From Michael Harker; Grand-Am Series
Marc-Antoine Camirand started off what he hopes to be a historic weekend at Le Circuit de Trois-Rivieres on Saturday morning when he earned the pole for the Grand-Am KONI Challenge Series Grand Sport (GS) race, which will commence at 9:10 a.m. Sunday.
A resident of nearby St. Leonard d'Aston, Quebec, Camirand took the No. 79 BMW M3 to the top of the charts with a time of 1:11.365 (76.727 mph), and will pace the 21-car field to the green flag in hopes of becoming the all-time victory leader at the 1.521-mile track.
Camirand, also driving in the Street Tuner (ST) race this afternoon, will co-drive with Andy Lally, who garnered the ST pole. Camirand and Lally will drive different cars in the ST race, which will kick off at 1:30 this afternoon.
Joe Foster, who with Toronto's Scott Maxwell won the only other Canadian race on the KONI Challenge circuit in June at Mosport International Raceway, will start alongside Camirand in hopes of sweeping the two Canadian races.
Foster's time of 1:11.588 (76.488 mph) was actually his second quickest of the session, as his original fast time was disallowed when he caused a caution when he hit the wall and lost his right-side mirror.
The incident eliminated his previous best time, but the Atlanta-based driver was able to get back on track for a solid second effort in the No. 55 Mustang GT.
Turner Motorsport driver Bryan Ortiz, in his first race at the track, was third in the No. 97 BMW M3 (1:11.789; 76.274 mph) he shares with Don Salama. Turner Motorsport is the defending race team winner at Trois-Rivieres.
Trois-Rivieres native Louis-Philippe Dumoulin was 11th in the No. 38 Porsche 997 (1:12.293; 75.742 mph) he shares with brother Jean-Francois Dumoulin.
In the ST class, behind Lally and Trevor Hopwood is Quebec driver and defending race co-winner Nick Wittmer in third in the No. 32 Acura TSX (1:14.734; 73.268 mph) he co-pilots with brother Kuno Wittmer.
Other Quebec drivers included Boischitel's Benoit Theetge 11th in the No. 74 Acura TSX (1:15.371; 72.649 mph; co-driver Christian Miller qualified the car); Ste. Anne Des Lacs driver Robert Boyer 19th in the No. 53 Cobalt SS (1:15.866; 72.175 mph; co-driver Matt Pritiko qualified the car); Becancour's Jocelyn Hebert 22nd in the No. 189 Civic Si (1:15.952; 72.093 mph; shared by Cyril Hamelin of Trois-Rivieres); and Trois-Rivieres' Stephan Roy 26th in the No. 127 BMW 330i (1:15.274; 72.742 mph; shared by Guy Cosmo).
Marc-Antoine Camirand started off what he hopes to be a historic weekend at Le Circuit de Trois-Rivieres on Saturday morning when he earned the pole for the Grand-Am KONI Challenge Series Grand Sport (GS) race, which will commence at 9:10 a.m. Sunday.
A resident of nearby St. Leonard d'Aston, Quebec, Camirand took the No. 79 BMW M3 to the top of the charts with a time of 1:11.365 (76.727 mph), and will pace the 21-car field to the green flag in hopes of becoming the all-time victory leader at the 1.521-mile track.
Camirand, also driving in the Street Tuner (ST) race this afternoon, will co-drive with Andy Lally, who garnered the ST pole. Camirand and Lally will drive different cars in the ST race, which will kick off at 1:30 this afternoon.
Joe Foster, who with Toronto's Scott Maxwell won the only other Canadian race on the KONI Challenge circuit in June at Mosport International Raceway, will start alongside Camirand in hopes of sweeping the two Canadian races.
Foster's time of 1:11.588 (76.488 mph) was actually his second quickest of the session, as his original fast time was disallowed when he caused a caution when he hit the wall and lost his right-side mirror.
The incident eliminated his previous best time, but the Atlanta-based driver was able to get back on track for a solid second effort in the No. 55 Mustang GT.
Turner Motorsport driver Bryan Ortiz, in his first race at the track, was third in the No. 97 BMW M3 (1:11.789; 76.274 mph) he shares with Don Salama. Turner Motorsport is the defending race team winner at Trois-Rivieres.
Trois-Rivieres native Louis-Philippe Dumoulin was 11th in the No. 38 Porsche 997 (1:12.293; 75.742 mph) he shares with brother Jean-Francois Dumoulin.
In the ST class, behind Lally and Trevor Hopwood is Quebec driver and defending race co-winner Nick Wittmer in third in the No. 32 Acura TSX (1:14.734; 73.268 mph) he co-pilots with brother Kuno Wittmer.
Other Quebec drivers included Boischitel's Benoit Theetge 11th in the No. 74 Acura TSX (1:15.371; 72.649 mph; co-driver Christian Miller qualified the car); Ste. Anne Des Lacs driver Robert Boyer 19th in the No. 53 Cobalt SS (1:15.866; 72.175 mph; co-driver Matt Pritiko qualified the car); Becancour's Jocelyn Hebert 22nd in the No. 189 Civic Si (1:15.952; 72.093 mph; shared by Cyril Hamelin of Trois-Rivieres); and Trois-Rivieres' Stephan Roy 26th in the No. 127 BMW 330i (1:15.274; 72.742 mph; shared by Guy Cosmo).