Serie ACT Castrol release: Allard Wins Castrol Thriller at Autodrome Chaudiere

VALLEE-JCT., QC – Late Model stock car driver Karl Allard won an exciting Luminaire Napert 150 for the Serie ACT Castrol at Autodrome Chaudiere in Vallee-Jct., QC on Saturday night.  Allard, of St-Felicien, QC, started in eighth place and was working the outside of leader Jacques Poulin at the front of the pack on lap 102 before spinning out.  Allard then restarted at the rear of the field and made his way to the front, taking the lead from Alexandre Gingras with seven laps remaining.

The win was an emotional one for Allard and his Larue Industrial Snow Blowers & Paving Equipment team, as they dedicated their win to crew chief Andre Beaudoin, who is recovering from a recent heart attack.  Allard's victory was the third of his Serie ACT Castrol career, and his first since July 2006.

Gingras, of Val-Belair, QC posted his best result of the season in second place, just ahead of Terrebonne, QC's Martin Lacombe.  Rookies Patrick Hamel of St-Edouard-de-Lotbiniere, QC and Spencer MacPherson of Carleton Place, ON earned their best finishes of the year in fourth and fifth, unofficially.

Mario Gosselin, originally of Beauce, QC and now living in Lake Wales, Florida, finished sixth ahead of hometown driver Marc-Andre Cliché of Vallee-Jct., QC.  Veteran Yvon Bedard of St-Nicolas, QC finished eighth ahead of Daniel Descoste of St-Joseph- du-Lac, QC.  Descoste led 67 laps and recovered from a spin late in the race to earn his best career finish.  Claude Leclerc of Lanoraie, QC rounded out the top ten.

Poulin, of nearby East-Broughton, QC, and former Serie ACT Castrol champion Sylvain Lacombe of Terrebonne, QC walked away uninjured from a scary-looking crash while racing for the lead on lap 104.  The two came together on the backstretch and slammed into the concrete retaining wall in Turn 3.

Twenty-three cars started the Luminaire Napert 150 with 18 running at the finish.  The race was slowed by ten cautions, and was completed in just over one hour and twelve minutes.

The Serie ACT Castrol is back in action at Autodrome Montmagny Speedway in Montmagny, QC with a doubleheader on Saturday and Sunday, August 23 and 24.  The Saturday event is a 100-lap event, rescheduled from three previous rainouts.  The Sunday event is a 250-lap race with a bonus purse attached for any competing American drivers.  For more information, call (802) 244-6963 or visit www.laserieactcastrol.com or www.acttour.com.

UNOFFICIAL RESULTS – Luminaire Napert 150 Serie ACT Castrol – Autodrome Chaudiere – Vallee-Jct., QC Saturday, August 16, 2008

(# - denotes rookie)

Pos.-Driver-Hometown
1.      Karl Allard, St-Felicien, QC
2.      Alexandre Gingras, Val-Belair, QC
3.      Martin Lacombe, Terrebonne, QC
4.      # Patrick Hamel, St-Edourard-de-Lotbiniere, QC
5.      # Spencer MacPherson, Carleton Place, ON
6.      Mario Gosselin, Lake Wales, FL
7.      Marc-Andre Cliche, Vallee-Jct., QC
8.      Yvon Bedard, St-Nicolas, QC
9.      Daniel Descoste, St-Joseph-du-Lac, QC
10.     Claude Leclerc, Lanoraie, QC
11.     Dany Ouellet, La Pocatiere, QC
12.     Remi Lebreux, Levis, QC
13.     Stephane Lecours, Lac Etchemin, QC
14.     Jonathan Desbiens, Levis, QC
15.     Stephane Durand, Quebec, QC
16.     Eric St-Gelais, St-Nicolas, QC
17.     Renaud Blais, Ste-Agathe, QC
18.     Kevin Roberge, Levis, QC
19.     Stephane Descoste, Oka, QC
20.     Jean-Francois Dery, Quebec, QC
21.     Steven Boissonneault, Lyster, QC
22.     Sylvain Lacombe, Terrebonne, QC
23.     Jacques Poulin, East-Broughton, QC

From Justin St. Louis