Inside Track Motorsport News
  • News
    • Breaking News
    • Press Releases
    • Results & Points
    • Industry News & Products
    • Driver & Team Releases
  • Videos
  • Galleries
  • Features
  • Streetwise
  • Current Issue
No Result
View All Result
Subscribe
  • News
    • Breaking News
    • Press Releases
    • Results & Points
    • Industry News & Products
    • Driver & Team Releases
  • Videos
  • Galleries
  • Features
  • Streetwise
  • Current Issue
Subscribe
Inside Track Motorsport News
No Result
View All Result

Raphael Lessard Goes From 29th To Third In Pinty’s Dirt Track Race At Bristol

Service Presse by Service Presse
March 30, 2021
in Driver and Team Releases
0
5
SHARES
179
VIEWS
Share on FacebookShare on Twitter

BRISTOL, TN – (March 30, 2021)- Raphael Lessard put on quite a show in his first race on dirt today. The fifth round of the NCWTS Truck Series was run on the Bristol Motor Speedway oval which was covered with dirt just for the Pinty’s Dirt Track Race. This race was highly anticipated by everyone, especially as rain forced NASCAR to postpone the event from Saturday to Sunday, then on to Monday. The field was unable to qualify on Saturday due to the weather, and Raphael Lessard started in 29th place as per NASCAR’s calculation based on the team’s results. From the first to the last lap, Raphael Lessard kept on overtaking his opponents, until placing his #24 GMS Racing Chevrolet Silverado on the podium at the finish.

Race Action: After setting the fastest time in the first practice session on Friday (March 25), Raphael Lessard and his #24 GMS Racing Chevrolet Silverado set the 16th fastest time in the final practice session, on a track close to what the race would be run on. This was a promising lap time for a driver with no experience on this surface where the driving and suspension settings are totally different from those on asphalt in order to react effectively to the changing surface of the dirt track on every lap.

Starting from 29th on the grid for the Monday race, as per NASCAR’s calculations based on the team’s results, Raphael Lessard began his irrepressible march to the front of the race, marked by his 15th place on his first pit stop on lap 40 and by his 8th place on his second pit stop on lap 90. He then finished on the podium by tenaciously defending his third place which he had reached on lap 123 of the 150-lap event.

The GMS Racing team knew how to prepare an exceptional truck for Raphael Lessard, the same truck that had won on the dirt in 2019 in the hands of Stewart Friesen. The team gave their driver a truck with proven potential, and the driver made the team proud.

The race as seen by the driver (extracts)

“Third place and a first podium this year, I am happy. I was already feeling good with the quickest and then 16th time in Friday’s two practice sessions with good dirt racers around me, like Kyle Larson and Chase Briscoe. I started the race from way back, but the quick drivers around me also wanted to move up to the front. I had to follow them, which I did in the race until they were eliminated, or I passed them.

RelatedPosts

Dave Mathers’ Motion Motorsport Report – May 31 2023

Dave Mathers’ Motion Motorsport Report – May 31 2023

May 31, 2023
Dave Mathers’ Motion Motorsport Report – May 23 2023

Dave Mathers’ Motion Motorsport Report – May 23 2023

May 23, 2023

Mud blocked my radiator at the start of the race and the engine temperature rose to over 300o F. The numerous yellow periods (at least 8) and the two pit stops allowed me to cool the engine down a bit. The team was able to add water and remove the dirt on the second stop, and the engine temperature returned to 220o F for the third stage. We were lucky because I thought the engine was going to fail.

“After the second stop, with the engine now healthy and with reasonable handling on the increasingly slippery track, we were in a good position to keep attacking. I worked with different lines and braking distribution to reduce the load on the right front tire so we didn’t lose too much time in the last few laps. I managed to overtake other good drivers as I moved up to the leaders. The truck was losing grip in the corners and I worked hard to protect my position until the end of the race,” explained the driver of the #24 GMS Racing Chevrolet Silverado who was delighted with his stellar performance.

Next race – Richmond Raceway – April 17, 2021

Raphael Lessard and the NCWTS: After five (5) races in NASCAR trucks in 2019, Raphael Lessard competed in all 23 races of the NCWTS in 2020, his first full season at that level. His first 10 races of 2020 served him well as he worked hard with a professional team, and against seasoned drivers.

