Well Fought Podium for Marc-Antoine Camirand in Newfoundland

Well Fought Podium for Marc-Antoine Camirand in Newfoundland

Avondale, NL, June 27, 2023 – Paillé Course//Racing scored a fourth consecutive top five, while Marc-Antoine Camirand scored a well-fought podium finish after an eventful race, as the NASCAR Pinty’s series was at Eastbound International Speedway, in Avondale, Newfoundland. Andrew Ranger suffered a series of incidents and had mechanical issues throughout the race and scored a 17th-place finish.

 Camirand had a fast car all day. He scored the fastest lap in practice, and carried this speed through qualifying, posting the second-quickest time. Camirand was in a good position to have strong start in the 250-lap race, but things became more complicated at the initial start.

“The leader was having a really slow start, and I beat him at the start/finish line, which we can’t do on the initial start. I had a drive-through penalty,” stated Camirand.

Starting from the tail of the field, he managed to climb back to the front. He was back in the top 10 after 50 laps, and was battling for second place just before the halfway break.

During the second half of the race, slowed by numerous yellow flags, he dropped a few positions, but quickly came back to battle with the leaders. “At a restart with about 10 laps to go, I was in a good position, starting inside, and I thought that I had the car to get the win. Unfortunately, just as I was working to pass him, there was another yellow and I had to restart on the outside,” said the driver of the GM Paillé/Chevrolet Canada n°96 Camaro.

Camirand fought hard during that last restart, and he crossed the finish line in a very close battle for second. He was scored on third place, 0,003 second behind second place.

Andrew Ranger also had an eventful race, but didn’t have the outcome he was looking for. Fast in practice and qualifying, Ranger started fourth and battled with the front pack at the beginning of the race. But quickly, his car became harder and harder to maneuver, and he lost some track positions.

After a restart, he spun his car after running on some fluid left of the track by a competitor, and was hit during this incident. “After this contact, I felt a very strong vibration in the driveshaft. I had to come back to pits,” told Ranger.

He went back on track, but he had lost over 90 laps during the repair. “It’s a shame, because our car was fast at the beginning of the day, and I really thought we could come back strong after bad luck at the beginning of the season. We are going to come back strong to Toronto, where we finished on the podium last year with the GM Paillé/Chevrolet Canada n°27 Camaro,” Ranger concluded.

Paillé Course//Racing will be back in action with Marc-Antoine Camirand and Andrew Ranger, as the NASCAR Pinty’s series heads to the Toronto Indy, on July 14th.

 

THREE PODIUM FINISHES FOR STR38 MOTORSPORTS IN VIRGINIA

THREE PODIUM FINISHES FOR STR38 MOTORSPORTS IN VIRGINIA

June 20, 2023.- The thrilling action continued this weekend during round 4 of the Pirelli GT4 America series at Virginia International Raceway. Race 1 saw impressive performances by the drivers as they battled it out on the track. The #438 car, skillfully driven by Robert Mau and Chris Allen, secured an outstanding 2nd place in the Am class. Additionally, in the Silver class, the #88 car, driven by Chandler Hull and Harry Gottsacker, showcased their expertise, overtaking car after car to claim a commendable 3rd place in addition to the hard charger award.

The competition intensified in race 2, with the #438 car once again demonstrating its prowess, securing another impressive 2nd place finish in class. The #88 car, although narrowly missing the podium, fought until the end and secured a respectable 4th place in class. These results at Virginia International Raceway showcased the drivers’ and the teams’ determination to keep pushing and continue the fight for the 2023 championship.

Chris Allen, driver #438: “A hot weekend down at VIR but thankfully BMW knocked it out of the park with the AC in the M4 GT4. Rob and I showed excellent pace all weekend and were able to lock down two 2nd place podium finishes. Unfortunately, even with those results we lost a bit of ground in the championship. We will continue to fight until the end though. Can’t wait for Road America.

Robert Mau, driver #438: “It was great to be back at my home track. We were quick all weekend and brought home two 2nd place finishes. I was proud to honor Capt Joel Gentz KIA this weekend.

Chandler Hull, driver #88: “VIR treated us nicely this weekend. Harry and I had tremendous pace in our BMW M4 GT4 thanks to the great prep by the STR38 team. Unfortunately, a last minute pre-race penalty was applied on Saturday that erased Harry’s stellar qualifying position. However, that didn’t matter since Harry carved his way through the field after a pitlane start, handing the car off to me in a great position where I was able to capitalize on gaining a few more positions for an eventual podium finish. All in all, we passed 30 cars!!! Sunday wasn’t as good, but we still finished a strong P4 after starting P19 despite most of the race being under a safety car. I’m really looking forward to getting back behind the wheel and finishing up the season with Harry. We have really started to jive well together and I know we will be contenders for more podiums and wins during the rest of the season!

