Paillé Course//Racing shined last weekend as Marc-Antoine Camirand scored a pair of victories during the NASCAR Canada doubleheader held at Autodrome Chaudière. Andrew Ranger, meanwhile, endured a more difficult weekend with fifth- and seventh-place finishes but is already looking ahead after confirming his participation in the next NASCAR Canada event.
The weekend schedule was significantly affected by weather conditions. Following open test sessions held Friday evening, official practice and qualifying were cancelled, and the two races originally scheduled for Saturday were ultimately moved to Sunday afternoon as part of a condensed program.
With qualifying cancelled due to rain, Marc-Antoine Camirand was awarded the pole position for the Bud Light 125 based on the previous season’s owner points standings.
The Saint-Léonard-d’Aston driver quickly showed he intended to make the most of the opportunity. Camirand led much of the race and had to defend his position all the way to the checkered flag, engaging in several exciting battles with veteran competitor Donald Theetge on his way to his first victory of the season.
“Donald was very strong and put a lot of pressure on me, but we had an excellent race car thanks to the work of the entire team and we managed to hold on until the end,” said Camirand.
A short time later, the driver of the No. 96 GM Paillé/Chevrolet Canada Camaro returned to the track for the second 125-lap race. After posting the fastest lap in the opening event, Camirand once again earned the pole position.
The second race followed a similar script as Camirand and Theetge traded the lead several times. Benefiting from a car that was particularly strong on the inside groove during the closing laps, Camirand ultimately completed the sweep with his second consecutive victory.
“It’s an incredible day for us. I think we put on a great show, and the No. 96 GM Paillé/Chevrolet Canada Camaro proved it was simply the fastest car today. I couldn’t be more grateful to my team for preparing such a great race car,” reacted Camirand.
With the performance, Camirand now holds the lead in the NASCAR Canada driver standings after three races.
On the No. 27 side of the Paillé Course//Racing operation, Andrew Ranger’s weekend proved more challenging despite showing strong speed during Friday’s test sessions.
Significant temperature changes between Friday’s practice and Sunday’s races affected the handling of the car, which became particularly tight from the opening event. Ranger nevertheless minimized the damage with a fifth-place finish.
“My car was very difficult to turn, and I had to rely on the outside lane to try to find speed in the No. 27 GM Paillé/Chevrolet Canada Camaro,” explained Ranger.
Adjustments made prior to the second race failed to improve the situation, as sunshine between the two events dramatically changed the grip level on the banked short oval.
“We showed a lot of speed on Friday; we were the fastest. Conditions changed completely on Sunday and we had to deal with a difficult race car. Even so, the team keeps working hard and we’re already focused on the next race,” added Ranger, who ultimately finished seventh in the second event.
The next NASCAR Canada event will take teams to Riverside International Speedway in Antigonish, Nova Scotia, on June 27.
Paillé Course//Racing is pleased to confirm that, thanks to the financial support of GM Paillé and the hard work of the entire Innovation Auto Sport team, Andrew Ranger will be back behind the wheel of the No. 27 GM Paillé/Chevrolet Canada Camaro for the event.
The addition of the three-time series champion to the entry list is excellent news for NASCAR Canada. Ranger’s presence will not only strengthen the starting field but also bring valuable oval-track expertise and further elevate the level of competition.
The three-time NASCAR Canada champion will once again join Marc-Antoine Camirand for an event contested at one of the most spectacular venues on the schedule.