Trois-Rivières, Quebec – It was a challenging but ultimately satisfying weekend for Steve Côté, who finished in 9th place at the Grand Prix de Trois-Rivières. The NASCAR Canada series hit the streets of Trois-Rivières for this prestigious race, a marquee event that attracts thousands of spectators from all over Québec.

 

Steve Côté, driving the #29 Evirum/BKFC car prepared by Allrem Racing, took on the urban track for the first time this weekend. Navigating the twist and turns of this legendary circuit amidst 30 other cars made for a difficult task. He approached the Practice session cautiously, posting the 28th fastest time.

 

"My goal was to learn the track," explained Steve Côté. "I had never driven here before, and since we couldn’t practice beforehand, I had to make the most of Saturday afternoon’s session. However, we were already experiencing engine issues."

 

Unfortunately, the Allrem Racing team were plagued by mechanical issues, forcing the mechanics to change the engine on Saturday night. As a result, Côté did not participate in the Qualifying session, while his teammates rushed to Mirabel to fetch a replacement engine.

 

"I’m proud of the team," said Jonathan Côté, the team manager. "Everyone worked swiftly and collaboratively to ensure we could get back on track for Sunday."

 

Starting from the back of the grid, Steve Côté took on the 60-lap race on Sunday afternoon. Though the starting position was disappointing, Steve demonstrated resilience in the face of the challenge.

 

"No driver wants to start from the back, especially in a race where 31 cars are competing on such a tight circuit. However, we had a good strategy, so I got to work and climbed up the field with the goal of finishing in the Top 10."

 

And that’s exactly what he did, as Côté began his ascent right from the green flag. It was a race filled with action and multiple cautions. The driver of the #29 car took advantage of the restarts to gain ground on his competitors.

 

In the end, he finished in 9th place after this intense race, which ended in NASCAR overtime. "I’m happy with my 9th place. It was a tough but satisfying race. Everything came together at the end with the two cautions we had. We managed to get the Lucky Dog after two attempts. Everyone is pleased!"

 

Allrem Racing was particularly excited to welcome BKFC fighter and Quebec-native Jade Masson-Wong on Sunday for the race. While Côté battled it out on the track, she is focused on her upcoming fight in Salt Lake City on September 6.

 

The next NASCAR Canada event will be at Delaware Speedway in Ontario on August 17. Find Allrem Racing’s race schedule here.

 

Allrem Sports & Entertainment, a company of Allrem group of companies, is the powerhouse behind all sports and entertainment endeavors within the Allrem group of companies, with a strategic focus on ensuring optimal business development, brand awareness, and marketing opportunities for the entire Allrem group of companies and its partners.

 

Through the collective power of its diverse subsidiaries (Allrem Racing, BKFC, Les Pétroliers du Nord), Allrem Sports & Entertainment delivers unparalleled value to its sponsors and the Allrem group of companies. We provide our partners with business development opportunities,  corporate hospitality programs, targeted brand awareness initiatives and innovative sponsorship activations. We ensure that all our partners receive maximum exposure and tangible returns on their investment to meet their objectives. Learn more at  allremsae.com

 

Evirum,  part of the Allrem group of companies,  is a Canadian residual materials management brokerage  offering eco-responsible solutions across North America to minimize environmental impact and promote recycling and other innovative practices. Evirum is committed to providing companies, events and industries with the best sustainable practices and services. Learn more at evirum.com

 

Bare Knuckle Fighting Championship (BKFC), the World's Fastest Growing Combat Sports Promotion, in which Allrem is a shareholder, is the first entity sanctioned to hold regulated bare-knuckle events in the United States since 1889. BKFC is based in Philadelphia (PA)  and headed by President and Founder David Feldman. Learn more at  bkfc.com

 

Edmonton, Alberta - In his official Team NPP debut in Edmonton, Josh Shuflada recorded back-to-back 5th place finishes in the Friday and Saturday night Features at Rad Torque Raceway. “Two top-5 finishes, I really can’t complain,” exclaims the Edson, Alberta driver, “car is all in one piece. There is zero damage.” 

 

Shuflada kicked off Friday night’s action with a 3rd place finish in his first Heat race of the night. In the second Heat, Shuflada pulled off early due to apparent overheating problems. “The temperature gauge was pinned. I didn’t want to take any chances.” It turned out the temperature gauge was malfunctioning. 

