VICTORY IN THE STREETS OF TORONTO FOR KEVIN LACROIX!
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VICTORY IN THE STREETS OF TORONTO FOR KEVIN LACROIX!

Toronto, QC, July 16, 2022 – It’s a second win this season and a second career victory in the streets of Toronto for Kevin Lacroix! The driver of the #74 Lacroix Tuning | ESR Performance Wheels | La Boulonnerie claimed the win last Friday, July 15, at the Honda Toronto Indy and regained the lead in the drivers’ championship.

Having qualified fourth in the combined practice and qualifying session, Lacroix started from a prime position for the race. Indeed, it is always challenging to pass in the narrow streets lined with walls.

“I am very happy with the result because I made mistakes in the last two races. So I’m delighted to break the bad luck and get the season back on track by scoring valuable championship points.”

The race was stopped several times as the walls surrounding the 2.8 km urban track took their toll on several drivers. Patience, experience and agility allowed Lacroix to make his way to the front of the pack.

“Normally, the wait in the car before the start is always gruesome, but this time, that made me win the race!” An unusual, but very true statement. Lacroix explains, “I was in my car ready to go on the track, and since I had a lot of time, I took note of my reference points in my mirror, a trivial thing I don’t usually do. This exercise on the false grid allowed me to go from 4th to 2nd place during a restart since I didn’t hesitate about the space between my competitor and my car.”

Same scenario when he grabbed the lead. It was not an easy last few laps with Andrew Ranger in his rear end. However, Lacroix did not give in to the pressure and led the final lap, which was spectacular, to say the least.

“I am looking forward to the western trip and going to Edmonton, where we have had success and are usually fast,” Kevin Lacroix concluded. Indeed, Lacroix Motorsport’s next event will be at Edmonton International Raceway on July 23.

Samantha Tan Racing to make 24 HOURS OF SPA debut in July, drivers confirmed.
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Samantha Tan Racing to make 24 HOURS OF SPA debut in July, drivers confirmed.

 

Photo : ST Racing

July 11, 2022.- ST Racing is gearing up for its maiden entry at the TotalEnergies 24 Hours of Spa on 28-31 July, and will be joined at the vaunted Circuit de Spa-Francorchamps by some familiar faces.

Team co-owner Samantha Tan, already the reigning Overall GT Drivers’ champion following her first season of endurance racing in Europe, is set to make her competitive debut at Spa-Francorchamps. Alongside her previous/on-going accomplishments in the 24H SERIES, the GT World Challenge America and GT4 America, and as well as class and outright wins at Grand Prix-calibre venues across the globe, Samantha is looking forward to adding a successful 24 Hours of Spa to her rapidly-expanding motorsport resume.

Samantha Tan, co-owner/driver: “The 24 Hours of Spa is the biggest race event the team and I will have ever competed in, and I’m very excited to be one of the 65 GT3 cars entered for the event. After a successful endurance racing season last year and a historic win at the 12H Mugello, we’re looking forward to testing our limits against some of the best drivers and teams in the world. We are also the only Canadian team set to compete at this year’s24 Hours of Spa, and we are honoured to represent Canada. It’s going to be a very competitive race, but we’re always up for the challenge. I’ll be training hard in preparation.”

Supported by BMW Motorsport, ST Racing has entered its new M4 GT3 for the endurance racing colossus in July, a notable honour given BMW Motorsport’s record 24 outright wins at the 24 Hours of Spa hitherto.

 Kenneth Tan, team principal: “I am extremely excited to participate in this highly competitive endurance race, arguably the most competitive and physically demanding of its kind in the world. This all-GT3 endurance event should be an eye-opening experience for us and will surely test our mettle as a team. We have been prepping our car for weeks and hope the momentum we had at the Virginia International Raceway a couple of weeks ago continues at Spa-Francorchamps. I have to thank SRO Europe for allowing our late entry and for all their support for our maiden European race with them.  Also, a big shout out to BMW Motorsport for their continued and very valuable support for our team. We cannot thank them enough.

Samantha Tan will be joined aboard the #28 BMW M4 GT3 by seasoned teammates Nick Wittmer and Harry Gottsacker, and STR newcomer Maxime Oosten.