Harry Gottsacker, driver #88: “We had a nice weekend at VIR and have really unlocked some more pace in our M4 GT4. It was nice to grab a podium and hard charger after we were put to the back of the field. I think we will be in a good position to fight for wins in the second half of the season! Thanks to everyone at STR38 Motorsports for a big effort and keep pushing.

STR38 Motorsports has once again demonstrated their ability to compete at the highest level within the Pirelli GT4 America Championship. The team’s dedication, teamwork, and commitment to excellence have propelled them to deliver exceptional results.

STR38 Motorsports would like to thank partners, Cannonball Storage, OVN, Simseats, Ozium, Caza de Oro, MOTUL, HRX and BMW Motorsport for their support. The team is excited for the fifth round of the Pirelli GT4 America Championship, taking place at Road America in Wisconsin from August 18-20, and will look to bring home further wins and podiums as they battle for the 2023 championship.

For more information about STR38 Motorsports and their upcoming events, visit their official website at www.st-racing.org/str38motorsports. Follow the team on Instagram @str38motorsports for updates and behind-the-scenes glimpses leading up to the race.

ST RACING SHINES AT ROUND 4 OF GT WORLD CHALLENGE AMERICA WITH TWO SECOND PLACE FINISHES AT VIR

ST RACING SHINES AT ROUND 4 OF GT WORLD CHALLENGE AMERICA WITH TWO SECOND PLACE FINISHES AT VIR

June 20, 2023.- Virginia International Raceway witnessed a weekend of exhilarating racing in Round 4 of the GT World Challenge America series. The #38 car, driven by Samantha Tan and Neil Verhagen in the Pro-Am class, delivered an outstanding performance in a weekend that marked Neil’s debut with the ST Racing team in GTWC America, replacing John Edwards.

Race 1 showcased the skill and determination of the drivers as they battled fiercely on track. The #38 car delivered an impressive performance in qualifying courtesy of some hot laps from Samantha and Neil. Starting 7th in class on the grid, the pair put in consistent lap times and stayed out of trouble to fly up the order, securing a remarkable 2nd place finish in the Pro-Am class by the time the chequered flag came out.

The competition intensified in race 2, with the #38 car once again displaying its prowess. Samantha Tan and Neil Verhagen, this time starting 5th overall and 4th in the Pro-Am class, exhibited exceptional driving which, together with the team’s strategic decision-making, allowed them to secure another impressive 2nd place finish, fighting for the overall victory throughout the entire second half of the race.

The results achieved at Virginia International Raceway are a testament to the relentless determination demonstrated by the drivers and the entire ST Racing team. As they continue to compete in the GT World Challenge America series, Samantha Tan and Neil Verhagen are poised to build on their success and strive for even greater achievements in the races to come.

 Samantha Tan, driver/team co-owner: “What a phenomenal weekend for us at VIR with two podium finishes, a fast lap, and hard charger award (started 11th and finished 5th). After so much bad luck, we’ve finally turned it around and got the results! It was Neil’s first weekend with us — I think he fit right in and did an amazing job. The team gave us an absolute rocket to fight with, we kept it clean and brought home two second Pro-Am finishes, one of which was P2 overall. We’re definitely vying for that top step next time at Road America! The boys at STR38 Motorsports had an incredible weekend as well, scoring 3 podiums, a fastest lap, and a very well-deserved hard charger award (Harry and Chandler) for passing 30 cars in race 1.

Kenneth Tan, team principal:After all the tough trials and tribulations of the first few races in 2023, we’ve finally been able to pierce through all those challenges and achieve what I always knew our team is capable of doing. We have the talent, the passion, and teamwork to achieve great things together and our performance at VIR really showcased that. Most importantly, we are all having great fun working together and winning. Sam just keeps getting better as a driver and I am so proud of her. Also a shout out to Neil Verhagen for practically flying in at the start of the race weekend and quickly gelling with the team and driving the car to its potential all weekend. Also to BMW Motorsport for their continued support. Here’s looking forward to Road America!

Neil Verhagen, driver: “Honestly couldn’t have thought of a better way to start with Samantha Tan Racing like we did this weekend in VIR. A huge thank you to everyone in the team for making me feel so welcomed and how easy everyone was to work with! Samantha did a great job all weekend! The team really deserved those two podiums. And on Sunday fighting for the overall win was just awesome! It was my first time racing back on US tracks since leaving to race in Europe and I loved it! Can’t wait to be back and drive again!

