Mississauga, Ont. (May 19, 2019) – The fifth season of the Nissan Micra Cup officially started this weekend at the Canadian Tire Motorsport Park in Bowmanville, which saw reigning champion Olivier Bédard securing race victories on both Saturday and Sunday.
The races, which took place during the Victoria Day Weekend SpeedFest, were filled with enthusiasm and excitement from the crowd. Fans were also able to witness the famous Nissan LEAF NISMO RC, which was the first time in the history of motorsports presented in a Canadian or North American series that a 100 per cent electric car took to the track. Being used as the official pace car, the model is equipped with advanced battery technology and drivetrain components from the Nissan LEAF, the world’s best-selling electric car. The LEAF NISMO RC executed the starting lap ahead of the pack of Micra Cup drivers as they prepared to start the race.
On Saturday under sunny skies, Bédard quickly took the lead right from the start. Qualifying in pole position for the 23rd time in his Nissan Micra Cup career, the Quebec driver’s life wasn’t made easy as drivers positions changed numerous times behind him, including the intense pressure put on by Torontonian Marco Signoretti near the end of the race. Signoretti, Kevin King, Ontarian Jake Exton, and Valérie Limoges started off their 2019 season with multiple position changes throughout the race. Their battle behind the wheel of their nearly stock but agile Nissan Micra S cars lasted throughout the entire 30-minute race. In the end, Signoretti, a rookie driver with karting experience that’s competing in a racing car for the first time, finished in second place right on Bédard’s heels and just ahead of King, Limoges and Exton.
Taylor Near, Signoretti’s teammate and head of the new PayPal / Motorsports in Action team completed the top 6. Frédéric Bernier, Senior Class winner Sylvain Ouellet, Alex Habrich, and his son Michael Habrich rounded out the top 10.
Nissan Micra Cup fans and spectators were able to admire the LEAF Nismo RC in action on the track and in the paddocks on Saturday and once again on Sunday. In addition to the race and the LEAF Nismo RC, fans at the event had the opportunity to attend a drivers’ autograph session, and Micra and Z owners took part in a mid-day parade on the track. The parade brought together 70 Micra and Z owners, including authentic collectors’ models, setting a new record since its inception.
On Sunday afternoon, the Micra Cup race found Bédard leading the pack once again, with Signoretti close behind. The young Torontonian succeeded in taking the lead during the second lap but a slight driver error later allowed Bédard to reclaim the top spot and secure his second victory of the weekend. Behind him, Signoretti battled with Limoges and King, eventually solidifying another second-place finish just in front of the other two, who claimed third and fourth positions, respectively. The tight battle on the track captivated the attention of many spectators at the CTMP.
Taylor Near completed the top five with a flawless race, ahead of Austin Riley, Jake Exton and Sylvain Ouellet who claimed the Senior Class title, followed by Éric Chaput and Frédéric Bernier.
In the drivers’ championship, Bédard sits at the top with his two victories, ahead of Signoretti, a tie between Limoges and King, followed by Near and Exton.
For those who are unable to attend the Nissan Micra Cup in person or want to relive the weekend’s races, fans can visit the Micra Cup TV YouTube channel (https://www.youtube.com/MicraCupTV). In addition, the series posts multiple videos and provides updates on the official Nissan Micra Cup Facebook, Instagram and Twitter pages in both English and French throughout the weekend.
For more information on the Nissan Micra Cup and its drivers, please visit their official site www.micracup.com.