 

His crew also discovered a broken ball joint which was quickly repaired. “The track was really rough (Friday). Saturday was really slick. I couldn’t get any traction to the ground.” Traction issues plagued the Team NPP driver in the Friday and Saturday Features.

 

On both nights Shuflada spun on the opening laps of the Features and had to go to the back of the pack. With 14 strong Super Stock teams in the field, getting back to the front was no easy task. “The car ran really well but I was overpowering the track." 

 

Shuflada finished 2nd in his first Saturday night Heat race but spun in the second Heat and finished 4th. "Next time I come here I’ll changed up the gears.” Shuflada has now competed in nine Feature events in the Team NPP #81 Dodge since his official debut last September in Clearwater, British Columbia. Shuflada has recorded 4-wins. 

 

“We’ve been doing real well so I can’t complain. I’m having fun!” Shuflada now returns to a track where he made his official racing debut. “My very first race was in Rimbey last year (raced the #4 Dodge/finished 5th).

 

My dad (Terry) is going to make his racing debut in the same car.” The 2024 Duel in the Dirt at Central Alberta Raceways runs Saturday and Sunday, August 17th and 18th. Once again Shuflada will be making his official Team NPP debut at this track in the #81 Dodge.

 

DJ Kennington, driver of the #17 Castrol EDGE Dodge, showcased his resilience and racing prowess in the NASCAR Canada Series this past Sunday at the Grand Prix of Trois-Rivières. Despite a challenging race marked by on-track contact, Kennington powered through to secure an impressive fifth-place finish.

 

Kennington demonstrated strong pace early in the weekend, showing speed during practice and backing it up with a solid qualifying effort, securing the 7th starting position on the grid. As the race unfolded, Kennington quickly moved up the field, positioning himself among the frontrunners.

 

However, a mid-race incident set Kennington back, forcing him to relinquish his position and drop further down the field. Undeterred, the seasoned driver and his team made a strategic call during a later caution period, opting to pit for fresh tires, setting the stage for a fierce comeback.

 

With renewed momentum, Kennington charged through the pack, picking off competitors one by one. His determination and skill were on full display as he maneuvered the #17 Castrol EDGE Dodge back into contention, ultimately crossing the finish line in fifth place.

 

Kennington's performance at Trois-Rivières also boosts him to fifth in the overall championship standings.

 

DJ Kennington Quotes:   "We had a strong car all weekend, and I’m proud of the effort by the whole Castrol team. The contact was totally unnecessary and set us back, we were continuing to move forward. But we made the right call to pit for fresh tires, and I had to really battle in the late stages, so we’ve got a few other bruises.  It was a tough race, but we never gave up."

 

DJ Kennington and the Castrol Edge Dodge team are back in action Saturday, August 17th at Delaware Speedway near London, Ontario. 

 

 

The Grand Prix of Trois-Rivieres will be broadcast on TSN, Saturday August 17th at 1:30PM and Sunday August 18th at 12:30PM. All races are streamed live on TSN+ and through FloRacing in the United States. 

 

 

Race fans can follow DJ Kennington and the #17 Castrol Edge Dodge team on their official social media platforms:

 

Twitter            www.twitter.com/@djkracing>

Instagram      www.instagram.com/djkracing

Website          www.djkracing.ca

Trois-Rivières, Quebec - Marc-Antoine Camirand claimed top honors in the 60-lap Rousseau Métal race presented by Richard & Co. in collaboration with Prolon Controls, securing his second consecutive victory in the streets of Trois-Rivières.

 

The weekend's festivities kicked off with the highly anticipated hauler parade downtown Trois-Rivières, where Paillé Racing unveiled the cars of Andrew Ranger and Marc-Antoine Camirand, featuring a special livery honoring the Canadian Armed Forces.

 

On Saturday, Marc-Antoine Camirand was dominant during the Practice and Qualifying sessions. He set the fastest time in Practice aboard his No.96 GM Paillé Chevrolet, beating local driver Jean-François Dumoulin in the No.04 Omnifab/Bernier Crepeau/Bellemare Dodge by 0.308 seconds.

