Kevin Lacroix and his Bumper to Bumper team grabbed a pair of top 10's in the NASCAR Pinty's Series return to racing. (Photo-Matthew Manor)
August 16 2020
Innisfil, Ontario - Kevin Lacroix had a chance at victory in the first round of the NASCAR Pinty’s season at Sunset Speedway but had to settle for 8th lace after a crash on the last lap. Well deserved podium in the second race of the weekend for the Bumper to Bumper team.
Sunset Speedway, based just outside of Toronto, hosted the inaugural round of NASCAR Pinty's on Saturday, August 15. Kevin Lacroix and the Bumper to Bumper team prepared for a long day with only a half-hour practice session preceding the two races: the QwickWick 125 and the Canadian Tire 125, two 125-lap events separated by a 30-minute break to allow the competitors to adjust their set up.
To determine the starting grid for the first race, drivers had to draw their order for the 2019 championship. Kevin, being the highest-ranked driver in the race, drew first...the last spot!
Starting from the last position on the grid, he didn't settle in the last place and started making his way through the field. He had the opportunity to battle on the track with almost all the Top 10 drivers, making the race all the more exciting as they were all contenders for the win. "The field was extremely strong today," said Kevin. "Almost every driver in the Top 10 could have won the race," said the driver of the #74 Bumper to Bumper / Total / PFC Brakes / Lacroix Tuning.
As usual, the end of the race was nothing short of dramatic. The race ended on a green, white, checkered flag, and Lacroix risked it all to take the win, which worked for a half lap. Finally, an accident involving several cars, including Louis-Philippe Dumoulin, Jason Hathaway, and Lacroix, followed. However, Dumoulin claimed the win, while Lacroix finished in 8th place, followed by Hathaway.
"The car was excellent, it's too bad we couldn't make it to the podium because we had excellent adjustments at the end of the race," said Kevin.
The second event, the Canadian Tire 125, went without any problems, major neutralizations, or accidents. It was a new draw that determined the starting positions, and once again, Lacroix took one of the last spots on the grid. The team worked very hard during the break to allow Kevin to get back on track after the accident on the previous race's final lap.
Taking the green flag in 12th position, he quickly made his way up to 2nd, where he stayed most of the race, feeling the pressure from Treyten Lapcevich. During the last laps, Connor James took second, leaving Kevin on the third step of the podium for his NASCAR Pinty's return. Jason Hathaway was unstoppable on the 1/3-mile Ontario track and won the event.
"I'm happy with our third position because the team did a lot of work during the break, more than I thought possible, and the car was as good as it was before. This race format makes the day very intense for everyone, but it's nice to see that even if there are no fans at the track, we are still followed on social media."
The QwickWick 125 will air on TSN on August 23 at noon, and on RDS on August 30 at 11 am. The Canadian Tire 125 will be broadcast on TSN on August 29 at 2 pm in English and on RDS on Sunday, September 6, at 11 am on RDS.
2020 Calendar
Race | Track | Result |
Race 1: August 15 | Sunset Speedway, Innisfill Ontario | 8th |
Race 2: August 15 | Sunset Speedway, Innisfill Ontario | 3rd |
Race 3: August 29 | Flamboro Speedway, Millgrove, Ontario | |
Race 4: August 29 | Flamboro Speedway, Millgrove, Ontario | |
Race 5: September 12 | Jukasa Motor Speedway, Hagersville, Ontario | |
Race 6: September 12 | Jukasa Motor Speedway, Hagersville, Ontario |
About Lacroix Motorsport
Lacroix Motorsport is a race team created in 2015 from Sylvain Lacroix and Serge Bourdeau’s idea. They wanted to race for pleasure on road tracks in the Canadian NASCAR series. After Kevin Lacroix’s first two wins, and seeing his son’s potential, Sylvain decided to participate full-time in the series. Lacroix Motorsport is not only a team in the NASCAR Pinty’s, in fact, Dany Lacroix, Kevin’s brother, also races in the STCH Cup Formula Tour 1600 in Kent Class.
Lacroix Motorsport stems from an idea and passion. By creating this team, world snowmobile champion, Sylvain Lacroix has made it a family affair.
About Bumper to Bumper
The BUMPER TO BUMPER store banner is a turnkey program for auto parts wholesalers looking for complete program support, a strong brand image and a very aggressive go-to-market approach. BUMPER TO BUMPER was introduced to the Canadian Automotive Aftermarket in 1977 and entered the Uni-Select fold in 2006. Today, over 120 auto parts stores operate in Canada under the BUMPER TO BUMPER banner.