MONTREAL, Quebec – Last night, Nissan Micra Cup driver Valérie Limoges was awarded the prestigious Gilles-Villeneuve Trophy, which recognizes excellence in Canadian motorsport. The trophy was presented to her by Jacques Villeneuve, brother of the late Gilles Villeneuve, and Brigitte Lemieux from Auto Sport Québec (representative of the Fédération Internationale de l 'Automobile in Quebec) at the annual banquet of the Gilles-Villeneuve museum. Following Olivier Bedard in 2015 and Xavier Coupal in 2016, Valérie Limoges is the third Nissan Micra Cup driver and second woman to receive the Gilles-Villeneuve Trophy.
"I've always aspired to win the Gilles-Villeneuve Trophy and have tremendous respect for Gilles Villeneuve and the award's previous winners. It's a true honour to be the 2019 recipient. I want to sincerely thank Auto Sport Québec, and also my team, family and friends for their unwavering commitment to support my motorsport career," says Limoges.
Valerie Limoges – progressive track record of success
Limoges' passion for motorsport was initiated by her father, who took her to karting races at a young age, which led to her first karting race at age 12. Limoges then continued her career in single-seater and Formula Renault before moving on to Touring series. Limoges spent several years in the United States in Grand-Am before signing on as a driver for the Nissan Micra Cup in 2015. As one of the drivers participating in the Nissan Micra Cup since its inception, Limoges has participated in every single race weekend - a total of 64 races to her credit.
Holder of five podiums including two victories of the 12 races that made up the 2019 Nissan Micra Cup season, Valerie Limoges is pleased with her performance on the track.
"I'm really happy to have been be part of this series for the past five years, because the Micra's on the track are virtually identical, so it's really the driver that makes the difference," says Limoges. "The Nissan Micra Cup is a very competitive series, and that's what I thrive on. I enjoy battles on the track and this series has no shortage of intense moments. The cars are very technical and fun to drive".
Watch the Valerie Limoges video hereOpens in a new tab.
It' s also an honour for J.D. Promotion & Compétition and Nissan Canada to see a Nissan Micra Cup driver receive this award for the third time.
"Since the Nissan Micra Cup launched five years ago, the trophy has been awarded three times to Micra Cup drivers. This is a fact we are proud of as it demonstrates that our series is known as a proving ground for driver talent," stated Jacques Deshaies, owner of J.D. Promotion & Compétition.
"We congratulate Valérie and are very proud to see her name on a trophy that ties her success to the most famous Canadian racecar driver of all time," said Steve Milette, president of Nissan Canada. "Since the beginning of the Nissan Micra Cup, Valérie Limoges - with the support of her team's dealership, HGregoire Nissan – has shone on the track, exhibiting her talent and dedication, season after season."
Gilles-Villeneuve Trophy
Created in 1982, the Gilles-Villeneuve Trophy symbolizes the competitiveness and excellence of a Québec racecar driver on the track, all year long. Gilles Villeneuve, born in Chambly in 1950 and deceased on May 8th, 1982, propelled interest for motorsport in Canada. His charisma and aggressive nature on the track made him a legend all around the world, and not only to Formula 1 fans.
Each year, a committee of experts (drivers, journalists, celebrities) select the winner of the Gilles Villeneuve Trophy. Winner for 2019, Valérie Limoges, becomes the third driver of the Nissan Micra Cup to receive this prize after Olivier Bédard in 2015 and Xavier Coupal in 2016. She is also the second woman to receive the award, and follows in the footsteps of other drivers who have marked the history of Canadian motorsport, including Patrick Carpentier (1994), Alexandre Tagliani (1996), Andrew Ranger (2002) and many others.
The Nissan Micra Cup will return to the track in 2020 for its sixth season. J.D. Promotion & Compétition is currently finalizing the calendar of events, which will be announced later this year.
For more information on the Nissan Micra Cup, please visit the 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.
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