Mississauga – This past weekend as part of the Summer Classic, at Circuit Mont-Tremblant, the Nissan Micra Cup held its fifth and sixth races of the 2019 season. On this historic circuit, the weekend kicked off with a big first when Valérie Limoges became the first female driver to earn the pole position going into Saturday's race. However, she was less successful during the races on Saturday and Sunday, both of which were won by Jesse Lazare.
Under the hot summer sun, the weekend captivated fans with two new exciting races. On Saturday morning, during a competitive qualifying round, Valérie Limoges earned pole position with her race-ready Micra S two-tenths of a second ahead of Kevin King, with Frédéric Bernier rounding out the top three, with less than three-tenths of a second difference from the top spot. Rookie Éric Chaput came fourth and Ontarians Jake Exton and Marco Signoretti finished in fifth and sixth places.
The day continued with the parade of Nissan Micra owners held at noon. The exceptional Nissan LEAF NISMO RC pace car then released the peloton of Nissan Micra and the race began, quickly giving way to a constant battle for the lead positions.
After getting passed by Bernier and King, Limoges was eventually forced to abandon the race before the half-way point. In the lead, Quebec driver Frédéric Bernier saw his chances of a first win being threatened as Jesse Lazare rapidly closing the gap. Lazare, the Motorsports In Action team driver, who is regular competitor in American endurance GT racing started in tenth place and made his way towards the leader position. Shortly before the half-way point of the race, he dethroned Bernier and took the lead to earn himself an undisputed victory.
Behind him, the battle for the second place kept the spectators in suspense until the very last second. Rookie Éric Chaput finished in second place, ahead of Frédéric Bernier and Kevin King. Marco Signoretti crossed the finish line in fifth position, ahead of his PayPal/M.I.A. teammate Taylor Near. Nicolas Barrette rounded out the top seven, followed by Sylvain Ouellet, Mario Charrette, Austin Riley, and Charles Robin, who made his series debut.
On Sunday, Lazare performed at his best, earning himself the pole position during the qualifying session in the morning, as well as the lap record and winning the race after dominating for the entire forty-minute event. The battle for the second place was intense from start to finish, with seven drivers eyeing the position. At the end of the race, second place went to Jake Exton, who unfortunately was later penalized for avoidable contact. Kevin King was then given the second position, followed by Marco Signoretti, Frédéric Bernier, Éric Chaput, Jake Exton, Valérie Limoges and Taylor Near. Austin Riley finished in ninth place ahead of Mario Berthiaume and Charles Robin.
All drivers who started in the sixth round of the 2019 season successfully completed the race, again under a hot summer sun and in front of a large crowd. The spectators included Nissan Micra owners, who once again responded to Nissan Canada's invitation.
With the midway point of the season now wrapped up, the drivers' championship ranking has now changed. Kevin King managed to overtake Marco Signoretti to earn first place. Frédéric Bernier is now occupying the third spot, ahead of Taylor Near, Éric Chaput and Valérie Limoges. In the overall standing of rookies, Signoretti is dominating, just as Bernier in Senior Class.
Those fans who were not able to be on-site but want to feel the ambiance of the Nissan Micra Cup are invited to visit the Micra Cup TV page on YouTube at https://www.youtube.com/MicraCupTVOpens in a new tab. , as well as on the Facebook page. The series will provide multiple live interviews and updates on its social media; Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter accounts, in both English and French.
For more information on the Nissan Micra Cup, please visit their official site www.micracup.comOpens in a new tab.
To follow the series on social media :
Facebook : Coupe Nissan Micra CupOpens in a new tab.
Instagram : @nissanmicracupOpens in a new tab.
Twitter : @MicraCupOpens in a new tab.
YouTube : MicraCupTVOpens in a new tab.
COMPLETE WEEKEND RACE RESULTS AND CHAMPIONSHIP STANDINGS : https://www.micracup.com/2019-Resultats_ClassGenOpens in a new tab.
2019 Nissan Micra Cup Calendar :
May 17- 19 Victoria Day Weekend SpeedFest, Canadian Tire Motorsport Park, Ontario
June 1 - 2 Kyle Nash Race Weekend, Calabogie Motorsports Park, Ontario
July 26 - 28 Summer Classic, Circuit Mont-Tremblant, Québec
Aug 9 - 11 Grand Prix de Trois-Rivières, Québec
Aug 23 - 25 NASCAR Weekend, Canadian Tire Motorsport Park, Ontario
Sept 27 - 29 Fall Classic, Circuit Mont-Tremblant, Québec
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