The 9th season of the Nissan Sentra Cup has just concluded after a sunny weekend at the Circuit Mont-Tremblant. It was the ideal opportunity to announce projects related to the next season.
Earlier this summer, Nissan held the first Sentra Cup Grand Prix, which we reported on. “Nissan took the opportunity to invite customers to try out new products and cars […] It was an incredible success because the response from people was extraordinary,” explained organizer Jacques Deshaies. More than 1,500 people were able to take a test drive parallel to the race.
Photo: Dominic Boucher
Therefore, Nissan will repeat the experience next year on the weekend of July 6th and 7th, 2024 at the ICAR circuit in Mirabel. And why on this route? Mr Deshaies explains that it is a question of logistics as the space makes it easier to organize an event.
A new track
The Cup will be expanded to include an event in the United States in 2024, specifically at the Lime Rock Park racetrack in Connecticut. “The Nissan Sentra Cup, which effectively started as a Quebec series in Micra, has become a Canadian series. [Maintenant]“It will be a North American series because we are going to the United States,” mentions Mr. Deshaies.
Photo: Dominic Boucher
“We’ll start with that and see what happens. We are excited. [Nous serons] organized by the SVRA (Sportscar Vintage Racing Association) with their prototypes and retro cars. Everything will take place on July 19th and 20th, 2024. In addition, pilots can share cash prizes valued at $30,000 (including $10,000 for the winner) and parts appraisals ($50,000), awarded annually through a rewards voucher program.
winner
Twelve events later, driver Alexandre Fortin wins the Nissan Sentra Cup championship with a total of 497 points. The favorite Valérie Limoges moved to second place (454 points) after a chaotic season and finally Nicolas Barrette completed the third step of the podium with 443 points. For his part, Nicolas Lévesque takes over the Micra class.
Photo: Dominic Boucher
The series, originally called Micra Cup, received the Sentra compact sedan in 2021. The drivers drive production models that have received some modifications to make them homologated for the race track. This allows athletes to compete in essentially equivalent vehicles, making the race more interesting for spectators.