Avondale, Quebec - A promising start that fell short... Once again, Thomas Nepveu faced mechanical issues during his NASCAR Canada race. This time, however, it was particularly heartbreaking as the young driver was in third place and had recorded the fastest lap of the race before his gas pedal failed.

 

It was Nepveu's first appearance at this event, having missed the 2023 race due to a scheduling conflict. The Oka native quickly adapted to the fast oval track, securing 8th place in practice and 6th in qualifying.

 

Driving the #24 Richelieu | Home Hardware | Cromwell Ford, Nepveu took to the track during the Pro-Line 250 held at Eastbound International Speedway. This oval, longer than Chaudière, suited Thomas’s driving style, and he quickly found his pace.

 

Early in the race, Nepveu overtook Jason Hathaway to move into 4th position, enjoying a comfortable gap for a few laps. Before the mandatory mid-race pit stop, he had dropped to 7th after a fierce battle with NASCAR Canada veteran Louis-Philippe Dumoulin.

 

Following the restart, Nepveu climbed to 3rd place, setting the race's fastest lap at the time. However, the race quickly turned into a nightmare as a mechanical failure forced him to retire with about 90 laps remaining.

 

"It was a great race, and we had an excellent car prepared by Jacombs Racing!" said Thomas after the race. "However, I am very disappointed to have suffered another mechanical failure. We could have not only hoped for our first podium in NASCAR Canada but also earned valuable championship points. Now, we turn our focus to Antigonish, a track I really like."

 

NASCAR Canada will return to the track on June 28 and 29 at Riverside Speedway in Antigonish, Nova-Scotia, as part of the Canada Day celebrations.