MONTMAGNY, QC – Defending Serie ACT Castrol champion Patrick Laperle of St-Denis, QC, stole the late victory in the Montmagny 200 at Autodrome Montmagny on Sunday, July 1. Laperle had a mirror full of Quebec City’s Jean-Francois Dery and ACT Serie Castrol point leader Donald Theetge when he crossed the finish line to take his first checkered flag of 2012.
Pole-sitter Patrick Boyer snatched the lead early before losing it on lap four to a dominant Patrick Hamel. Hamel held onto the lead until opening day winner Karl Allard surged to the front from eleventh on lap 23. After a lap 48 caution, Theetge out-dueled Allard on the outside lane and grabbed the point. Theetge looked like the car to beat, dominating the next 79 circuits until a caution on lap 118 that brought nearly all the competitors to pit road.
With a fast pit stop, Dery claimed the lead and looked as though he would vindicate a near-win in the Montmagny season opener, but the seventh and final caution of the race brought Laperle to his outside for a 27-lap battle to the finish. Laperle, who recovered from a mechanical failure early Sunday morning that left him with only half a practice, wheeled the outside lane around Dery and claimed the win by just .855 seconds. The 200-lap race was completed in 1 hour and 20 minutes and 49 seconds with just seven cautions.
St-Annes-des-Plains’ David Michaud came home fourth, and Patrick Hamel rounded out the top five. Patrick Cliche, Elie Arseneau, Claude Leclerc, and rookies Patrick Boyer and Etienne Cliche rounded out the top ten. Eight cars were left on the lead lap in the 23 car starting field.
With his win, Laperle earns himself an invite to the Bond Auto ACT Invitational at New Hampshire Motor Speedway on Saturday, September 22. He becomes the seventh different qualifier so far in 2012. He joins Brian Hoar, Wayne Helliwell, Jr., Ben Ashline, Nick Sweet, Karl Allard and Donald Theetge.
The Serie ACT Castrol returns to action this Saturday, July 7, at Autodrome St-Eustache in St-Eustache, QC, for a previously rained out 100-lap event. –
For additional information, head to www.acttour.com or call the ACT office at (802) 244-6963 or email us at media@acttour.com
Montmagny 200 Unofficial Results
Serie ACT Castrol
Autodrome Montmagny
Montmagny, QC
Sunday, July 1, 2012
Pos. (Start) Driver, Hometown, Laps Completed
1. (10) Patrick Laperle, St-Denis, QC 200 Laps
2. (12) Jean-Francois Dery, Quebec, QC 200 Laps
3. (13) Donald Theetge, Boischatel, QC 200 Laps
4. (8) David Michaud, St-An-des-Plns, QC 200 Laps
5. (5) Patrick Hamel, Sainte-Croix, QC 200 Laps
6. (4) Patrick Cliché, St-Jean-Chry., QC 200 Laps
7. (21) Elie Arseneau, Morin-Height, QC 200 Laps
8. (16) Claude Leclerc, Lanoraie, QC 200 Laps
9. (1) #Patrick Boyer, Quebec, QC 199 Laps
10. (19) #Etienne Cliché, Vallee-Jonction, QC 198 Laps
11. (23) Brandon White, Kahnawake, QC 198 Laps
12. (18) Jacques Poulin, East Broughton, QC 198 Laps
13. (15) Gaetan Lauzier, St-Cyprien, QC 197 Laps
14. (20) Stephane Descoste, Oka, QC 196 Laps
15. (22) Gaetan Gaudreault, Quebec, QC 195 Laps
16. (3) Yannick Tremblay, Chicoutimi, QC 194 Laps
17. (2) Rejean Bissonnette, St-Adele, QC 185 Laps
18. (9) Dany Trepanier, St-Edouard, QC 181 Laps
19. (11) Karl Allard, Saint-Felicien, QC 176 Laps
20. (7) Marc Beaudoin, St-Anne, QC 149 Laps
21. (14) Jonathan Desbiens, Levis, QC 123 Laps
22. (6) Eric LeHoux, St-Elzear,QC 96 Laps
23. (17) Jonathan Bouvrette, Blainville, QC 34 Laps
Lap Leaders: Patrick Boyer, 1-3; Patrick Hamel, 4-22; Karl Allard, 23-29; Hamel, 30-31; Allard, 32-49; Donald Theetge, 50-119; Jean-Francois Dery, 120-174; Patrick Laperle, 175-200
Time of Race: 1:20:49
Margin of Victory: .855 seconds
Cautions: 7 (Lap 17, 19, 27, 48, 118, 153, 173)
Heat Winners: Yannick Tremblay, Eric LeHoux, Jean-Francios Dery
Consi Winners: Donald Theetge
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