To follow the series on social media :
Facebook: Coupe Nissan Micra Cup
Instagram: @nissanmicracup
Twitter: @MicraCup
YouTube: MicraCupTV
For this weekend’s complete race results and championship standings, visit here:
https://www.micracup.com/2019-Results_ClassGen
2019 Nissan Micra Cup Calendar:
May 17- 19: Victoria Day Weekend SpeedFest, Canadian Tire Motorsport Park, Ontario
June 1 -2: Kyle Nash Memorial, Calabogie Motorsports Park, Ontario
July 26 – 28 : Summer Classic, Circuit Mont-Tremblant, Québec
Aug 9 – 11 : Grand Prix de Trois-Rivières, Québec
Aug 23 – 25: NASCAR Weekend, Canadian Tire Motorsport Park, Ontario
Sept 27 – 29: Fall Classic, Circuit Mont-Tremblant, Québec
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About the Nissan Micra Cup
Presented by JD Promotion & Compétition in collaboration with Nissan Canada, the Nissan Micra Cup is now in its fifth season. This exclusive-to-Canada series is comprised of six race weekends in Ontario and Quebec. From May to September, drivers compete in Nissan Micra base model S cars which – in true spec series style – are equipped identically, allowing the most talented drivers to stand out. The series is aimed at young karting drivers, the average Canadian looking for any entry point into motorsport competition, or anyone who wants to experience the adrenaline rush of a race. All in all, the Nissan Micra Cup is made for motorsport enthusiasts looking for the thrill and excitement of the race, without having to spend extravagant amounts of money.
For more information on the Nissan Micra Cup, please visit the website www.micracup.com.
About the Nissan Micra
In 2014, the Nissan Micra returned to Canada after 23 years as an all-new model, offering Canadians unbeatable value with the lowest starting Manufacturer’s Suggested Retail Price (MSRP) in Canada. The Micra is easy to drive and park, thanks to excellent all-round visibility and turning radius, electric power steering and a power to weight ratio that surprises. Powering the front-wheel drive Micra is a DOHC 1.6-litre 4-cylinder engine rated at 109 horsepower @ 6,000 rpm and 107 lb-ft. of torque @ 4,400 rpm.
About Nissan Canada Inc.
Nissan Canada Inc. (NCI) is the Canadian sales, marketing and distribution subsidiary of Nissan Motor Limited and Nissan North America, Inc. NCI was the first Japanese-based automaker to incorporate in Canada in 1965, and now directly employs 306 full-time staff across offices in Vancouver (BC), Mississauga (ON), and Kirkland (QC). There are 208 independent Nissan dealerships, including 81 that also act as Nissan Commercial Vehicles dealers, 114 electric vehicle-certified dealers, and 42 INFINITI retailers across Canada.
More information about Nissan in Canada and the complete line of Nissan and INFINITI vehicles can be found online at www.nissan.ca and www.INFINITI.ca.
About Nissan North America
In North America, Nissan’s operations include automotive styling, engineering, consumer and corporate financing, sales and marketing, distribution and manufacturing. Nissan is dedicated to improving the environment under the Nissan Green Program and has been recognized annually by the U.S Environmental Protection Agency as an ENERGY STAR® Partner of the Year since 2010. More information on Nissan in North America and the complete line of Nissan and INFINITI vehicles can be found online at www.NissanUSA.com and www.INFINITIUSA.com, or visit the U.S. media sites NissanNews.com and INFINITINews.com.
About Nissan Motor Co., Ltd.
Nissan is a global full-line vehicle manufacturer that sells more than 60 models under the Nissan, INFINITI andDatsun brands. In fiscal year 2017, the company sold 5.77 million vehicles globally, generating revenue of 11.9 trillion yen. On April 1, 2017, the company embarked on Nissan M.O.V.E. to 2022, a six-year plan targeting a 30% increase in annualized revenues to 16.5 trillion yen by the end of fiscal 2022, along with cumulative free cash flow of 2.5 trillion yen. As part of Nissan M.O.V.E. to 2022, the company plans to extend its leadership in electric vehicles, symbolized by the world’s best-selling all-electric vehicle in history, the Nissan LEAF. Nissan’s global headquarters in Yokohama, Japan, manages operations in six regions: Asia & Oceania; Africa, the Middle East & India; China; Europe; Latin America; and North America. Nissan has partnered with French manufacturer Renault since 1999 and acquired a 34% stake in Mitsubishi Motors in 2016. Renault-Nissan-Mitsubishi is today the world’s largest automotive partnership, with combined sales of more than 10.6 million vehicles in calendar year 2017.
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