To finish off a fairytale season, Treyten Lapcevich captured his seventh win this year, as well as the 2023 NASCAR Pinty's Series championship, in dominating fashion at Delaware Speedway.

With 166 laps led in the race, he amasses 1,149 total led during this season, breaking the series record set by his team owner Scott Steckly in 2015 (1090 laps).

The only driver who looked like they had the speed to compete with the No. 20 was teammate and pole-sitter, Kyle Steckly.

The two battled back and forth during the opening laps of the race, with Steckly firmly gaining the lead on lap 25.

However, only 98 laps into the race the No. 22 dropped from the lead and immediately went down pit road with a rear suspension issue. After many tries, the team was unable to the problem, and Steckly was forced to retire from the race.

From there, Lapcevich held onto his lead except for one lap, where on a restart, D.J. Kennington briefly took the lead.

Finishing in second place was the No. 80 of Donald Theetge, who was involved in a wreck on lap 129 and suffered major rear-end damage to his No. 80 Groupe Theetge/XPN Chevrolet.

After making several pit stops for repairs Theetge was able to make it into the top three, battling with D.J. Kennington, who eventually finished third, for the podium spots.

There were many notable drivers that faced problems throughout the race.

Before the race went green, it looked like the bad luck for the No. 27 of Andrew Ranger was going to continue.

Ranger and the No. 27 GM Paillé/Chevrolet Canada Chevrolet team had to pit during the warm-up laps due to a flat tire. The team quickly got Ranger back on track and he was able to rebound to a fourth-place finish.

Defending Delaware winner, Brandon Watson, faced issues while battling in the top-five and later retired from the race due to suspension issues.

Making her series debut, Amber Balcaen from Winnipeg, Manitoba, had her day end early after she was involved in an incident on lap 129 incident, and had to retire from the race.

Reigning series champion, Marc-Antoine Camirand also had his day end on lap 41 due to an engine issue.

Coming home fifth was Kevin Lacroix in his 100th career start. Alex Guenette, Thomas Nepveu, J.P. Bergeron, Dexter Stacey, and Noah Gragson rounded out the top-ten.

The Pinty’s Fall Brawl will be tape-delayed on TSN on Saturday, September 30 at 2:30 p.m. ET and on RDS in Quebec on Saturday, October 21 at 4:15 p.m. ET.

The twists and turns of Canadian Tire Motorsport Park were filled with action this past weekend.

The NASCAR Pinty’s Series was at the historic venue for its second last round of the season.

With major championship implications hinging on the results, there was a lot of pressure on the contenders throughout the weekend.

Practice
Saturday practice was an eventful session, topped by Marc-Antoine Camirand with Treyten Lapcevich right behind him.

It sets a captivating tone to the rest of the weekend, showing that both drivers have the speed to be dueling at the front come qualifying and the race.

Camirand’s 1:22.161 put him .281 seconds ahead of his championship rival and .421 quicker than Alex Labbé in third. Rookie Kyle Steckly and Andrew Ranger rounded out the top five.

The youngster put in the fourth fastest time of a 1:22.662, .025 ahead of fifth and five tenths off the top of the leaderboard.

One shock in the session was Alex Tagliani, who ended up 12th fastest and was 1.530 seconds off the pace of Camirand.

Qualifying

One of the most important qualifying sessions of the year took place Saturday evening, helping set the stage for Sunday.

One hour to determine not only the field, but also set up the battle for either a title win, or one more chance in Delaware.

In the end, it was Dumoulin landing on pole ahead of Camirand and Labbé, with Lacroix and Alex Guenette rounding out the top five.

Lapcevich put himself on the back foot for Sunday, only managing to qualify in 7th, meaning he’ll have some work to do in order to seal the title, needing to beat the St. Léonard d'Aston, Que. Native by 10 or more points.

Race

The green flag dropped and there were some early battles going on between Camirand and Dumoulin with the former taking the lead off the start until the latter made a fantastic move along the outside of turn eight to move back ahead a few laps later.