Nick, an alumnus of the Pirelli World Challenge, Grand-Am and TC America among other high-profile series, will also be making his debut at the 24 Hours of Spa this July. The experience of the three-time Canadian Touring Car Champion and multi-time TC America race winner will prove invaluable: the Quebec native secured ‘ST Racing’s first Pirelli World Challenge win in 2017 in the TC ranks, and his racecraft was equally as crucial to ST Racing securing its first outright win in the 24H SERIES earlier this year in Mugello.

GT and TCR specialist Harry is set to contest his first race in Europe since an impressive part campaign in the British GT Championship, the young American’s most recent focus having been on a very lucrative campaign in the Michelin Pilot Challenge. Like Nick, Harry is also an ST Racing staple having helped the Canadian outfit secure West Pro-Am Cup honours in the GT4 America Series in 2019, ST Racing’s first championship success. Nick and Harry also completed a fruitful year in GT4 America in 2020, taking home four Silver category wins and 2nd in the SprintX standings.

Nick Wittmer, driver: “I am super excited to be back with Samantha Tan Racing for the 24 Hours of Spa. I love this beautiful racetrack, I love the facility, and I cannot wait to be on-track with the BMW M4 GT3 to show its true colours. I’m also very happy to have Samantha Tan and Harry Gottsacker back on-board as my teammates. The most important things for us to do are to keep the car clean throughout the whole race and maintain our pace. So long as we stay out of trouble, there’s a good chance we will finish well.”

 Harry Gottsacker, driver: “I am looking forward to joining the ST Racing team at Spa in July. We had a successful debut outing earlier this year in Dubai and I’m looking forward to building on what the team has learned so far this season. It’s great to share the car with Samantha and Nick at such a historic event, and we will push for a good result for the team.”

Newcomer Maxime Oosten meanwhile is no stranger to BMW Motorsport. The young Dutch racer is the current championship leader in the BMW M2 CS Racing Cup Benelux in Europe with ST Racing partner Bas Koeten Racing, and also a proven race winner in this year’s DTM BMW M2 Cup.

Maxime Oosten, driver: “I am really looking forward to this event. In 2020 I participated in the Porsche Supercup at Spa. Last year I raced in the Lamborghini Super Trofeo Europe during the 24 Hours of Spa weekend, and I still cannot believe I will drive the race itself this year. I have yet to drive my first metres in a GT3 car, so I want to give a big thanks to Bas Koeten Racing and to ST Racing for the trust they have put in me and my skills. It’s going to be tough but it’s a real pleasure to be asked to join this race and hopefully I can help them move forward.”

Alongside its 24 Hours of Spa debut, ST Racing will be continuing its GT World Challenge America campaign at Road America on 19-21 August, and its 24H SERIES program with the Hankook 24H BARCELONA on 9-10-11 September.

Two Races, Two Victories for Jean-Christophe Trahan in American Formula 2000!
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Two Races, Two Victories for Jean-Christophe Trahan in American Formula 2000!

Photo credit: © RTD Media Management

Sainte-Thérèse (QC), July 11, 2022.- Barely two and a half months after his debut in the American Formula 2000 Championship (Formula Race Promotions), Quebec driver Jean-Christophe Trahan executed a perfect weekend at the Autobahn Country Club. Two races were on the programme, located at this Joliet, Illinois track. For Trahan, the balance sheet was exceptional: two races, two victories, two fastest race laps, and two pole positions in qualifying!

 

Statistically, it was a perfect record for the young driver, a rookie in the series this year. Nonetheless, it wasn’t as easy as the numbers might lead to believe. « From the outside, I might’ve given the impression that it was an easy weekend but we had a couple of mechanical issues before the first race, which were thankfully quickly resolved by my team, Global Racing Team » confided Jean-Christophe. Just prior to the start of Saturday’s race, an overheating radiator had caused his engine to cut.  

 

Once the problem was resolved and the start of the race took place, the 2021 Canadian F1600 championship runner-up led from the first to the last lap of this 20-lap event. After entertaining a margin of close to ten seconds ahead of his closest rivals, Trahan eventually crossed the finish line barely half a second in front of Austin Hill. « My brake balance was bad, I had way too much brake force in the rear of my open-wheel and it was starting to become a critical problem towards the end of the race. This also caused me to make a few small mistakes, which allowed my competitors to make up some time on me towards the end ».

