Montreal, October 3, 2008. – Rallye Sport Québec has the pleasure to announce today the 2009 Quebec Rally Championship calendar. Five rounds from the 2008 season have already been confirmed to return next year, in addition to the highly anticipated return of an event that has had a profound impact on the history of rallying in Quebec.
The 2008 Rally Sport Quebec season was extremely successful and an even healthier season is expected next year with an increased number of competitors and the return of the famous Rallye de Charlevoix. On February 7th the 2009 season will be launched with Maniwaki’s Rallye Val Gatinois in Haute-Gatineau. The Rallye de Falardeau, in Saguenay, will follow two weeks later as the second of two snow and ice winter events.
The Quebec Rally Championship, the only one in North America boasting events on three different surface types, will return to Sanair in the region of Montérégie on April 19th for the only 100% asphalt rally on the continent.
Round four in the calendar, the Rallye de Saguenay, takes place on June 21st, followed on August 15th by Mauricie’s Rallye Lac-aux-Sables. Ending the season will mark the return of the Rallye de Charlevoix on October 24th.
Roads used in the Quebec Rally Championship have great national and international reputations with the Rallye Val Gatinois, the Rallye Saguenay, and the Rallye de Charlevoix but it is the infamous stage roads in the Rallye Lac-aux-Sables that were part of the World Rally Championship’s Criterium du Quebec during the late 1970’s.
The Quebec Rally Championship is a series with a very unique concept. It allows for the introduction to rallying and development within the sport at high levels of competition and limited costs. Registered teams are required to use two-wheel drive compact cars with normally aspirated 2-litre engines. All rounds follow the same format with registration at the end of the day Friday and a one-pass route reconnaissance Saturday morning. Competition stages are held on Saturday afternoon and vary between a total of 100 and 150 kilometers.
One single road surface type (ice, asphalt or gravel) and one centralized service area per event enable the teams to compete in the sport with minimal resources. Participating in the Quebec Rally Championship generally requires a budget ranging from $9,000 to $12,000 per season for car maintenance, registration, accommodations, and transportation. Depending on competitors’ place of residence, only two to four vacation days may be necessary to compete in the entire championship. It is not a rarity to find teams made up of family members, couples, etc. Amongst them are lawyers, doctors, business owners, sales representatives, mechanics and students that all compete head-to-head in a thrilling and fun environment.
For all information on the Quebec Rally Championship, visit the official series website: www.couperallye.com. Pole-Position magazine’s 2008 year-in-review in photos issue is available in newsstands starting next week.
2009 Quebec Rally Championship Calendar:
Date Event Coordonnator Club Contact tel.
February 7 Rallye Val Gatinois Denyse Moisan CASLL 450 621-5253
February 21 Rallye de Falardeau Matthieu Laberge-Gagné CRS 418 590-5811
April 19 Rallye de Sanair Éric Tremblay RSQ 418 834-1023
June 21 Rallye de Saguenay Éric Tremblay RSQ 418 834-1023
August 15 Rallye de Lac-aux-Sables François Morin & Mélanie Chagnon RSQ 418 365-2229
October 24 Rallye de Charlevoix Émilie Fortin RSQ 418 439-2400
From Éric Tremblay // Quebec Rally Championship
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