The race entered a calm state around lap 12 to 13 with green flag pit stops, until a caution came out around lap 29 for a stalled vehicle on the back straightaway.

Racing got back underway on lap 37, but the field didn’t even complete one lap before the engine on Ranger’s Chevrolet let go, spreading oil throughout turn 10, which caused the crashes of Gary Klutt and Wallace Stacey.

This incident caused a red flag, as major cleanup of the spilled fluid and stranded racecars was needed.

When racing got back underway with eight laps to go, Lacroix took the lead from Tagliani and began to check out from the field.

But there was one driver that was determined not to make this easy for him.

Dumoulin, who restarted fifth, was on a charge with fresher tires and making moves through the field. Upon getting to second, started chunking into Lacroix’s lead at a rate of around .500 seconds a lap.

By the time the white flag came out, the two were bumper to bumper heading into turn one.

After searching for an opportunity in the first two sectors, Dumoulin made his move into turn eight, going around the outside. Lacroix held firm as the two went hot into turn nine, setting up one last shot into the final corner.

It could have been a bump and run, it could have been an opportunity to get aggressive, but that wasn’t something that happened.

Dumoulin raced clean and in the end, Lacroix hung on for the win, his first of the season.

In the post-race press conference, that last lap was a topic of conversation.

“We all want to win,” Dumoulin said to reporters. “But I want to win the proper way. In the last corner there it would have been super easy to just drive into him and get the win.”

Camirand rounded out the top three and set the series’ single season record with nine podiums and 12 top fives.

This result means the title race between he and Lapcevich goes onto the final round, where he knows it will be a tall task.

“It’s going to be hard to fight against him,” said Camirand after the race. “He’s going to be pretty good over there…we’re going to push really hard to the end, and we’ll see what we can do at Delaware.”

A strong run from D.J. Kennington sees him finish in fourth while Labbé’s up and down race was punctuated with him rounding out the top five.

The 30 year-old suffered shifter problems but then recovered to lead the most laps in the race.

Points leader Lapcevich came home in sixth, having a quiet and respectable race while keeping himself out of trouble.

He will look ahead to Delaware in order to secure his first Pinty’s Series title.

After a record-breaking season, once the green flag drops this Sunday at Delaware Speedway, Treyten Lapcevich will clinch his first NASCAR Pinty's Series Championship.

After six wins, ten top-fives, 13 top-tens, four pole awards, 983 laps led, and an average finish of 2.8, Lapcevich took the lead in race one at Sunset Speedway back in May and never once relinquished it.

Now heading into the final race of the year with a 41-point gap on the defending series champion, Marc-Antoine Camirand, Lapcevich can breathe a sigh of relief once the race is underway on Sunday.

Behind Lapcevich's championship-winning team is his father, Jeff Lapcevich, who raced in the series from 2007 to 2015, as Crew Chief and four-time series champion, Scott Steckly, as team owner.

Steckly, who claimed four owner's championships alongside his driver championship, will now claim his fifth, the most of any owner in the series.

The last driver from the province of Ontario to win the series championship was Treyten's older brother Cayden Lapcevich back in 2016.

Cayden won his championship in a battle with then-two-time champion, Andrew Ranger, and Alex Tagliani with a 54-point gap.

While the championship has been decided, in the final race of the year, Treyten has one more opportunity to extend an already record-breaking season. Should he lead 108 more laps, he will surpass the all-time laps led in a single season (Scott Steckly, 2015, 1090 laps). And should Lapcevich win the Pinty's Fall Brawl, he will match D.J. Kennington's record for the most wins in a season - seven wins, in 2012.

Brandon Watson Looks For Delaware Repeat

Last year in the season finale at Delaware Speedway, Brandon Watson claimed his win in a heated battle with Donald Theetge.

The 2022 Rookie of the Year proudly ripped off his Rookie stripe in Victory Lane last year, and now will look to repeat his success at the track.

Over the 2023, Watson has picked up a top-five finish in race two at Sutherland Automotive Speedway and six top-ten finishes. He was also a strong contender at Eastbound Int'l Speedway, leading 33 laps before his day ended early after an accident.

