ST-EUSTACHE, QC – Quebec City’s Jean-Francois Dery found redemption with a huge victory at Autodrome St-Eustache in St-Eustache, QC on Saturday, July 7. Dery had to fend off a challenge from former Serie ACT Castrol Champion Sylvain Lacombe, as well as a late-race charge from defending champion Patrick Laperle in third.
St. Jean Chrysostome’s Patrick Cliche took the early lead from veteran racer Claude Leclerc on lap ten of the 100 lap event, and dominated the next 23 circuits before defending champion Laperle was brought to his outside on a lap 33 caution flag. Laperle surged ahead of the field on the restart, looking well on his way to his second win in a row on the Serie ACT Castrol, but on lap 79 of the event Laperle had a fuel filler hose come loose and was forced to head down pit road.
Point leader Donald Theetge inherited the lead for the next five laps, until a heart-breaking spin on lap 85 of the event during a hard fought battle with Dery for the win. Dery, after losing the point lead two weeks ago due to a rock coming through his radiator, vindicated himself and took home the victory.
David Michaud and Dany Trepanier came home fourth and fifth respectively. Theetge recovered to finish sixth, and Patrick Cliche, Patrick Hamel, Stephane Descoste, and Jonathan Bouvrette completed the top ten.
The race had a total of nine cautions, one for a brutal accident when Terrebone, QC’s Jean-Pierre Ouimet crushed his vehicle against the turn three wall, and another when former Champion Karl Allard was losing oil and went down 13 laps. The race was completed in 59 minutes and 10 seconds.
With his victory, Dery earned the eighth invite to the Bond Auto Invitational at New Hampshire Motor Speedway on Saturday, September 22, joining Brian Hoar, Wayne Helliwell Jr., Ben Ashline, Karl Allard, Patrick Laperle, Nick Sweet and Donald Theetge.
Serie ACT Castrol resumes next Saturday, July 14, at Riverside Speedway in St-Croix, QC, for a monza-style 150 lap event featuring twin 75 lap races.
St Eustache 100 Unofficial Results
Serie ACT Castrol
Autodrome St-Eustache – St-Eustache, QC
Saturday, July 7, 2012
Pos. (Start) Driver, Hometown Laps Complete
1. (10) Jean-Francois Dery, Quebec, QC 100 Laps
2. (9) Sylvain Lacombe, Terrebonne, QC 100 Laps
3. (8) Patrick Laperle, St-Denis, QC 100 Laps
4. (7) David Michaud, St-An-des-Plns, QC 100 Laps
5. (5) Dany Trepanier, St-Edouard, QC 100 Laps
6. (12) Donald Theetge, Boischatel, QC 100 Laps
7. (3) Patrick Cliché, St-Jean-Chry., QC 100 Laps
8. (18) Patrick Hamel, Sainte-Croix, QC 100 Laps
9. (14) Stephane Descoste, Oka, QC 100 Laps
10. (2) Jonathan Bouvrette, Blainville, QC 100 Laps
11. (19) #Etienne Cliche, Vallee-Jonction, QC 100 Laps
12. (1) Claude Leclerc, Lanoraie, QC 100 Laps
13. (13) Brandon White, Kahnawake, QC 100 Laps
14. (4) Yannick Tremblay, Chicoutimi, QC 100 Laps
15. (15) Gaetan Gaudreault, Quebec, QC 100 Laps
16. (6) Karl Allard, Saint-Felicien, QC 87 Laps
17. (17) Gaetan Lauzier, St-Pacôme, QC 84 Laps
18. (16) Jean-Pierre Ouimet, Terrebonne, QC 79 Laps
19. (20) Rejean Bissonnette, St-Adele, QC 67 Laps
20. (11) Daniel Descoste, St. Joseph, QC 16 Laps
Lap Leaders: Claude Leclerc, 1-9; Patrick Cliche, 10-33; Patrick Laperle, 34-79; Donald Theetge, 80-85; Jean-Francois Dery, 86-100.
Time of Race: 59:10
Margin of Victory: .942 seconds
Cautions: 9 (Lap 16, 26, 33, 49, 67, 79, 83, 85, 85) Heat Winners: Jonathan Bouvrette, Jean-Francois Dery From ACT
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