Autodrome Granby results 2004-08-22

A night of "premieres" at Autodrome Granby

Steve Bernard and Richard Chauvin in the winner's circle

GRANBY, QC, August 22, 2004 --- Steve Bernard in the Sportsman division and Richard Chauvin in the Modified were the winners of the two 50-lap features last Friday night at Autodrome Granby. Those two drivers made their first appearance of the season in the winner's circle while Alain Boisvert was the author of the most spectacular crash but escaped uninjured from an almost destroyed car.

On the rescheduled 16th Mr. Sportsman championship, Steve Bernard sponsored by Pneus Robert Bernard, his father's business, surely pleased many employees of this firm gathered at Granby by having a perfect night.

In the 50-lap feature for the Mr. Sportsman title, Bernard saw Eric Haman and Benoit Courchesne exchanging the lead. On lap 12, Bernard was already in second place just behind Courchesne. He then started challenging the leader and finally got by him on lap 33. Despite a fifth and last yellow flag, Bernard was able to maintain his lead and enjoy his first win of the season in front of Courchesne and Michel Dusseault.

Dusseault who is the points' leader for the Castrol title, made a strong comeback to find himself on the third step of the podium. He took the green flag from the 32nd spot. As for Sebastien Gougeon, Dusseault's most serious contender for the title, he was able to finish sixth after a visit to his pit on lap 31.

Michel Dusseault and Sebastien Gougeon were the winners in their respective heats, but Dusseault was later disqualified for a no show at the weight station. Bernard was given the win.

One and two

In the 50-lap feature for Modified, sponsored by Acier A. Menard, both drivers of the S.D. Performance team of Serge Desjardins finished first and second. At the green flag, Mario Lajoie, the pole sitter, took advantage of his position to take the early lead. In this race marked by eight caution flags and a complete stop (red flag), Lajoie was the leader until lap 27.

During Lajoie's lead, Chauvin who had the fastest car on the speedway, was making a comeback after starting sixth. By lap 19, he was just behind Lajoie. After being passed by Chauvin, Lajoie had trouble to resist to David Hebert, the CARQUEST Auto parts points' leader. Sixteenth at the start, Hebert was already in third place at the halfway mark. Then on lap 36, Lajoie couldn't resist any longer. Then, Hebert and Clement Therrien were able to get by him.

Real Lafrance, the most serious challenger of Hebert, was in eighth place with one lap remaining. Suddenly, he slowed his pace and finished 13th. Many drivers were plagued with tire problems. This was the case of Claude Brouillard, Gino Clair, Martin Roy, Pierre Dagenais and Lafrance. As for Steve Poirier, he was forced to quit after only four laps due to mechanical problems.

Three rollovers

Alain Boisvert took a hard way to distinguish himself in this feature by having the most spectacular crash of the season at Autodrome Granby. On lap 13, after touching the retaining wall in front of the grandstand, Boisvert lost a front wheel that went under his car to send him in the air. After three complete rollovers, his Teo stopped upside down. Helped by the safety crew, he got out of the car uninjured but at first glance, his car was a complete lost.

In the Semi-Pro division, Gaetan Gatien scored his first success of the season while in the 4 Cylinders class, Jonathan Jubinville was in the winner's circle for the fifth time.

RESULTS

MODIFIED (50 laps)

1- 31, Richard Chauvin; 2- 1, David Hebert; 3- 39, Clement Therrien; 4- 2x, Mario Lajoie; 5- 78, Vince Quenneville Jr.; 6- 115, Stephane LaFrance; 7-5, Mario Moreau; 8- 09, Alex Fortier; 9- 8S, Richard Salvas; 10- 90, Martin Roy; 11- 46, Kayle Robidoux; 12- 21, Ian Bussière; 13- 11, Real Lafrance; 14- 4, Leon Gonyo; 15- 4k, Jasmin Leveille; 16- 22J, Gino Clair; 17- B8, Adam Barnaby; 18- 3, Claude Brouillard; 19- 124, Pierre Dagenais; 20- 2, Marco Potvin; 21- 47, Gilles Perreault; 22- 73, Alain Boisvert; 23- 61, Steve Poirier

SPORTSMAN (Mr. Sportsman championship) 50 laps

1- 54, Steve Bernard; 2- 99, Benoit Courchesne; 3- 27, Michel Dusseault; 4- 648, Mark Cross; 5- 15, Pierre Raymond; 6- 44, Sebastien Gougeon; 7- 94, Steve Nadeau; 8- 51, Michel Fagnan; 9- 50, Jocelyn Cordeau; 10- 172, Andre Gauthier; 11- 45, Kevin Beaucage; 12- 28, Martin Hebert; 13- 6, Martin Michaud; 14- 20, Frederick Gamache; 15- 63, Eric Haman; 16- 90, Robert Gagne; 17- B2, Stephane Dubuc; 18- 82, Denis Forgues; 19- 10, Steve Savoie; 20- 7, Patrice Demers; 21- 81, Eric Landry; 22- 14, Luc St-Pierre; 23- 2, Alain Brochu; 24- 1, David Langlois; 25- 46, Richard Tiseur; 26- 29, Marcel Gagne; 27- 33, Robin David; 28- 3, Patrick Delisle; 29- 72, Maxime Lajoie; 30- 8, Francois Becksted; 31- 77, Alain Mathieu; 32- 9, Daniel Messier.

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