Raphaël Lessard in the NASCAR Pinty series in Vallée-Jonction

Raphaël Lessard has found a steering wheel to take part in two NASCAR Pinty Series events scheduled for Sunday at the Autodrome Chaudière in Vallée-Jonction.

The young driver from Saint-Joseph-de-Beauce will drive the #8 Chevrolet from owner Ed Hakonson’s (EHR) team, which has allowed veteran Jason Hathaway to win multiple times in recent years.

Lessard explained in an interview with The magazine. It might be a last minute deal, but I’m so glad it’s all done.

“I would have very much wanted to continue my NASCAR Pinty journey this year,” he added. But, I must admit that without the contribution of the sponsors, it would have been impossible for me to do so.”

Sincere support

This essential support comes from Louis Jacques Companies and the Isolofoam Group, two Beauce companies that have supported him in the past, especially when he won the Vallée-Jonction event in June 2019 in a car prepared by the famous Dumoulin Competition Team.

Larue has also agreed to contribute to this two-race adventure. This thriving industrial snow blower company, headed by brothers Louis and Dennis LaRue, hired the services of Lesard in 2021 to compete in LMS (Late Sport Model) championship races.

Leader in the ranking

In just five starts in the Canadian Pinty series, Lessard has already racked up three wins. Called to replace Donald Theatge, the 20-year-old rider climbed to the top of the podium in the first rounds of the 2021 season presented at Sunset Circuit in Ontario.

So much so that after participating in the last Grand Prix de Trois-Rivières (where he finished 14^NS), the leader in the cumulative standings with a harvest of 125 points, ahead of Alexandre Tagliani (124) and Louis-Philippe Dumoulin (119).

“It was a shame not to go on when I saw my name at the top of the board,” he said. I also hope that this agreement will be extended to the other races on the calendar. I live on hope. ”

Maybe in Mirabel

Due to his participation in two LMS events on Saturday evening, still at the Autodrome Chaudière, Lessard will not be able to participate in the Pinty race which should take place in the afternoon at the ICAR Circuit in Mirabel.

“Unless I find a plane to run to both places, I realize it’s practically impossible,” he admits.

However, Lessard considered completing a course or two in ICAR [ce qu’on appelle dans le jargon un… Start and Park] To accumulate points in order.

At Sunset, Lesard brilliantly replaced Donald Thitz, but the latter, who has recovered from a hand injury, confirmed he would be returning to his spot with the Wight Motorsport team for the double Vallée-Jonction program.

On his twelfth birthday

It all started in the Schuyder Autodrome for the Young Prodigy.

In 2013, a 12-year-old day^NS On the anniversary, he took his first win in a vintage Honda Civic, in the Amateur Compact Sport (formerly Kamikazes) class. In the same year, he became the youngest driver in history to participate in the Sportsman Quebec Series.

♦ If Lessard is the second driver to enter the five races scheduled at the Autodrome of Chaudere this weekend after Alex Lappe, Blainvillois Mathieu Kingsbury could be the third to run this two-race 75-lap marathon on Saturday night at LMS, in the last 150 Sunday’s lap in the same series and in the last two of 150 laps at NASCAR Pinty.