Trois-Rivières, QC – Three-time NASCAR Canada Series champion and 2024 title contender, currently fourth in the standings, Louis-Philippe Dumoulin gives a mixed review of the races held in Western Canada, on the ovals of Saskatoon and Edmonton. For the driver of the No. 47 WeatherTech Canada/Groupe Bellemare/Omnifab car, the final result is acceptable, with a fourth place followed by a top-ten, but the feeling of having been deprived of an even better result remains.
“Our entire team had worked extremely hard on our oval car in preparation for these two races in the west,” said Dumoulin. “In Saskatoon, apart from a bad tire pressure setting that relegated me to eleventh on the starting grid, everything went very well. I won the prize for the best comeback of the race and I fought at the front until the last lap. Sometimes a fourth place is a bit disappointing, this one was fully satisfactory. It was a spectacular race for the fans and for me behind-the-wheel, I can say that I gave it my 100% to get this result.”
A week later, in front of the packed grandstands at Edmonton International Raceway, Dumoulin had every reason to believe in an even better result. Third on the starting grid, he took second on the first turn. He held onto second for eight laps before being hit from behind by Marc-Antoine Camirand, which caused serious damage and a slow puncture.
“We started the Edmonton race very confident,” said Dumoulin. “I did a lot of laps in free practice to fine-tune the settings of the No. 47 WeatherTech Canada/Groupe Bellemare/Omnifab car. It was really competitive, which allowed me to qualify third and climb into second place right from the start of the race.”
Regarding the incident on lap nine, Louis-Philippe said: “We started the race with slightly lower tire pressures than we should have, which meant that the balance of the car was a bit precarious in the first 3-4 laps, but things were really starting to get better when I got hit from behind. I just don’t understand how a professional driver can be so impatient and make this kind of mistake on the ninth lap of a 300-lap event.”
Rear bumper damaged, bodywork rubbing on the left-rear tire, it didn’t take much more to cause the slow puncture and for Dumoulin to be forced to return to the pits, under the green flag. Six laps were lost in the incident.
“I never gave up and I was thinking about the championship points; I told myself that, if I managed to get back into the top-ten, it would limit the impact on the championship points,” said Dumoulin, who, by overtaking Jason Hathaway in the last laps, achieved his goal and finished tenth. “Setting the second fastest lap of the race confirms that we had a truly exceptional car, capable of finishing among the top three. It’s unfortunate but we have to look ahead and aim for victory in the next events. The season is still long!”
About WeatherTech
WeatherTech is committed to designing, engineering and manufacturing the finest products possible for your vehicle, home and your pet. From the industry leading FloorLiner to the 100% non-toxic Pet Feeding System, WeatherTech has dedicated itself to exceed customer expectations of quality, craftsmanship and environmental sustainability for over 30 years. To see the full line of automotive, home and pet products that are guaranteed for life, visit weathertech.ca.
About Dumoulin Competition
Jean-François and Louis-Philippe Dumoulin founded the Dumoulin Competition Race Team in 2009. Working with financial, marketing, logistics and sports management experts, they built up a solid business structure. Dumoulin Competition prepares its own race cars in-house since 2016. Their motto: “Passion – Performance – Partnerships” expresses their will to perform on the track and offer their partners maximum visibility and profitability in return for their commitment. Their vision: To become Canada’s leader in motorsports through on-track performance, an entrepreneurial spirit and human values. dumoulincompetition.com
- By Service Presse
