TROIS RIVIERES, QC- NASCAR Canadian Tire Series freshman Cayden Lapcevich tallied a top-15 finish at August 2nd’s JuliaWine.com Le 50 Tours. The event, contested at the world renowned Circuit de Trois-Rivieres, marked just the second career road course appearance for the third-generation star.
The Grimsby, ON based teenager was closing in on the top-10 when contact with another car sent his Tim Hortons No. 76 into a tire barrier. Lapcevich eventually recovered for a 15th place finish in his Trois-Rivieres debut.
“The fans in Quebec are amazing,” explained Lapcevich. “It was awesome meeting all different kinds of people during the autograph session. I’ve never handed out so many hero cards in my life. The track was packed and the fans were as excited as I’ve ever seen them. It was the perfect combination”
“I learned so much this weekend,” continued the fan favourite post-race. “This course is incredible. Obviously, I would have loved to have earned a top-10 here, but I’m proud of our finish after catching the tire barrier. I really feel like we got better on every lap – which is exactly what we came here for”
Lapcevich’s lone road course appearance prior to this weekend ended in a 17th place finish at Canadian Tire Motorsport Park in May. When asked to compare the two courses, Lapcevich was quick to note just how different they are.
“I knew coming in that this race would be unlike anything I’d ever done before, but I think I still underestimated the uniqueness of this track,” explained the well-spoken 15-year old. “It’s nothing like [Canadian Tire Motorsport Park], which made this a completely new challenge for us. It’s one of the most demanding tracks I’ve ever been on. I loved every minute of it and can’t wait to come back next year”
“There’s no room for error on this track,” added the rookie. “It’s tight, it’s bumpy and if you make a mistake it takes a few laps to make up for it. I picked up a lot of lessons this weekend. When we come back here next year, I’m completely confident that we’ll have something for the front of the field”
“We were blown away with how well Cayden performed this weekend,” said Crew Chief Don Thomson Jr. “We were running lap times similar to cars in the top-10 all day long. He figured the place out faster than I did in my first time here, I can tell you that. We were all very impressed”
Despite entering the 2015 campaign with zero road racing experience, Lapcevich’s recent improvements have shown a world of potential outside of his established oval track prowess. And the rising star is quick to note just how he’s looking forward to continuing his recent education.
“At the beginning of this season, road course racing was the moon to me,” laughs ‘The Prodigy’. “When I look at how far I’ve come in two races it’s an awesome feeling”
“Having some of the top road racers in the country tell me after the race that they were impressed with how fast I picked up the track was a big shot of confidence. Obviously, we won’t be completely happy until we’re able to contend for wins with these guys, but I know that we’re moving in the right direction.”
Cayden will return to road course competition once more this season, when the NASCAR Canadian Tire Series returns to Canadian Tire Motorsport Park on August 30th.
Cayden Lapcevich’s 2015 efforts are powered by Tim Hortons, Castrol, Cathcart Trucking, Springers Meats, EPIC Racewear and Troy Cove Marine.
Fans can keep up with ‘The Prodigy’ by following him on Twitter @CaydenLapcevich and visiting the official Cayden Lapcevich Racing page on Facebook.
By Spencer Lewis (@itsspencerlewis)
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