Theetge will look to challenge Watson for the final win of the season once again. The 56-year-old from Boischatel, Quebec has amassed a total of two top-five finishes, including a runner-up in race one at Sutherland, three top-tens, and two pole awards over seven starts.

Theetge's only win in the season came back in 2018 in the first doubleheader race in Saskatoon.

Amber Balcaen Makes Series Debut

ARCA Menards Series driver Amber Balcaen from Winnipeg, Manitoba will make her NASCAR Pinty's debut at Delaware Speedway in the No. 11 Brimstone Games Dodge prepared by the D.J. Kennington stable.

Balcaen becomes the 13th woman to make a start in the series and has made 23 starts in ARCA over the last two years, collecting seven top-tens.

Her best finish in ARCA came earlier this year in the season-opening race at Daytona International Speedway, where she finished sixth.

NASCAR Pinty's Etc.

NASCAR Driver, Noah Gragson, will make his second start in the series in the No. 30 APC / John Parts Group / Kasey Jones Racing Dodge. Gragson first made his debut in 2018 at CTMP where he finished third.
Series veteran, Kevin Lacroix, will celebrate his 100th career start this weekend at Delaware. Lacroix has amassed 18 wins, 58 top-fives, 75 top-tens, 13 pole awards, and 2800 laps led over nine years in the NASCAR Pinty’s Series and is a fan favourite this weekend.

Long-time crew chief in the NASCAR Pinty's Series, John Fletcher, will make his return in the No. 98 CURB Record Chevrolet for Bray Autosports. The last time Fletcher made a start in the series was at Autodrome Chaudiere in 2017.

Former CASCAR Super Series driver, Jesse Kennedy will also make his series debut this weekend in the No. 19 Canco/Wampun Fuels/D.A.D.S/Kennedy’s Corner Store Chevrolet.
Kyle Steckly in the No. 22 APC/Pennzoil Chevrolet and Trevor Monaghan in the No. 4 GSR/Solo Performance Exhaust are both on the entry list for the event.
The Pinty's Fall Brawl will air tape-delayed on TSN on Saturday, September 30 at 2:30 p.m. ET and Sunday, October 1 at 1:00 p.m. ET, and on RDS in Quebec on Saturday, October 21 at 4:15 p.m. ET.

Race Pinty’s Fall Brawl
Date / Start Time Sunday, September 24, 2023 / 4:30 p.m. ET.
Track / Location Delaware Speedway (Delaware, ON)
TV TSN: Saturday, September 30 @ 2:30 p.m. ET.
RDS2: Saturday, October 21 @ 4:15 p.m. ET.
Live Stream Canada: TSN+
USA: FloRacing




Nouvelles et notes de la série NASCAR Pinty's - Delaware Speedway

Après une saison record, lorsque le drapeau vert sera agité ce dimanche au Delaware Speedway, Treyten Lapcevich confirmera son premier titre en série NASCAR Pinty's.

Après six victoires, 10 top-5, 13 top-10, quatre poles, 983 tours menés et une moyenne à l’arrivée de 2,8, Lapcevich mène la course au titre sans interruption depuis la première épreuve en mai dernier au Sunset Speedway.

Le jeune pilote se présente ainsi à la dernière course de l'année avec une avance de 41 points devant le champion en titre de la série, Marc-Antoine Camirand. Lapcevich pourra pousser un soupir de soulagement, lorsque la course lancée dimanche.

Derrière l'équipe championne de Lapcevich, nous retrouvons son père, Jeff Lapcevich, à titre de chef d'équipe, qui a lui-même participé à la série de 2007 à 2015. Également le propriétaire de l'équipe, Scott Steckly, qui comptabilise quatre titres de champion et, autant à titre de propriétaire dans la série. Dimanche soir, Steckly remportera son cinquième titre de propriétaire, le plus grand nombre de la série.

Puis, Cayden Lapcevich, frère aîné de Treyten, qui est le dernier pilote ontarien à avoir remporté le titre de champion de la série (en 2016). Cayden a remporté son titre à la suite d'une lutte au fil de la saison avec Andrew Ranger – qui était alors double champion – et Alex Tagliani, avec un écart de 54 points.