 

Heading into this event, Jean-Christophe Trahan was new to the Autobahn Country Club. « It’s a very technical track, not too fast other than a sequence of two turns that we come into with our F2000s at more than 100 miles per hour. It takes big concentration and I have to admit that I made my way onto the grass a couple of times during the first qualifying session, as well as during the first race » he mentioned.  

 

It’s also important to note that the F2000 drivers saw their Friday practice session altered because of the rain. For a driver trying to learn the track like Jean-Christophe was, this wasn’t without consequence and it forced him to concentrate twice as hard during the next day’s four track sessions. « I worked hard on Saturday and I can say that I was completely spent by the end of the day » he noted.

 

On Sunday, Trahan once again secured pole position before leading the entire race, on route to an indisputable victory, this time with a gap of 35 seconds ahead of second place finisher Nathan Byrd. « In my previous events in this series, I always managed to win one of the two races.  But this time was really a perfect record and the two victories catapult me in the lead of the championship » explained the #12 Blud Lubricants open-wheel driver.

 

Trahan earns the lead of the championship despite the fact that he missed the first two races of the season: « I learned a lot this past weekend. I was quickly able to get myself into a rhythm on a track that I was just familiarizing myself with. It’s really gratifying and I now find myself in a position to be able to aim for the 2022 title, which was my goal since I discovered this series ».

 

The next event will take place on August 19th to 21st in West Virginia at the Summit Point Motorsports Park. Trahan is content with this break in the calendar, as it allows him time to find the required budget to complete the season, which consists of four more races over two different events. « Given that I’m now in a place to win the championship, I hope that this will help our efforts to bring together the remaining budget needed to complete the season. I’m the only Quebec driver in a position to win an international motorsport title in 2022, and it’s a goal I don’t want to miss because of non-motorsport reasons » concluded Jean-Christophe Trahan.

Parker Thompson and SCM earn second place finish with a late race charge at CTMP
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Parker Thompson and SCM earn second place finish with a late race charge at CTMP

Photo by : Ray MacAloney/CDN-R

Parker Thompson Racing Release:

Alberta native Parker Thompson had a prominent performance, driving the No. 14 Sean Creech Motorsport Exelixis/Focal One/Alta Equipment Ligier JS P320 in Prototype Challenge as IMSA crossed the border into Canada for the first time since 2019. Sporting a livery featuring American stars and stripes and the Canadian maple leaf, Thompson and co-driver Lance Willsey were keen to make a mark on the holiday weekend festivities at Canadian Tire Motorsport Park (CTMP). Last month, fueling issues spoiled an impressive performance by the pair in their debut together in Round 2 at Mid-Ohio. A strong result at CTMP would bring redemption and elevate the team’s position in the season’s points standings. Through a ninety-minute race on the historic Ontario road course, Thompson and Willsey accomplished precisely that, piloting their white, red, and blue SCM machine to a second-place finish.

The high-speed, undulating Canadian Tire Motorsport Park circuit presented a daunting challenge for much of the field after nearly a three-year absence from the IMSA schedule. Thompson however, entered the weekend with a stellar record on the track, showing eight career podiums and a total of four wins. On his first laps in Saturday’s Practice 1, he immediately appeared comfortable, setting a benchmark time for the Prototype Challenge field. Less familiar with the 3.957-kilometer, 10-turn road course, teammate Lance Willsey showed quick progress through practice sessions. When Qualifying launched on Sunday morning, Willsey earned an eighth position start.

Thompson, Willsey, and Sean Creech Motorsport shined when racing action began. From P8, Willsey made steady progress early in the race. When he entered the pits at the halfway mark, he had moved his way into fifth place. After the driver change and refueling, the team suffered a setback. Race officials deemed that Thompson had been released from the stop a half-second short of the minimum requirement. He was immediately called back into the pits for a stop-and-go penalty.

The No. 14 had dropped back to seventh place when Thompson re-entered the track. From there, he showed the dominant pace we had seen in May during Round 2 at Mid Ohio Sports Car Course. Navigating through the field, Thompson put together a series of laps that saw him set and reset the fastest racing lap multiple times, advancing his position to fourth. When a full-course-yellow was required late in the race, Thompson capitalized on the subsequent restart, capturing two spots to claim second place. Having already made significant advancements throughout his stint, Thompson had limited capacity to challenge the race lead. He held second through to the checkered flag.

