MONT-TREMBLANT, QC – Di Benedetto Racing travelled to the Laurentians region in the province of Québec for the second round of the Sentra Cup.
Circuit Mont-Tremblant was the host of two action-packed races that saw driver Justin Di Benedetto finish sixth and fourth.
Justin Di Benedetto was no stranger to Circuit Mont-Tremblant as he had raced on this track last season in the Micra Cup. He didn’t lose time getting used to the track again, setting flying laps during the practice sessions.
When it came time to qualify, Justin set the fourth fastest lap time on Saturday and Sunday morning, putting the No. 4 Sentra on the second row for both races.
Saturday’s race was full of action as the field proved to be highly competitive once more.
“Race One started pretty well,” explains Justin Di Benedetto. “I qualified fourth, which set us to start on the outside row. When the green flag came down, I lost a little bit of ground compared to cars on the inside row. I was running in fifth place trying to pass a few cars, so I lost time there, and I also lost the opportunity to catch up with the lead pack.”
“The pace was very strong throughout the race; the crew gave me an excellent car that I feel I could have put on the podium if it wasn’t for the time lost fighting my way back up. In the end, I finished sixth, which is a strong result for points towards the championship.”
Sunday’s race was slightly different for Justin as competitors were more eager to get a spot on the podium.
“I started fourth, on the outside row once again. I had a good initial getaway, but I had to deal with a few drivers who started from the back of the field that were charging their way through, and I ended up fifth or sixth.
Everything went well until a driver made an over-ambitious move in Turn 12, resulting in pretty heavy contact in the left rear side of the car. I lost quite a few positions from that but the contact ended up causing an ABS issue for the remainder of the race, which made the car extremely hard to drive.”
Although Justin crossed the line in sixth place, penalties were applied after the race, putting Justin in fourth place.
“It was unfortunate. I feel Sunday’s race could have gone a lot better. The pace was there, but I had to manage the ABS issue, causing me a lot of time. However, I am happy with the points scored this weekend. Now it’s a matter of recovering and keep going forward.”
Justin is now seventh in the Championship standings, with 121 points, only five points away from fifth place.
The Sentra Cup is headed to the Grand Prix de Trois-Rivières in three weeks, on August 13-15. At one time or another, some of the best drivers raced at this mythical event in the streets of Trois-Rivières. Like Formula 1 Champion James Hunt, who raced there in 1976 in the Formula Atlantic series, he came in second, beat by future star Gilles Villeneuve who got a shot in Formula 1 after James Hunt praised his driving skills to McLaren Cosworth.
The team’s technical partners include; SPI Racing, Ultraray Motorsports, Wrap Werks and Kevin Glover Racing.
About Justin Di Benedetto: Justin Di Benedetto, is a 24 year old Canadian who competes in the Canadian Nissan Sentra Cup Series. Justin is a graduate of York University with a Major in Business and works in the capital markets industry in Toronto. Justin’s passion in motorsports has progressed over the years from karting to cars. He has competed throughout North America and together with his father Tony they have formed Di Benedetto Racing Inc. More information here: www.dibenedettoracing.com
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