Alors que le championnat 2023 a été déterminé avant la tenue de cette dernière course de la saison, Treyten peut encore ajouter des records à son palmarès. S'il mène 108 tours en course, Treyten dépassera le record de tours menés sur une saison (Scott Steckly en 2015 - 1090 tours).

De plus, s'il remporte l’épreuve "Pinty's Fall Brawl", il égalera le record de D.J. Kennington pour le plus grand nombre de victoires en une saison (sept victoires en 2012).

Brandon Watson souhaite répéter l’exploit à Delaware

L'an dernier, lors de la finale au Delaware Speedway, Brandon Watson a remporté la victoire à l'issue d'une lutte acharnée avec Donald Theetge.

Watson, recrue de l'année 2022, avait fièrement enlevé l'autocollant « recrue » de son pare-choc arrière, lors de son passage sur le podium. Il tentera d’inscrire une deuxième victoire sur ce circuit ce week-end.

En 2023, Watson a terminé dans le top-5 au Sutherland Automotive Speedway (course 2) et six fois dans le top-10. Il a également été un sérieux concurrent au Eastbound International Speedway, menant 33 tours avant qu'un incident ne mette fin prématurément à sa course.

Donald Theetge défiera à nouveau Watson pour la dernière victoire de la saison ce dimanche. Âgé de 56 ans et originaire de Boischatel, au Québec, il a terminé à deux reprises dans le top-5, incluant une deuxième position au Sutherland, trois fois dans le top-10 et deux fois en pole position en sept départs. La seule victoire de Theetge au cours d’une saison remonte à 2018, lors de la première course du programme double à Saskatoon.

Amber Balcaen fera ses débuts dans la série

La pilote de la série ARCA Menards, Amber Balcaen, originaire de Winnipeg (Manitoba) fera ses débuts dans la série NASCAR Pinty's au Delaware Speedway et sera au volant de la Dodge no11 Brimstone Games préparée par l'écurie de D.J. Kennington.

Balcaen devient la 13e femme à participer à la série et comptabilise 23 départs en ARCA au cours des deux dernières années (sept top-10). Son meilleur résultat en ARCA a été obtenu plus tôt cette saison lors de la course d'ouverture au Daytona International Speedway, au cours de laquelle elle a croisé le fil d’arrivée sixième.

NASCAR Pinty's Etc.

Noah Gragson, pilote en série Coupe NASCAR, effectuera son deuxième départ dans la série Pinty's au volant de la Dodge n°30 APC / John Parts Group / Kasey Jones Racing. Gragson avait fait ses débuts en 2018 au CTMP, où il avait terminé troisième.

Le chef d'équipe de longue date en NASCAR Pinty's, John Fletcher, fera son retour en piste dans la Chevrolet n°98 CURB Record pour Bray Autosports. Sa dernière présence en course date de 2017, à l'Autodrome Chaudière.
L'ancien pilote de CASCAR Super Series, Jesse Kennedy, fera également ses débuts ce week-end dans la Chevrolet n°19 Canco/Wampun Fuels/D.A.D.S/Kennedy's Corner Store.

Kyle Steckly dans la Chevrolet n°22 APC/Pennzoil et Trevor Monaghan dans la voiture n°4 GSR/Solo Performance Exhaust, sont tous deux inscrits pour l'événement.

Le vétéran, Kevin Lacroix, célébrera son 100e départ en carrière ce week-end à Delaware. En neuf ans de carrière dans la série NASCAR Pinty's, Lacroix a accumulé 18 victoires, 58 top-5, 75 top-10, 13 poles et 2 800 tours menés, ce qui en fait un favori des amateurs ce week-end.

Le « Pinty's Fall Brawl » sera rediffusé sur TSN le samedi 30 septembre à 14 h 30 (HAE) et le dimanche 1er octobre à 13 h 00 (HAE), ainsi que sur RDS (au Québec) le samedi 21 octobre à 16 h 15 (HAE).