He learned more advanced driving techniques from these experienced drivers as well as from his spotter: learning new track quickly without a pre-race test or qualifying session, watching their driving trajectories and test new ones for himself as the track changes over the course of the race, managing downforce and turbulence, overtaking more effectively and protecting your position in the race, adapting to handling defects and adjusting his driving during a run, communicating effectively with the team during a run to describe any problems, managing front/rear braking distribution during a run, managing tire wear to optimize their performance at the end of the race and working in unison with team members during a pit stop.

The effects of this learning were clearly visible over the second half of the 2020 season, as Raphael Lessard caught and worked his way to the leaders several times to put himself in a position to win, as he did at Talladega, and accumulating four top-5 and seven top-10 finishes over the course of the season.

 

Tags: BristolBristol Motor SpeedwayGMS RacingNASCARNASCAR Camping World Truck SeriesNASCAR TrucksNCWTSracingRaphael Lessardstock car racingstock cars
Share2Tweet1
Service Presse

Service Presse

You May Also Like

Dave Mathers’ Motion Motorsport Report – May 31 2023
Comments & Features

Dave Mathers’ Motion Motorsport Report – May 31 2023

May 31, 2023
Dave Mathers’ Motion Motorsport Report – May 23 2023
Comments & Features

Dave Mathers’ Motion Motorsport Report – May 23 2023

May 23, 2023
Cornwall Motor Speedway set to start its 54th season of racing
Press Releases

Cornwall Motor Speedway set to start its 54th season of racing

May 17, 2023
Dave Mathers’ Motion Motorsport Report – May 16, 2023
Comments & Features

Dave Mathers’ Motion Motorsport Report – May 16, 2023

May 16, 2023
Freshstone Brands joins NASCAR Pinty’s Series as official partner, contingency award sponsor
Breaking News

Freshstone Brands joins NASCAR Pinty’s Series as official partner, contingency award sponsor

May 12, 2023
NOVA SCOTIA CIRCLE TRACK SEASON OPENS SATURDAY AT SYDNEY’S BUD’S SPEEDWAY
Press Releases

NOVA SCOTIA CIRCLE TRACK SEASON OPENS SATURDAY AT SYDNEY’S BUD’S SPEEDWAY

May 11, 2023
Next Post

Ottawa CityNews 101.1 and 1310 AM Joins The Raceline Radio Network

Discussion about this post

Popular This Month

Scotia Speedworld Announces 2023 Schedule

Scotia Speedworld Announces 2023 Schedule

February 24, 2023
Dave Mathers’ Motion Motorsport Report – May 16, 2023

Dave Mathers’ Motion Motorsport Report – May 16, 2023

May 16, 2023
Flamboro Speedway Releases 2023 Schedule

Flamboro Speedway Releases 2023 Schedule

February 1, 2023

Featured Ads

Inside Track Motorsport News

From local grassroots racing to Canadian touring series and the Canucks who compete on the international stage, Inside Track Motorsport News is the leader in terms of timely, in-depth and thought-provoking coverage of the motorsports that matter to Canadians.

Corporate

  • About ITMN
  • Frequent Questions
  • Newsletter
  • Contact Us

Advertising

  • Magazine Advertising
  • Web Advertising
  • Marketplace

Magazine

  • Subscribe
  • Renew
  • Change of Address
  • Gift Subscription
  • Returns and Refunds
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms & Conditions

© 1997-2023 Inside Track Motorsport News. All Rights Reserved.
Please do not replicate images or take columns from this website for use on another without permission of the author.
Designed and developed in Adelion Studio

Subscribe
  • News
    • Breaking News
    • Press Releases
    • Results & Points
    • Industry News & Products
    • Driver & Team Releases
  • Videos
  • Galleries
  • Features
  • Streetwise
  • Current Issue
No Result
View All Result

Welcome Back!

Login to your account below

Forgot Password?

Retrieve your password

Please enter your username or email address to reset your password.

Log In

Add New Playlist

Are you sure want to unlock this post?
Unlock left : 0
Are you sure want to cancel subscription?