Rounds nine and ten of this year’s GT World Challenge America will take Samantha Tan Racing to Road America on 18-19-20 August. Prior to that, the North American team, once again in collaboration with Rinaldi Racing, will take on the 24 Hours of Spa, the third round of the GT World Challenge Europe Endurance Cup, from June 29 to July 2 at the legendary Circuit de Spa-Francorchamps.

Brilliant Victory for Camirand at Autodrome Chaudière

Brilliant Victory for Camirand at Autodrome Chaudière

Vallée-Jonction, QC, June 12, 2023 – Marc-Antoine Camirand claimed his first victory this season with Paillé Course//Racing, as the NASCAR Pinty’s series was at Autodrome Chaudière, in Vallée-Jonction, QC. Camirand got the top spot after a late-race restart, while Andrew Ranger, Alex Guenette and Sam Fellows, who also raced with Paillé Course//Racing colors, had a more difficult race and finished respectively 20th (DNF), 10th and 11th.

 Camirand had an eventful day at Autodrome Chaudière. Early in practice, his Camirand Performance team noticed an oil leak on his brand new oval car, and then chose to switch to the back-up car after practice.

Camirand was the first to qualify, and scored the 11th quickest time. Without absolutely no practice lap with this backup car, Camirand knew he would have his hands full to climb to the top of the field during the 300-lap race.

During the first half, he made the best he could to gain a few track positions, but felt his car was understeering. “We made some adjustments at the break, and when we got back on track, I knew I could battle to climb the field,” said Camirand.

With a little more than 100 laps to go, the second spot and tried to battle with the leader. Camirand lost some time after being caught behind two lapped cars, but fortunately, a yellow flag with 10 laps to go closed the gap with the leader.

At the restart, Camirand was able to stay inside the leader and took the lead with five laps to go.

“This has been an eventful day, and my team worked very hard to have this back-up car ready for the race and make some adjustments at the break. We are so happy to win in front of our family, friends and fans here in Quebec, and we’re hoping to carry this momentum to Newfoundland where we won our first race last year,” concluded Camirand.

The other Paillé Course//Racing drivers had a more difficult race. Andrew Ranger had a good qualifying, starting second at the wheel of his GM Paillé/Chevrolet Canada n° 27 Camaro. He was running in the top-10 for the first half of the race, but unfortunately, Ranger was forced to retire after the break due to a mechanical failure to the rear end.Alex Guenette also experienced a disappointing end of race after being competitive all day. His GM Paillé/ASSA ABLOY n°3 Camaro was third in practice and fourth in qualifying. Guenette ran in the leading pack during the first half of the 300-lap race, but after the break, he felt his car was understeering. Guenette was then hit from behind and spun, so he had to start back from the rear of the field. He tried to make the best of the rest of the race, earning a 10th-place finish.

Finally, Sam Fellows also experienced a strong start at the wheel of his AER Manufacturing/GM Paillé n°87 Camaro, gaining many track positions in the first half of the race. After a penalty sent him at the back of the field after the break, he experienced some trouble and was caught in an incident that severed the nose of his car. He finally scored an 11th-place finish.

Paillé Course//Racing will be back on track with Marc-Antoine Camirand and Andrew Ranger on June 24th, as the NASCAR Pinty’s series makes the trip to Newfoundland, at Eastboud International Speedway, in Avondale, NL.

Unrewarded Efforts for Thomas Nepveu at Autodrome Chaudière

Unrewarded Efforts for Thomas Nepveu at Autodrome Chaudière

Vallée-Jonction (Québec), June 12, 2023 – It was a homecoming affair for Thomas Nepveu last Saturday, as the young driver made his on-track return in Quebec.

Nepveu was behind the wheel of the #24 Evirum | Home Hardware Nepveu car for the Bud Light 300, a 300-lap event. A large crowd of fans gathered in Vallée-Jonction to cheer on the NASCAR Pinty’s drivers, who were about to make their first appearance of the season on Quebec soil.

The race was filled with obstacles for Thomas, including a run-in with a competitor that resulted in some contact between the two, which sent him spinning around as a result. A secondary spin at the halfway mark further slowed his ascent. In spite of this, Nepveu drove a great race, and took advantage of the opportunity to gain experience on every lap.

“It was a good event,” said Thomas. “We overcame a few pitfalls, for example I got hit twice by competitors, which sent me spinning. On the other hand, I had some good on-track battles, followed by a solid recovery driver to get back on the lead lap.”

He went on to explain that “unfortunately my brakes let go with 8 laps remaining, so I went straight in the first corner, which forced me to retire. I’m very disappointed not to have finished the race, but very pleased with the improvements we’ve made on the car.”

He confirmed that “we had a much more competitive car than we did at Sunset Speedway, which allowed me to concentrate on my driving and gain more experience on oval circuits.”