Autodrome St. Eustache Returns
Quebec Home Track Part Of Whelen All-American Series In ’14
DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. — Quebec is home to some of the most passionate motorsports fans in the world and they’ll once again be treated to exciting NASCAR Whelen All-American Series action this year.
Autodrome St. Eustache and NASCAR recently announced the track will join the series in 2014. The .4-mile oval will crown NASCAR track champions and Division I competitors at the track will contend for the NASCAR Whelen All-American Series Quebec championship.
“We’re very pleased to be back under the NASCAR umbrella,” said Alan Labrosse, track owner and president. “Our drivers, teams and sponsors are extremely pleased to be part of the official NASCAR Home Track of Quebec.”
The Sportsman class will be NASCAR Division I in which Jean-Francois Bouvrette claimed the 2013 track championship. Sports-Compact cars are set for NASCAR Division II that had Patrick Boucher as the champion in 2013. Stephan Aubin is the defending champion of the Mini Legends that will be NASCAR Division III.
The track will race on Saturday nights from May through September with the 2014 season opener scheduled for May 24.
“We’re delighted to renew and expand our relationship with Alan Labrosse and Autodrome St. Eustache,” said Kevin Nevalainen, NASCAR senior manager, weekly racing operations. “Autodrome St. Eustache has a passionate group of fans and participants. They’ll add strength to the NASCAR Whelen All-American Series’ presence in Canada.”
Autodrome St. Eustache returns to the series after a three-year hiatus and a NASCAR championship will be decided on the .4-mile oval. The speedway was part of the Whelen All-American Series from 2004 to 2010. It also hosted the NASCAR Canadian Tire Series 2008-10 and Canada’s top racing series returned to action there in 2013.
Autodrome St. Eustache brings the NASCAR Whelen All-American Series to a third Canadian province and the expansive Montreal market. Montreal’s metropolitan area encompasses the city of St. Eustache with a population of more than 3.8 million people, according to census figures.
Other Canadian NASCAR Whelen All-American Series tracks include Edmonton (Alberta) International Raceway, a quarter-mile asphalt oval and Barrie (Ontario) Speedway, a third-mile asphalt tri-oval.
Past NASCAR Whelen All-American Series Division I champions at Autodrome St. Eustache include Jaques Laperle (2004), Guy Jubinville (2007), Jonathan Bouvrette (2005-06 and 2008-09), and most recently Steve Cote in 2010. Among them, drivers who also won NASCAR Quebec provincial championships included Jubinville (2007), Bouvrette (2008-09) and Cote (2010).
Reigning NASCAR Canadian Tire Series champion Scott Steckly posted his third career victory at the track when the series returned in July 2013 after recording wins there in 2008 and 2009. Other series wins at St. Eustache were claimed by Dave Whitlock (2009) and D.J. Kennington (2010).
The Quebec oval track opened in 1965. A 1.1-mile road course was added in 1977 and an eighth-mile dragway was added in 1983. The track website is www.autodrome.ca.
Autodrome St. Eustache is the fourth track to join the NASCAR Whelen All-American Series for the 2014 season. Airborne Park Speedway in Plattsburgh, N.Y., and East Carolina Motor Speedway in Robersonville, N.C., are new additions while Utica-Rome Speedway in Vernon, N.Y., returned to the series.
NASCAR-licensed Division I drivers are eligible to compete for NASCAR Whelen All-American Series championships and special awards at the track, state/provincial and national level. NASCAR special award programs are also available for support division drivers.
Late Model driver Lee Pulliam, 24, of Semora, N.C., won the NASCAR Whelen All-American Series national championship for the second straight season in 2013.
Connecticut-based Whelen Engineering is the series’ title sponsor and is a leading manufacturer of automotive, aviation, industrial and emergency vehicle lighting. NASCAR tracks and pace cars across North America are among the many showcases for Whelen products.
Sources: Paul Schaefer/NASCAR PR