Course Pinty’s Fall Brawl
Date / Départ Dimanche 24 septembre / 16 h 30 HAE
Piste / Endroit Delaware Speedway (Delaware, ON)
Télévision TSN : Samedi 30 septembre @ 14 h 30 HAE
RDS2 : Samedi 21 octobre @ 16 h 15 HAE
Diffusion en direct Canada : TSN+
États-Unis : FloRacing

The International Center of Advanced Racing or more commonly known as Circuit ICAR, is considered one of the most unique tracks on the NASCAR Pinty’s Schedule.

Located on the former Montréal–Mirabel International Airport, in Mirabel, Quebec, the track has appeared on the series’ schedule a total of nine times, separated by two stints, and three different configurations.

From 2011 to 2016, ICAR featured a 2.113-mile layout with 16 turns. Then a year later, the track was drastically shortened to a 0.684-mile map with only seven turns.

The track then disappeared from the series schedule for two years, but later returned in 2021, with a 0.994-mile, seven-turn layout.

Throughout the years and different configurations, two drivers have dominated on the airport tarmac - Andrew Ranger and Kevin Lacroix.

While the inaugural race in 2011 was won by Robin Buck, Ranger and Lacroix have established themselves as the ones to watch when the series visits the Mirabel, Quebec.

Both have four wins at the track, respectively. Ranger has competed in all nine races at ICAR, with all his wins coming on the 2.113-mile layout. Despite a 21st-place finish in the inaugural 2011 event, he has never finished worse than fifth at the track.

Lacroix on the other hand, has finished on the podium in all five of his starts, with four wins, and one third-place finish in 2016. The Saint-Eustache, Quebec native has therefore won on every ICAR configuration, with a win percentage of 80 and an average finish of 1.4.

Now, Circuit ICAR debuts a new configuration, where drivers will be challenged to a 2.295-kilometer (1.426-mile), 12-turn layout around the completely flat road course.

Largest Field at Circuit ICAR Since 2014

With 25 cars entered, this weekend’s race will feature the biggest field at Circuit ICAR since 2014 (29 cars).

Notable drivers joining the field include 2017 champion Alex Labbe driving the No. 36 Chevrolet, and three-time NASCAR Pinty’s winner Raphael Lessard driving the No. 12 Duroking Autosport/XPN Dodge for Mathieu Kingsbury.

Also joining the field are Justin Arseneau, Louis-Philippe Montour, Herby Drescher, Dave Coursol, Sam Fellows, and J.F. Laberge.

Jacques Guenette Sr. Makes Series Debut

One driver making their first career start this weekend at Circuit ICAR is Jacques Guenette Sr., grandfather to Alex Guenette, driver of the No. 3 Chevrolet.

Guenette Sr. has ten starts in the NASCAR Grand-Am Rolex Sports Car Series from 2001 to 2005, with four podium finishes in the GTS Class from 2001 to 2003.

NASCAR Pinty’s Series etc.

Alex Guenette will have a tight turn-around to get to Circuit ICAR on Saturday morning. Guenette is set to race in the NASCAR Xfinity Series race at Daytona International Speedway on Friday, August 25 at 7:30 p.m. ET in the No. 91 Evirum/BKFC Chevrolet for DGM Racing.

The Evirum 125 will air tape-delayed on TSN on Saturday, September 2 at 2:00 p.m. ET, and on RDS in Quebec on Saturday, September 23 at 2:00 p.m. ET.

Race Evirum 125
Date / Start Time Saturday, August 26, 2023 / 5:30 p.m. ET.
Track / Location Circuit ICAR (Mirabel, QC)
TV TSN: Saturday, September 2 @ 2:00 p.m. ET.
RDS2: Saturday, September 23 @ 2:00 p.m. ET.
Live Stream Canada: TSN+
USA: FloRacing

Nouvelles et notes de la série NASCAR Pinty's - Le tracé du Circuit ICAR présente une nouvelle configuration

L'International Center of Advanced Racing, mieux connu sous le nom de Circuit ICAR, est considéré comme faisant partie des circuits uniques du programme NASCAR Pinty's.

