JUNE 12, 2012 – After finishing in third place, in the Master class of the Formula Tour 1600 Series race at the circuit Gilles-Villeneuve this past weekend, Ray Courtemanche Jr. is ready to come back to Oval Racing.
Jacques Dulac, team leader of Bonzaï Racing’s foray into the Formula Tour 1600 Series, is proud of the team’s accomplishment.”Everyone worked very hard to fine tune the car for Ray Jr, and a podium finish is confirmation that the car is ready to be competitive at the upcoming races, the Grand Prix de Trois-Rivières and at the Calabogie racetrack at the end of the season,” he said.
Now, Ray Jr. and the Bonzaï Racing team will race in the first oval track event of the NASCAR Canadian Tire Series (NCATS) 2012 season, this coming Saturday (June 15) at the short oval track of the Canadian Tire Motorsport Park (CTMP), just east of Toronto.
Ray Jr. started racing as a teenager and spent most of his career on oval tracks. Going back to an oval after racing mostly on road courses so far this season (CTMP, ICAR and the circuit Gilles Villeneuve) is a comfortable move for him, especially since he opened his 2012 season on the high banks at Bristol (TN), the quickest half-mile track in NASCAR, in the season opener of the NASCAR K&N Pro Series East.
The team is ready for this event, according to Ray Jr. “The personnel changes we made before the ICAR round worked out extremely well. With my father [ex-racer Raymond Courtemanche] taking care of mechanical preparation and Jacques Dulac handling the technical aspects of preparation and set-up, the whole team was able to react to a few problems we encountered at ICAR and make sure the car made it to the end of the race,” he said. “Team morale is high and we are ready to tackle another big race this coming weekend.”
The team has gone through our dedicated oval track car, a 2011 Dodge Challenger, end-to-end, including fitting a new engine. Ray Jr. is primed for a great result. “We will test the car before leaving for the track and I can’t wait to be rubbin’ fenders with the other tough racers in our series,” he said.
On a different note, Ray Jr. and the team have committed to giving all their winnings earned in the NCATS to the “Foundation Centre de cancérologie Charles-Bruneau”. So far, this season, Bonzaï Racing has turned over nearly $4,000 to this foundation, which helps carry out research on cancer.
Ray Jr. and every team member at Bonzaï Racing wish to salute and thanks our partners, without whom this endeavor could not take place:
Construction Danam Bonzaï, whose mission is to create homes at competitive prices that project a unique style and integrate the latest architectural developments.
Porto Cabral, a brand close to the heart of people who appreciate the taste of fine fortified wines.
Guide Auto, reference in the sale, purchase and automotive testing in Quebec!
From Félix Bégin
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