Parker Thompson
“From start to finish, I’m so proud of our effort this weekend in Prototype Challenge. When Lance and I got together earlier this year, we felt we could challenge the front of the field. That didn’t quite pan out in our first event at Mid-Ohio, but I’m delighted that both of us put it together here at Canadian Tire Motorsport Park. For me, it’s incredible to do it in Canada, where I haven’t had an opportunity to race in almost three years. I feel like the sum of my experiences showed in my performance here today – from the races earlier in my career here at this track to the frequent race restarts I’ve seen in Carrera Cup recently. Thank you to Sean Creech and Lance Willsey for allowing me this opportunity. With our finish this weekend, we can only do one better! In the future, I’d be honored to do exactly that.
For the present, Thompson has his sights set on another significant Canadian event. He will reunite with JDX Racing when Carrera Cup North America visits the Honda Indy Toronto, July 15 – 17. Marking Carrera Cup’s first and only stop in Canada, the event is particularly significant to Thompson and JDX Racing team principal Jeremy Dale. Each has strong connections to the region. Currently sitting second in that season’s championship, the pair will look to advance their position in the standings by winning on the Streets of Toronto.

Parker Thompson Holds Second in 2022 CCNA Standings at Season Midway Point
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Parker Thompson Holds Second in 2022 CCNA Standings at Season Midway Point

For Immediate Release:

Intent on making a mark on the 2022 Carrera Cup North America presented by Cayman Islands, Parker Thompson and JDX Racing arrived at Watkin’s Glen International this weekend just twenty-two points back from the championship lead. After back-to-back wins in the last two rounds, Thompson and JDX Racing expected to challenge for wins in two races scheduled on the iconic New York road course. Instead, the duo struggled to find a rhythm and were further hampered by race incidents that countered team strategies. On the weekend, Thompson and the No. 9 JDX Racing / Shell Tap-Up / Surgere / Byers Porsche / Renier Construction / Jersey Mike’s Subs Porsche earned third and fourth-place finishes. The result allows Thompson to maintain second place in the overall points standings as the 2022 season reaches its halfway mark.

The white, red, and yellow No. 9 machine showed a robust pace in two test sessions on Thursday morning, clocking the third-best time in both sessions. When qualifying launched on Friday morning however, Thompson could not improve his placement in the field. He earned third and fourth place starting spots for Race 1 and 2, respectively.

While Thompson and JDX Racing have yet to earn a pole position in the series, they have repeatedly shown an ability to advance their position during racing action. When Race 1 began on Friday afternoon, they looked to do precisely that. Equipping the No. 9 with their final available set of Michelin slicks, Thompson was poised to utilize the performance bonus of new tires to gain places early in the race. Unfortunately, a major opening-lap incident elsewhere in the field led to a lengthy clean-up and full-course caution. When green flag action resumed more than 20 minutes later, Thompson’s tire advantage had been wasted. He was unable to mount a meaningful attack on the race leaders, driving the No. 9 to the checkered flag in third place.

In Race 2 on Saturday morning, Thompson started in fourth and put up a good fight for the final podium position. His best opportunity came on lap eight following a race restart when he got a great run out of turn four, passing MDK Motorsports driver Trenton Estep under braking as the pair entered the Bus Stop. Unfortunately, Thompson would give the position up shortly after and carry fourth through to the end of the race.

Race 2’s result marks only the second time in eight races this season where Thompson has failed to finish on the podium. In both cases, he missed the podium by just one position. Consistency has allowed the young Canadian to stay within striking distance of the overall championship lead despite winning fewer races than the overall leader. With eight races now complete and eight yet remaining in the season schedule, Thompson and JDX Racing prepare to make a run for the top spot. Next up, the series heads north of the border to Thompson’s home country and the Honda Indy Toronto, July 15-17, 2022.
Parker Thompson
“Rounds 7 & 8 of the Porsche Carrera Cup North America Championship at Watkins Glen were not what the No.9 JDX Racing crew had hoped for, with a lack of pace bringing us a P3 and P4 finish. In simple terms, we got our butts kicked. But this only adds fuel to the fire for this Championship, and the war is only halfway through. We’re sitting in a comfortable 2nd place, ready to put the pressure on as the series heads to my homeland in mid-July!”