Situé sur l'ancien aéroport international Montréal-Mirabel, à Mirabel, au Québec, le circuit a figuré au calendrier de la série NASCAR Pinty’s à neuf reprises, séparées en deux étapes, et en utilisant trois configurations différentes.

De 2011 à 2016, ICAR présentait un tracé de 3.40 km (2,113 miles) avec 16 virages. Un an plus tard, la piste a été considérablement réduite, à 1,10 km (0,684 mile), et avec seulement sept virages.

Le circuit a ensuite été retiré du calendrier de la série pendant deux ans, avant de revenir en 2021, avec un tracé de 1,599 km (0,994 mile) comprenant sept virages.

Au fil des années et des différentes configurations, deux pilotes ont dominé le tarmac - Andrew Ranger et Kevin Lacroix.

Bien que la course inaugurale de 2011 ait été remportée par Robin Buck, Andrew Ranger et Kevin Lacroix se sont imposés comme favoris lorsque la série visite le circuit de Mirabel, au Québec.

Ils ont tous deux remporté quatre victoires sur ce circuit. Andrew Ranger a participé aux neuf courses à ICAR et toutes ses victoires ont été remportées sur le tracé de 2,113 miles. Malgré une 21e place lors de l'événement inaugural de 2011, il n'a jamais terminé plus loin que la cinquième place par la suite.

Kevin Lacroix, quant à lui, est monté sur le podium lors de ses cinq départs, avec quatre victoires et une troisième place en 2016. Le natif de Saint-Eustache, au Québec, a donc gagné sur toutes les configurations du circuit ICAR, avec un pourcentage de victoire de 80 % et une moyenne de 1,4 à l’arrivée.

Aujourd'hui, ICAR inaugure une nouvelle configuration, où les pilotes devront relever le défi d'un tracé de 2,295 kilomètres (1,426 miles) et de 12 virages autour d'un circuit routier entièrement plat.

Le plus grand nombre d’inscrits au circuit ICAR depuis 2014

Avec un peloton de 25 voitures inscrites, la course de ce week-end présentera le plus grand peloton au circuit ICAR depuis 2014 (29 voitures). Parmi les pilotes qui se joindront aux réguliers de la série, mentionnons le champion 2017 Alex Labbé au volant de la Chevrolet no36, et celui qui a remporté trois courses en série NASCAR Pinty's, Raphaël Lessard, qui sera au volant de la Dodge no12 Duroking Autosport/XPN pour Mathieu Kingsbury.

Justin Arseneau, Louis-Philippe Montour, Herby Drescher, Dave Coursol, Sam Fellows et Jean-Frédéric Laberge se joindront également au peloton.

Jacques Guénette sénior fera ses débuts dans la série

Jacques Guénette sénior, grand-père d'Alex Guénette (pilote de la Chevrolet no3), prendra son premier départ en carrière en série NASCAR Pinty’s ce week-end au circuit ICAR.

Guénette sénior comptabilise dix départs en série NASCAR Grand-Am Rolex Sports Car de 2001 à 2005, dont quatre podiums en classe GTS de 2001 à 2003.

La série NASCAR Pinty’s etc.

Alex Guénette devront rapidement s’adapter au nouveau tracé du Circuit ICAR samedi matin, depuis qu’il participera à une ronde de la série NASCAR Xfinity au Daytona International Speedway la veille, le vendredi 25 août à 19 h 30 HAE.

La course « Evirum 125 » sera rediffusée sur TSN, le samedi 2 septembre à 14 h 00 HAE, et à RDS au Québec, le samedi 23 septembre à 14 h 00 HAE.

Course Evirum 125
Date / Départ Samedi 26 août / 17 h 30 HAE
Piste / Endroit Circuit ICAR (Mirabel, QC)
Télévision TSN : Samedi 2 septembre @ 14 h 00 HAE
RDS2 : Samedi 23 septembre @ 14 h 00 HAE
Diffusion en direct Canada : TSN+
États-Unis : FloRacing