By: Raphaël Lessard Racing
June 2 2019 

For The "Kennebec Triple Crown"

Vallee-Jonction, Quebec – Live from the "Claude Leclerc 150" yesterday, a race marking the return of the ACT Series American Canadian Tour to a Canadian track, Raphael Lessard announced that he will take part in the three races of the Kennebec Triple Crown (La triple couronne Kennebec). The races will be held at the Autodrome Chaudiere on June 29th, July 30th and August 17th. His #46 FRL Express | Pétro-Canada Jean-Paul Lessard et Fils will be prepared by fellow racer and car builder Bilodeau Brothers, who will also act as crew chief for the three events.

This is a return to very familiar grounds for the young Beauce driver who began his career on this quarter-mile oval with its high-banked corners. “I am happy to come back home to my extended family of fans who know me well and I fully intend to put on a great show aboard Marco Bilodeau's excellent car. In fact, Marco has already stepped out of his car to allow me to take part in a feature event. We had started last without any practice and finished on the podium, so the car is good!” said the young driver.

Already the holder of multiple victories and track records on the short oval, Raphaël Lessard will start the race as one of the favourites for victory in all three races aboard his “NASCAR Late Model” race car used for all three events. It gets better, as the Saturday, June 29th event will also feature a NASCAR Pinty’s 300-lap race which Raphael Lessard will take part in aboard a car prepared for him by Dumoulin Competition, the current champions in the NASCAR Pinty’s Series. His day’s work will thus consist of 425 laps of racing. Unphased by such a total, Raphael Lessard looks forward to the challenge and will be going for the win in both events.

In addition to participating in the three events in the Kennebec Triple Crown, Raphaël Lessard will also be on track at the Autodrome Chaudière on July 27th for "Le Langis Caron 150" (Twin 75-lap races for NASCAR Late Model NASCAR cars) as well as on July 30th in a Sportsman Dirt car (Twin 25-lap races) prepared by the Autodrome Granby | Production JR team.

“I am really happy that Raphaël Lessard is coming back to race in Quebec and especially at “His track”. He's a local boy who has been racing in senior American series over the last four seasons. The Triple Crown will bring him back to Quebec and give us all a chance to see him race against top racers from both sides of the border. I can tell you that there will be several Beaucerons like me in the stands to encourage him, and hoping to see him on the top step of the podium and promoting Quebec in the United States!" said Stefan Cliche, a member of the Board of Directors of Autodrome Chaudière.

ABOUT RAPHAEL LESSARD

Born on July 5, 2001, in Saint-Joseph-de-Beauce, Quebec, Canada, Raphael Lessard is one of the most promising prospects in North American oval racing. Raphael made his debut in stock-cars in 2013, on local tracks in the Quebec City area. His exceptional talent quickly allowed him to climb the ladder and attract the attention of David Gilliland, a former NASCAR Monster Energy Series driver and now a team owner, in 2015. An agreement then allowed Lessard to participate in the last four races of the season in the PASS North Tour Series; a Late Model series on paved ovals, at the wheel of a David Gilliland Racing team car.

In 2016, his first full-time season with Gilliland Racing, Lessard won the CARS Super Late Model Tour title with four wins, 8 top five and 9 top ten in his No. 99 Toyota Camry, and thus becoming the youngest Canadian driver to win a major stock car series title in the United States. Since 2016, Lessard has been part of the Toyota Racing Development (TRD) prestigious driver development program. To date, he is the only Canadian to have been recruited into this program.

2018 - 16 races - Super Late Model with Kyle Busch Motorsports

· Two wins, seven top-5s and 13 top-10s

· Wins the U.S. Short Track Nationals race at Bristol Motor Speedway

· Wins the Red Bull 400 at Anderson Speedway

· Leads 60 laps at the famous Snowball Derby in December, before a mechanical problem puts him out of the race with only six (6) laps to go.

2017 - Competed in 20 Super Late Model races and two ARCA series races

· Two wins and eight top-5 finishes in the Super Late Model category

· A top-10 from two races in the ARCA series

· Voted the most popular driver in North America by Speed51.com

· Voted as one of the top 10 drivers to watch in 2017 by Speed51.com

· Named by Speed51.com Short Track Power Ranking as 7th best driver in the United States

2016 - Participated in 10 races

· CARS Super Late Model Series Champion

· Youngest Canadian driver to win a prestigious stock-car series in the United States

· Four wins, eight top-5s and nine top-10s in 10 races

ABOUT FRL EXPRESS Inc.

F.R.L. Express Inc. is a general transportation company founded in 2004 by François Lessard. Its main field of activity over the last 15 years is general transport in closed trailers over short and long distances in Canada and the United States. FRL currently have about 50 employees in addition to about ten tow carriers. FRL owners are proud of the progress made in recent years thanks to the FRL team members and wishes to continue on this positive note. “Our employees, customer service and satisfaction are our priorities. We are all proud to be partners in the success and achievements of our son Raphael Lessard,” state the proud parents.

ABOUT BILODEAU BROTHERS

Founded in 2003 in the family garage in Sainte-Marie de Beauce, the Bilodeau Brothers Racing Team competed in various categories on all paved ovals in Quebec since then. The team can count on Crew Chief Germain Gosselin, who has worked for ARCA and NASCAR teams in the United States. Since 2015, the team has focused on a development program of its NASCAR Late Model cars, having achieved several podium finishes along the way, as well as winning the ACT 2016 Rookie Championship and a first victory in 2017.