MISSISSAUGA, Ont. – The Nissan Micra Cup staged the final event of its 2020 season at the picturesque Circuit Mont-Tremblant in the Laurentians, as part of the Fall Classic. As Mother Nature dressed up in its most beautiful fall colors, Jesse Lazare claimed victory in the seventh and eighth races of the season. Kevin King clinched the all-category title, Gavin Sanders earned the Rookie of the Year title, and Éric Chaput claimed first place in the Senior category. These races concluded a very exciting and highly disputed season.
With twenty-six cars on track, the Mont-Tremblant event marked the second largest entry list in the history of the series since its beginning in 2015. The first was in 2017, when The Nissan Micra Cup had 28 competitors on the grid at the Trois-Rivieres Grand Prix. Twenty-six cars in action also reflected the largest starting grid of the 2020 season.
The qualifying session turned in another massive battle for pole position between the two title favorites - Kevin King (L&P Apparel / Nissan Gabriel team) and Jesse Lazare (PayPal / Motorsports In Action). They qualified first and second, respectively, with King lapping the track just one tenth of a second faster than Lazare. Éric Chaput qualified fastest in the Senior class and third overall ahead of Valérie Limoges, Gavin Sanders and Sacha Gagnon.
Round 7 was held under a sunny Saturday sky and saw Lazare, King, Limoges and Chaput race for victory. Behind them, eleven drivers engaged in a spectacular and intense battle for fifth place.
At the end of a race that saw no full course yellows, Lazare crossed the line in first place, beating King, Limoges and Chaput. Sanders completed the Top 5, securing the Rookie of the Year title. Taylor Near pushed Frédéric Bernier out of sixth place, and was followed by Mark Davis, Justin Di Benedetto and Nicolas Barrette.
On Sunday, still under clear skies, everything was in place for the season’s grand finale. That morning, Jesse Lazare emerged fastest in the qualifying session, followed by Éric Chaput and Kevin King. Valérie Limoges and Gavin Sanders completed the Top 5.
At the green light, the top nine competitors entered a captivating battle as the Micras circulated around the track bumper-to-bumper. At the end of the forty-minute race, Lazare crossed the line first, ahead of Éric Chaput who marked his best performance in the Micra Cup, securing the title in the Senior class. Gavin Sanders finished third, ahead of Valérie Limoges and Kevin King. A fifth-place finish was enough for King, a Trois-Rivières resident, to claim the overall title of 2020 Nissan Micra Cup. A regular driver in the series since its creation back in 2015 and already a runner-up twice in the recent years, Kevin let his joy burst out at the end of the race: "I'm very happy. This is the reward for all the hard work and years of effort, I would say. I have wanted this title since I started taking part in The Nissan Micra Cup series in 2015".
Justin Di Benedetto finished sixth, ahead of André Lapointe, Sylvain Ouellet, Sacha Gagnon and Nicolas Barrette.
For Nissan Canada President Steve Milette, the overall conclusion of this season is clear: "This season was exceptional! We are living in a year where nothing is simple and we must adapt to a new normal. For us, we wanted the Nissan Micra Cup to continue as long as the safety of the participants was ensured. What the series promoter and everyone involved were able to do is remarkable. I'm proud of how this 2020 unfolded".
Kevin King, the 2020 champion, finished at the top of the point standings, eight points ahead of Jesse Lazare. Next in order are Valérie Limoges, Gavin Sanders, Taylor Near, Justin Di Benedetto, Éric Chaput and Sylvain Ouellet.
Although the 2020 season of the Nissan Micra Cup is over, fans will have the opportunity to re-live the eight rounds of the series on TV this fall. All eight races of the 2020 Nissan Micra Cup will be broadcasted this fall on Réseau Des Sports (RDS). This is a grand premiere for the Nissan Micra Cup. Each show will be 30-minutes long and will feature one race. The first show will be broadcasted Sunday, October 25, at 11:00 a.m. (EST) on RDS2. The following shows will go on air at 11:00 a.m. (EST) on November 1, 8, 15, 22 and 29, and on December 6 and 13.
For more information about the Nissan Micra Cup, please visit the official web site of the series at micracup.com Opens in a new tab..
To follow the Nissan Micra Cup:
Facebook: Nissan Micra Cup
Instagram: @nissanmicracup
Twitter: @MicraCup
YouTube: MicraCupTV
FOR COMPLETE RESULTS OF THIS WEEKEND’S RACES AND POINT STANDINGS:
https://www.micracup.com/2020-Results_ClassGen Opens in a new tab.
2020 Nissan Micra Cup season schedule:
July 24-26: Summer Classic, Circuit Mont-Tremblant, Québec
August 28-30: Calabogie Motorsports Park, Ontario
September 11-12: ICAR Circuit, Mirabel, Québec
September 25-27: Fall Classic, Circuit Mont-Tremblant, Québec
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