Nissan: Nissan Micra Cup at the Circuit Mont-Tremblant this weekend

Mississauga, Ont. – After a spectacular weekend to open the season at Ontario’s Calabogie Motorsports Park 10 days ago, the Nissan Micra Cup returns to Quebec this weekend. The Nissan Micra Cup’s third and fourth races of the 2016 season will take place at the Circuit Mont-Tremblant, for the traditional Spring Classic race weekend.

It’s a symbolic return for the Nissan Micra Cup family, as it was on this track in the Laurentians where everything started last year, with two races that introduced an exciting new series to the world of Canadian motorsport.  Since then, series drivers have had the opportunity to thrill spectators and demonstrate the qualities of the agile and practically stock Nissan Micra S cars at many other tracks.

Following the first two races of the 2016 season at Calabogie Motorsports Park on May 14th and 15th, Quebecker Xavier Coupal (Albi Nissan Team), leads the drivers’ championship ahead of Albertan Stefan Rzadzinski (Ici Pneu Team). These two drivers are expected to be at the head of the pack for another close battle, along with other drivers including: Kevin King (Sorel-Tracy Nissan), winner of the first race of the season, and 2015 champion Olivier Bédard (Albi Nissan). Both King and Bédard were unlucky at Calabogie as they were involved in a multi-vehicle collision.  In addition to King and Bédard, Normand Boyer, Frédéric Bernier, Valérie Chiasson, Nic Hammann and Chris Sahakian were also involved in the incident (all drivers were uninjured) at the start of the second Calabogie race. 

King, Bédard, Sahakian, Bernier and Boyer will be back on the track at the Circuit Mont-Tremblant, while Chiasson and 2014 Nissan GT Academy U.S. winner Nic Hammann will not return, as those drivers had not intended to participate in this event, even prior to the collision.  The Spring Classic at the Circuit Mont-Tremblant is not part of the five mandatory events this season, and therefore will not impact the drivers’ final 2016 standings. 

Despite the fact that, like Calabogie, the Spring Classic is not a mandatory event – between 20 and 25 drivers will compete – many of whom are from Ontario.  After the unseasonably harsh weather experienced at the first event of the season, everyone is hoping for sunny skies this weekend!

Quebec motorsport veteran of nearly 30 years, Jacques Bélanger, competed in the Nissan Micra Cup last year for fun. However, he was quickly bitten by the racing bug and after making the podium in the second race of the season earlier this month, he finds himself sitting in third place in the drivers’ championship.  On a track that he knows like the back of his hand, Bélanger is expected to once again do very well. 

At the other extreme end of the driver age spectrum is someone who is still active in karting and will be making his debut in the Nissan Micra Cup this weekend. Cédrik Lupien is only 18-years-old and normally competes in the FR 125 Rotax-Max Senior. As part of his inclusion in the Club École Albi Nissan program this year, Cédrik will be taking his first drive at the Circuit Mont-Tremblant, in an enclosed car, and on a road course!  Initiated by 2015 champion Olivier Bédard, the Club École Albi Nissan program selects three of the best karting drivers in Quebec to participate in a Nissan Micra Cup race at the Circuit Mont-Tremblant this season.  These three young hopefuls recently had a training opportunity at the Andrew Ranger driving school in order to obtain their racing license, followed by a full day at the wheel of a Nissan Micra with professional driver Jean-François Dumoulin. This weekend, Cédrik Lupien will be the first of the three in action.

On Friday at the Circuit Mont-Tremblant, the drivers will take to the track for two 25-minute practice sessions. Saturday’s 20-minute qualifying session will take place at 9:30 a.m., followed four hours later by the first of two races at 1:30 p.m. Sunday’s qualifying session is scheduled for 9:00 a.m., followed by the race at 1:40 p.m.  Each race will be 15 laps, or 30 minutes. 

For more information on the Nissan Micra Cup, please visit: www.nissan.ca/coupemicra

For overall championship standings after two races, please visit:  http://www.micracup.com/N-63

Nissan Micra Cup 2016 Season Calendar:

 

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