 

Later in the afternoon, Camirand once again showed dominence, clocking a time of 1:06.962. Kevin Lacroix, driving the No.74 NAPA Racing Dodge, posted the second-fastest time, while Alex Tagliani in the No.80 St. Hubert/BFL/ArobasPersonel/Repentigny Chevrolet and Andrew Ranger in the No.27 GM Paillé Chevrolet qualified in third and fourth places, respectively.

 

On Sunday, in front of a record crowd, Camirand started the 60-lap Rousseau Métal race in pole position. However, Tagliani took the lead, capitalizing on Camirand's off-track excursion following contact with Lacroix. The NAPA Racing driver then took control of the race, much to Tagliani's dismay, who suffered mechanical issues that dashed his hopes of a fourth victory in the streets of Trois-Rivières.

 

Camirand fought back, thrilling the crowd as he climbed from seventh place to second, putting pressure on Lacroix, who was still leading the race. The two drivers even made contact, but the positions remained unchanged.

 

As the race reached its halfway point, Camirand regained the lead after the restart, winning the Freshstone Midway Leader Award. Behind him, Lacroix clung to his rear bumper, while Andrew Ranger, JF Dumoulin, and D.J. Kennington in the No.17 Castrol Edge/Brimstone Games/CIM Metals Dodge were locked in a fierce battle.

 

A dramatic twist occurred on lap 45 when Kevin Lacroix was forced to retire due to mechanical issues following a pit stop.

 

True to its reputation, the streets of Trois-Rivières provided a relentless spectacle in the final laps. A caution was brought out late in the race when Thomas Nepveu experienced transmission problems in his No.24 Richelieu / Cromwell / Home Hardware Ford. Camirand was in the lead during the restart, with a pack of victory-hungry drivers behind him, including Ranger, Jean-François Dumoulin, Alex Guénette, and Alex Labbé.

 

Jason Hathaway hit the wall with four laps remaining, triggering a lengthy caution. As the race seemed destined for overtime, another accident occurred in Turn 2 involving Alex Guénette, Jean-François Dumoulin, and Louis-Philippe Dumoulin. Guénette and J-F Dumoulin made contact, sending the driver of the No.39 Casino Grand Royal Wolinak/DLGL/GLEA Chevrolet into the wall, taking J-F Dumoulin with him. Louis-Philippe Dumoulin couldn't avoid the pileup.

 

What was supposed to be the final restart, launched on lap 65, turned chaotic once again as Andrew Ranger ran out of fuel before the green flag was even waved, causing a multi-car pileup. This led to another caution and created a problem for the remaining cars on track, many of which were low on fuel.

 

Finally, the race ended in dramatic fashion. At the start of the 70th lap, Camirand took the final restart, pulling away from the pack. Alex Labbé secured second place, while Raphaël Lessard, driving the No.7 Lions d'Trois-Rivières/Spire Motorsports Chevrolet, finished third, just ahead of LP Dumoulin in what was a photo finish.

 

"We were patient, we had a good car," said Camirand. "At the start, the No. 74 pushed me, but I didn't panic. We gradually came back and saved everything for the end, even though we were running low on fuel. We ran out of gas on the last lap as we crossed the finish line! I was eager for it to end, especially during the final restarts, as we had pitted very early. When I asked my crew chief if we had enough fuel, his answer wasn't very reassuring. But I had a good gap on the last lap, so I eased off a bit."

 

"It was an emotional day," said Alex Labbé. "We were caught in every accident, so the car was heavily damaged. There was oil leaking onto the tires and windshield. My car didn't want to turn, and I couldn't see anything. I didn't think we'd bring it home in second place today. I'm happy; the car was running well despite engine problems during the race."

 

Lessard explained, "It was a very good race. I tried to take care of the car the whole way. We didn't have the best car; we struggled with grip. But I managed the fuel well. We pitted before everyone else, and most of those who pitted after us ran out of gas. I kept turning the engine off during yellow flags to save fuel. It was time for it to end! My car didn't have a scratch until two turns from the finish when someone decided to climb over me, but I didn't let them pass!" Lessard won the Urban Challenge race on Saturday and then finished third at Autodrome Chaudière on Saturday night in ACT, returning by helicopter just in time to participate in the event.

 

The next NASCAR Canada race will be on the Ontario oval at Delaware Speedway on August 17.