnson (Mustang) and Jack Roush Jr., who themselves led the opening 33 laps until their first pit stop.
Plumb took the lead then and only pulled further away on the second wave of stops. Jeff Bucknum (Camaro GS-R) and co-driver Matt Bell completed the podium of this first nocturne race in Trois-Rivières as local driver Jean-François Dumoulin (Porsche Cayman), who had battled for third for several minutes, ran out of fuel on the closing lap to finish 10th.
In ST Saturday morning, Owen Trinkler (Mini Cooper S) regained his lost victory (broken seat) of last year in Trois-Rivières by taking the lead from Tom Long (Mazda MX-5) with 40 minutes to go in the race. Randy Smalley and Trinkler had also won the last race in New Jersey, making it a second victory in as many races.
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| Jean-François Dumoulin (photo: Philippe Champoux/Auto123.com) |
Tom Long and co-driver Derek Whitis took the second position while Andrew Carbonell (Mazda MX-5), who spun in turn 6 after a contact with lapped car VJ Mirzayan moments after most teams pitted on lap 56, took third with co-driver Rhett O’Doski.