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KONI ST: Burrows, Hopwood Win; Camirand 27th after contact

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Khatir Soltani
From Michael Harker; Grand-Am

Adam Burrows and Trevor Hopwood traded roles in their driving efforts Saturday in Le Grand Prix de Trois-Rivieres, and those endeavors paid off in their second Grand-Am KONI Challenge Series Street Tuner (ST) victory of the season.

Burrows, normally the starting driver between the two, led the final 34 laps of the 75-lap event, taking the point in the No. 76 Acura TSX after pit stops cycled through. He then held off a determined Pierre Kleinubing over the final handful of laps to score their second victory in three races. The final margin of victory stood at 2.755 seconds.

The race was also a major boost - and rebound - for Burrows and Hopwood, who finished near the tail end of last week's race at Iowa Speedway after car problems.

The only caution period occurred from Laps 64-66 - due to debris in Turn 1 - and set up a sprint between Burrows and Kleinubing. The Brazilian Kleinubing dogged Burrows for several laps, trying to get by in the final of the 1.521-mile track's 11 turns, but he fell back in the waning laps as Burrows set the race's fastest lap coming to the white flag.

Kleinubing and co-driver Toby Grahovec finished a career-best second in the No. 86 BMW Z4. Polesitter Andy Lally and co-driver Jamie Holtom finished third in the No. 01 Chevrolet Cobalt.

Defending race winners Kuno and Nick Wittmer were the highest-finishing Quebec natives, as they finished fifth in the No. 32 Acura TSX. Kuno Wittmer is now seven points behind Holtom in the standings.

Other Top Quebec Drivers: Stephan Roy (Trois-Rivieres) finished 15th in the No. 127 BMW 330i with Guy Cosmo, and Jocelyn Hebert (Becancour) and Cyril Hamelin (Trois-Rivieres) finished 18th in the No. 189 Honda Civic Si.

Marc-Antoine Camirand of St. Leonard d'Aston, Quebec, who finished 27th in the ST race after contact with the No. 95 BMW 330i midway through the race, will lead the GS field to the green flag.
Khatir Soltani
Khatir Soltani
Automotive expert
As a car enthusiast, he tests and compares vehicles from different categories through the eyes of the consumer, ensuring relevant and objective reviews.
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