2023/05/17

Mississauga, Ont. – The first race of the 2023 Nissan Sentra Cup will start on Saturday, May 27, at the Circuit Mont-Tremblant in Quebec. The popular Canadian motorsport series will begin its third year of racing this year, nine years in total including the former Nissan Micra Cup. The Canadian motorsport series, sponsored by Nissan Canada and JD Promotion, has written a page in Canadian motorsport history, with nearly 150 drivers racing with the series to date.

The first-ever female driver to win an overall title in a Canadian National Road Racing Series, Valérie Limoges aims to win a second consecutive championship this season. This challenge is not easy, but the Quebec driver has proven to be able to combine competitiveness and strategy on the track to maximize her chances. Simon Charbonneau and Alexandre Fortin, respectively runner-up and third in the 2022 standings, are expected to be her main opponents, as well as Nicolas Barrette, Daniel Fortin and Sylvain Ouellet.

For Steve Milette, President of Nissan Canada, this new season looks to be a success, "I am delighted to see that the Cup is entering its ninth season and that it is still so successful. Like everyone at Nissan Canada, I'm looking forward to seeing Valérie Limoges defend her title and her number 1 spot. I really think the fans will be thrilled."

Like every season, the Nissan Sentra Cup welcomes several new drivers this year. Among these, we are looking forward to following the performance of young, 15 year old Vincent Lalande, who has participated in motorcycle competitions where he already won three titles in the Mini Superbike class. Christian Thibault will also create his first laps in the series while Samuel Rowe, Benoît Gagnon and Marie-Soleil Labelle are graduating from the Micra class to the Sentra.

Marie-Soleil Labelle has made remarkable progress in her career. The youngest driver in the Nissan Micra Cup in 2020 will now be able to fight with the most experienced drivers in the series.

A radio and television host for more than 25 years, Benoît Gagnon is no newcomer to the series, having driven Micras during several races between 2015 and 2022. He will now sit at the wheel of a Sentra, which will be an opportunity for him to reconnect with driving powerful and agile racecars. Having competed for several years in various Canadian Touring Car series, Benoît Gagnon could surprise everyone at the forefront.

The Micra class will also be back, following the field of Nissan Sentras, creating an action packed 2023 calendar on the tracks in Quebec and Ontario. The television broadcasts on RDS in Quebec will return this year, where fans can watch each of the twelve races.

"I am happy to see that once again, 26 drivers are registered for the ninth season of our series on Canadian tracks," indicates the series' promoter Jacques Deshaies. "The level of competitors entered is also very high and I expect another exciting and highly contested season."

The first event will take place from May 26 to 28 at Circuit Mont-Tremblant, part of the Spring Classic. Marking the first time since 2015 the series will begin its season on the majestic Laurentian track. Spectators will have access to the Nissan Sentra Cup paddock where they can see the teams at work and practice their driving skills on the Nissan Canada racing simulator.

Nissan owners are invited to the event free of charge, regardless of the Nissan model they drive on the road. To obtain access, owners must register on the Nissan Sentra Cup website, using this link: https://www.sentracup.com/eventregistration/Opens in a new tab.

The drivers of the series will be on track on Friday May 26, for two free practice sessions. Saturday, the qualification will be presented from 9 a.m. and the green flag will be given for the first race of the season at 3 p.m., for 40 minutes. The schedule will be identical on Sunday, for the second qualification and the second 40-minute race.

For more information on the Nissan Sentra Cup, visit sentracup.comOpens in a new tab. and the series' social media. To watch all the events of the 2022 season, visit the Nissan Sentra Cup YouTube pageOpens in a new tab..

SCHEDULE 2023 - NISSAN SENTRA CUP

May 26, 27, 28                     Spring Classic, Circuit Mont-Tremblant, Québec
July 9                                    Nissan Grand Prix, Complexe ICAR - Mirabel, Québec
August 4, 5, 6                       Grand Prix de Trois-Rivières, Trois-Rivières, Québec
August 26                              NASCAR Event, Complexe ICAR - Mirabel, Québec
September 1, 2, 3               Canadian Tire Motorsport Park, Bowmanville, Ontario
September 22, 23, 24         Fall Classic, Circuit Mont-Tremblant, Québec

To follow the Nissan Sentra Cup on social media:

Facebook: @CoupeSentraCupOpens in a new tab.
Instagram: @nissansentracupOpens in a new tab.
Twitter: @SentraCupOpens in a new tab.
YouTube: SentraCupTVOpens in a new tab.

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