MISSISSAUGA, ON – The Nissan Micra Cup will kick off its sixth season next month. The series, which has been a fixture on the Canadian motorsport scene since 2015, is one of the first in the country to release its official 2020 race schedule, which is filled with exciting events that will thrill fans and competitors. This year, nearly 30 drivers are expected to race in the Micra Cup season, which will begin at Circuit Mont-Tremblant on July 24-26. Additionally, highlights from the Micra Cup races will be broadcasted on RDS television network, a first for the Nissan Micra Cup.
Since its inception in 2015, the series has welcomed dozens of drivers, most of them racing novices, to experience the thrill and excitement of motorsports. Some of them have left their mark by earning titles and victories, but all of them have immensely enjoyed the atmosphere and the pleasure of driving these nimble, almost stock Nissan Micras on Canada’s grueling race tracks.
The 2020 season took longer to organize due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The season will consist of four events with two rounds each.
“We have worked hard in the recent months to ensure that the 2020 season will be just as exciting as the previous ones. Of course, the safety of our drivers, teams and staff are our priority, and we will respect the health and safety standards that will be put in place by the track owners to the letter,” says Jacques Deshaies of JD Promotion & Compétition, the promoter of the Nissan Micra Cup.
“The drivers are looking forward to some intense competition! I’ve rarely seen such enthusiasm. Drivers want to have fun and the Nissan Micra Cup – with its low cost of entry – is definitely the series that offers them the best fun-to-cost ratio! We expect to have 24 to 25 drivers at the first event, and probably about 30 at the Grand Prix du Canada1 later in the season,” says Deshaies.
The Summer Classic at Circuit Mont-Tremblant on July 24-26 will mark the start of the season before the series moves to Calabogie Motorsports Park, southwest of Ottawa on August 28-30. Following the Ontario event, competitors will enjoy competing at the Grand Prix du Canada and the season will conclude with the Fall Classic at Circuit Mont-Tremblant on September 24-26.
The Grand Prix du Canada was originally scheduled to take place in June, but was postposed by Formula 1 authorities. Its new date will be announced in July.
It will be the second time that Micra Cup drivers will race on the prestigious Circuit Gilles-Villeneuve as part of the Grand Prix du Canada.
The Summer Classic at Circuit Mont-Tremblant is expected to be held without any spectators on site, but this could change for the following races.
“We will work with the event organizers to make sure things run as smoothly as possile. In any case, no one comes with a large team of mechanics in the Nissan Micra Cup! It’s family-oriented, and everyone is well aware that if we have to reduce the number of people on site, it will be done without any problems,” said Deshaies.
If spectators are not allowed to be on site at first, fans will be kept well informed about what is happening at the race tracks through several communications channels, including social media. Fans will be delighted to learn that the Micra Cup races will be featured on the RDS television network in Quebec.
Eight, 30-minute shows filled with race highlights, interviews and behind-the-scenes clips will be broadcasted this fall. “I think it’s hard to do better than that in terms of visibility for the fans! Even if some races are held without a live audience, fans will be able to follow this sixth season on TV in full,” Deshaies concludes.
Steve Milette, President of Nissan Canada, looks forward to seeing the Nissan Micra Cup back on Canadian race tracks.
“It’s been a long time since the Nissan Micra Cup family has been all together, and we are very excited to be reunited on July 24th,” says Milette. “Motorsport is in Nissan’s DNA, and after more than eighty years of competing around the world, we certainly know how to adapt to challenging circumstances.
“Sure, the race tracks will have a different atmosphere this year, but we welcome the opportunity to bring the Micra Cup action directly into fans’ homes through the RDS broadcasts. As always, Nissan continues to drive forward, and have fun while doing so.”
The 2020 line-up is filled with hard working, talented racers. Trying to predict who has the best chance of taking the title at the end of the season is anybody’s guess.
The 2019 series’ runners-up Kevin King and Valérie Limoges from Quebec will undoubtedly be competing for the title, along with many young Ontario drivers who also have their eyes set on the big prize.
Last year, it was rookie driver, fresh out of karting, Marco Signoretti, who won the title in his Micra S prepared by the PayPal/Motorsports In Action team. The team is back this year, as well as the very promising Gavin Sanders who is aiming to win the title in his first full season.
A number of fan favourites are returning for the 2020 Micra Cup, including but not limited to: actor and comedian Michel Barrette; his son Nicolas; Frédéric Bernier; and last year’s champion the senior category, Sylvain Ouellet.
Four female racers will also be on the grid: Ontario’s Demi Chalkias; Quebec’s Marie-Josée Massicotte; 16-year-old former karting racer, Marie-Soleil Labelle, and a woman who has graced the Micra Cup podium many times since 2015, Valérie Limoges.
More details about the race schedule and the complete 2020 line-up will follow shortly. For more information on the Nissan Micra Cup, visit the official website at www.micracup.com.
About Nissan Canada Inc.: Nissan Canada Inc. (NCI) is the Canadian sales, marketing and distribution subsidiary of Nissan Motor Limited and Nissan North America, Inc. NCI was the first Japanese-based automaker to incorporate in Canada in 1965, and now directly employs 306 full-time staff across offices in Vancouver (BC), Mississauga (ON), and Kirkland (QC). There are 207 independent Nissan dealerships, including 81 that also act as Nissan Commercial Vehicles dealers, 114 electric vehicle-certified dealers, and 42 INFINITI retailers across Canada. More information about Nissan in Canada and the complete line of Nissan and INFINITI vehicles can be found online at www.nissan.ca and www.INFINITI.ca.
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