Nissan: The Nissan Micra Cup kicks off its 2016 season this weekend

 

MISSISSAUGA, Ontario, Canada – After an exciting 2015 entrance to the world of Canadian motorsport, the Nissan Micra Cup will kick off its second season this weekend, May 14-15, with a myriad of drivers on the Calabogie track, located southwest of Ottawa, Ontario. Two races are scheduled, one on Saturday and another on Sunday. 

This event is the first on a calendar of eight race weekends that are expected to see ambitious and passionate drivers at the wheel of the agile, affordable, and practically stock Nissan Micra race cars.

The 2015 champion returns with a new number and faces tough competition of repeat competitors, and 2014 Nissan GT Academy U.S. winner

For the first time in the history of the series, the number “1” is now permitted for use by a driver and is now assigned to Olivier Bédard, the Quebec driver who joined the Albi Nissan team during the off-season.  Bédard will attempt to claim his second consecutive series championship title while competing against worthy adversaries, including: teammate Marc-Antoine Demers, who is starting his second year with the Albi team; and Xavier Coupal, the former open wheel and NASCAR driver who will be making his return to motorsports by participating in the Nissan Micra Cup. 

At the wheel of the Ici Pneu/Tireland car, Stefan Rzadzinski could very well be Bédard’s biggest rival for the title. Winner of two races last year, Rzadzinski was a front-runner all season long. The experience that a second year in the series will afford him will no doubt benefit the young driver from Edmonton, as it will Bédard and Demers.

Being a novice in the Nissan Micra Cup does not intimidate Nic Hammann, a 22-year-old Wisconsin native and the 2014 Nissan GT Academy U.S. winner. Hammann is now moving on to a new chapter in his motorsport career by participating in the Nissan Micra Cup. Regardless of being a newcomer to Canadian race tracks, Hammann is no doubt considered one of the favourites for the title.

The majority of drivers from the 2015 season will return to contest the Nissan Micra Cup this year. In addition to the drivers previously mentioned, the line-up also includes Valérie Limoges with the H.Grégoire team; Valérie Chiasson (Groupe Nissan Gabriel), whose goals will be to finish on the podium as often as possible; and Ashley Sahakian (United Autos Racing), who made her motorsport debut last year.

2016 Scoring Methodology

In total, 23 drivers are entered for the first event of the 2016 race calendar, which is a promising number given the fact that this is not one of the five mandatory events of the season.

The mandatory events for points toward the championship are:

  1. St-Eustache (June 19)
  2. Canadian Tire Mosport Park (July 8-10)
  3. Circuit Mont-Tremblant (July 22-24)
  4. Trois-Rivières (August 12-14)
  5. Canadian Tire Motorsport Park (September 2-4)

The 2016 sporting rules and regulations are as follows:

  • Those who participate in all five mandatory weekends = scores the best 12 results for their final score of the season (16 races).
  • Those who participate in four mandatory weekends = scores the best 11 results for their final score of the season.
  • Those who participate in only three mandatory weekends = scores the best 10 results for their final score of the season.

This Friday in Calabogie, drivers will be in action for four practice sessions as part of the official pre-season test day. Saturday, the qualifying session is set to start at 1:10 p.m., followed three hours later by the first of two races at 4:10 p.m. Sunday will see the drivers contest the second qualifying session at 10:25 a.m., followed by the second race at 1:15 p.m (all times EST). All track sessions for the Nissan Micra Cup last for a total of 30 minutes.

For more information on the Nissan Micra Cup, please go to: micracup.com

2016 Nissan Micra Cup Season Calendar :

 

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