MIRABEL | Another headliner joins the long list of experienced riders set to take part in next month’s Grand Prix de Trois-Rivières parade event.
Raphaël Lessard has indeed confirmed his attendance at the NASCAR Pinty’s Series event on August 6th. This will be his third start in Mauricie.
Le Journal visited him on Wednesday as he got to know his new car during a private day of testing at the Circuit ICAR in Mirabel.
“It’s an idea from Mathieu Kingsbury,” Lessard said. And for our part, we had been looking for a car to race at Trois-Rivières for a few weeks. Everything was realized last week thanks to the contribution of my partners, including Daniel Bérubé, owner of XPN World, a company specializing in the manufacture of dietary supplements.”
Mathieu Kingsbury, owner of Duroking (left) and Daniel Bérubé, owner of XPN World (right), are the architects of Quebec rider Raphaël Lessard’s participation in next month’s Grand Prix de Trois-Rivières. Photo Louis Butcher
The driver from Saint-Joseph-de-Beauce, who celebrated his 22nd birthday on July 5th, completed more than fifty laps of the Basses-Laurentides circuit.
“As the day progressed, I improved my lap times. I am convinced that I will come to Trois-Rivières with a high-performance car. It’s just that I need to get going again. “It’s been a while since I last drove at the circuit,” he said as he got out of the car.
A full-time steering wheel in sight
One of the most talented drivers of his generation, Lessard dreams not only of playing a full-time season in the toughest stock car series in the country next year, but also of returning to the Craftsman pickup truck series, NASCAR’s third division in the United States.
“I have chances on the table,” he said, but it costs money. I’m talking about doing four races this year on small oval tracks, but not with a top team. It would still allow me to find this series again, which has given me great sensations in the past.
As a reminder, Lessard clinched the best win of his career when he won in Vans at the legendary Talladega circuit on October 3, 2020.
“My goal hasn’t changed,” he admits. I want to race cars for a living. The Pinty’s Series is a prestigious and, above all, very competitive championship. I want to prove that I belong there.”
In 13 appearances in the Pinty’s Series, Lessard has claimed three wins, the first of which came in front of his home crowd at Vallée-Jonction in 2019, on his very first start.
A strong championship
Recruited this time by the renowned Larue team, Lessard is able to retain his position by competing in the very tough ACT-LMS Quebec Championship this year, where he dominates the standings ahead of teammate William Larue. He will also be among the twenty or so competitors who will compete in the next stage at the Autodrome Montmagny on Saturday.
Among his opponents is the same Mathieu Kingsbury who entrusted him with the driving of his car in Trois-Rivières.
“I’ve always got on well with Raphaël and it was natural that we give him the chance to show off at the GP3R,” Kingsbury said in an interview with the Journal. For my part, I’d like to develop a project close to my heart, which is to create a new team in the NASCAR Pinty’s Series to nurture promising young drivers.
“However, I want to make it clear that I have no intention of retiring as a pilot,” said this wealthy businessman, who heads the Duroking company, which employs more than 800 people.
XPN World, partner of Lessard, will launch a new drink as part of the Grand Prix de Trois-Rivières.
“We have been supporting Raphaël for three years and we are very satisfied with the results of this commitment. Trois-Rivières is an unmissable event in the motorsport season and we are delighted to have our protégé proudly defending our colors there,” said Bérubé, President of XPN World.
In addition to Lessard, at least three other Quebec drivers will compete in both the Pinty’s Series race and the Défi Urbain Chevrolet event at GP3R. They are Marc-Antoine Camirand, Alex Labbé and Dexter Stacey.