Lauzière captures Castrol Touring Championship; MINI finishes atop the charts in Touring class

Alain Lauzière, driver of the Octane Motorsport MINI Cooper S, captured the Castrol Canadian Touring Car Championship in the Touring class, after a 16-event calendar, which ran over 8 weekends.

Lauzière arrived at the Icar circuit, part of the Mirabel airport located just north of Montréal, leading the championship by a meagre 32 points over the his main competitor, Anthony Rapone, at the wheel of the Durabond team Honda Civic. Lauzière was able to qualify in second position, just behind the Acura Integra of Nigel Heron. Rapone would start in third position, just behind the MINI Cooper.

The spectators were greeted to a race full of action on Saturday. The Cruisecanada.com MINI Cooper was hit from the back as early as the third corner, by a competitor driving another Honda Civic “If that wasn’t intentional, the driver in question must have found his racing license in a Cracker Jack box”, commented briefly Lauzière. After an eventful race, Lauzière was finally taken out of the race by the same competitor, two laps from the end, as the MINI Cooper rear-ended the Civic under full throttle re-acceleration while the Civic driver conveniently commented that he missed a shift. The beat-up MINI was painfully able to make it back to the pits, finishing one lap down behind the winner, in twelfth position. “I am extremely disappointed by the way the whole situation was handled.” Lauzière would only comment.

His principal car was too damaged for repair at the track, Lauzière had to utilise the second MINI Cooper of the Octane Motorsport team for the Sunday race. The car was virgin of any laps around the Icar circuit for the weekend. “We are not worried”, claimed crew-chief Jonathan Proulx “our cars are prepared to the same standard”. Lauzière would have to start from the back of the pack, as a result of the car change.

Being relegated to second place in the championship, now 19 points behind Rapone, Lauzière would perform a spectacular drive to bring the - Original MINI Parts - MINI Cooper to a second place finish, just behind Nigel Heron. Anthony Rapone facing technical issues with his Honda Civic, just like the other Durabond team car, would finish in seventh position. Lauzière was able to grab the championship win by a slim 6 points margin, his third championship during the last four years. “We should be celebrating our accomplishments now, but the championship ending left us with mixed feelings” concluded Lauzière.

The team’s participation is facilitated by the support and collaboration of, MINI Original Parts, Simone Performance Imports, Castrol Canada (Wakefield), Birchmount Collision, MINI Original Accessories, Cruisecanada.com, BULLY clutches, Betz pools and Muellerprep.

 

" ... another Honda Civic ... "

Team car to Rapone?

 

Spectacular recovery to win the Championship!!! Congratulations and well done!!!!

 

Conveniently paddocking together. Draw your own conclusions.

 

Saturday videos posted here:

The short action:

http://www.vimeo.com/6482700

http://www.vimeo.com/6482721

The Looooooog one. Race #1:

http://www.vimeo.com/6479932

 

Would your competitors really stoop that low? Such a shame...

Great recovery, though to win the championship again!

 

Congratulations, Alain!!!!!!

 

Sunday race video posted here:

http://www.vimeo.com/6656970