The Rally Perce-Neige is well renowned for its icy and unexpected weather conditions. It will come to no surprise that snowbanks and ice were once more very present in Maniwaki, leading many contenders to go at fault – a shame for them, a joy for others!
Champions Patrick Richard and codriver Alan Ockwell’s bad luck therefore made the joy of Bruno Carré and Yvan Joyal that got their first win in the National Championship.
Mathieu L’Estage and Yanick Napert – arguably the only drivers not to have made any mistake in the rally nor experience any sort of mechanical failure – later took the second place at the finish line, their best result in the competition.
L’Estage’s brother Antoine and his co-driver Nathalie Richard were less lucky, experiencing both mechanical failure and snowbank misfortune. They finished out of the points in 16th position.
Craig Henderson and Lyne Murphy patiently waited behind to be awarded the third spot on the finish line and completed the podium of this hectic race. In fact, the duo had resigned itself to a middle pack result after a snowbank misfortune of their own, and a generous hand to Antoine L’Estage.
Off tracks and mechanical failures explain why only 36 or the 54 cars that took the green flag actually saw the checkered. It will be interesting to see how the teams react in May when they return for the second race of the season, the Rocky Mountain Rally, in Calgary, Alberta.
Final Standing, Rally Perce-Neige:
1) Bruno Carré – Yvan Joyal (Subaru Impreza WRX) – 2h26’17"
2) Mathieu L’Estage – Yanick Napert (Mitsubishi Lancer Évolution 6) – 2h29’39"
3) Craig Henderson – Lyne Murphy (Subaru Impreza WRX) – 2h36’41"
4) Mathieu Dubé – Éric Losier (Subaru Impreza WRX) – 2h37’57"
5) Marc Bourassa – Daniel Paquette (Subaru Impreza WRX) – 2h38’12"
6) Jon Nichols – Carl Schenk (Volkswagen Golf GTI) – 2h39’26"
7) Steeve Hobbs – Jean-Mathieu Tremblay (Subaru Impreza WRX) – 2h39’29"
8) Érik Gaudet – Pascal Longpré (Subaru Impreza WRX) – 2h43’47"
9) Ugo Desgreniers – Éric Kirby (Subaru Impreza WRX) – 2h44’04"
10) Simon Dubé – Pat Lavigne (Volkswagen Golf GTI) – 2h45’25"
Etc.
Champions Patrick Richard and codriver Alan Ockwell’s bad luck therefore made the joy of Bruno Carré and Yvan Joyal that got their first win in the National Championship.
Mathieu L’Estage and Yanick Napert – arguably the only drivers not to have made any mistake in the rally nor experience any sort of mechanical failure – later took the second place at the finish line, their best result in the competition.
L’Estage’s brother Antoine and his co-driver Nathalie Richard were less lucky, experiencing both mechanical failure and snowbank misfortune. They finished out of the points in 16th position.
Craig Henderson and Lyne Murphy patiently waited behind to be awarded the third spot on the finish line and completed the podium of this hectic race. In fact, the duo had resigned itself to a middle pack result after a snowbank misfortune of their own, and a generous hand to Antoine L’Estage.
Off tracks and mechanical failures explain why only 36 or the 54 cars that took the green flag actually saw the checkered. It will be interesting to see how the teams react in May when they return for the second race of the season, the Rocky Mountain Rally, in Calgary, Alberta.
Final Standing, Rally Perce-Neige:
1) Bruno Carré – Yvan Joyal (Subaru Impreza WRX) – 2h26’17"
2) Mathieu L’Estage – Yanick Napert (Mitsubishi Lancer Évolution 6) – 2h29’39"
3) Craig Henderson – Lyne Murphy (Subaru Impreza WRX) – 2h36’41"
4) Mathieu Dubé – Éric Losier (Subaru Impreza WRX) – 2h37’57"
5) Marc Bourassa – Daniel Paquette (Subaru Impreza WRX) – 2h38’12"
6) Jon Nichols – Carl Schenk (Volkswagen Golf GTI) – 2h39’26"
7) Steeve Hobbs – Jean-Mathieu Tremblay (Subaru Impreza WRX) – 2h39’29"
8) Érik Gaudet – Pascal Longpré (Subaru Impreza WRX) – 2h43’47"
9) Ugo Desgreniers – Éric Kirby (Subaru Impreza WRX) – 2h44’04"
10) Simon Dubé – Pat Lavigne (Volkswagen Golf GTI) – 2h45’25"
Etc.