Two podiums for TwoFast Racing at Mosport!

Montréal, June 17, 2008 – The TwoFast Racing team got two podium finish at the Mosport Raceway on June 14th and 15th, in the third round of the Castrol Canadian Touring Car Championship, hence confirming its position at the head of the Championship.

After the qualifications Saturday morning, Éric Leblanc, driver of the Mazda # 40, started the afternoon race from the third position, behind Anthony and André Rapone, quite an encouraging position. Unfortunately, after only a few laps, Leblanc was forced to abandon the race, since his engine died. “Although we had experienced many difficulties since the beginning of the season, the team was not discouraged by this additional problem. The mechanics worked really hard to fix the car so that I could be back on the starting grid the following day“, explains Leblanc.

Leblanc and TwoFast Racing team’s determination and efforts paid off on the Sunday afternoon. Leblanc made a spectacular recovery from the very last position to the second one. However, a problem with the gear box slowed down his efforts and led him slightly out of the track, which allowed his partner Christian Raymond to pass him and gain a position. Still, Leblanc finished the race in the third position. “I’m a very pleased with my performance. The gear box really caused me difficulties every time I passed the turn number 5. It impaired my concentration and Christian took advantage of a small mistake I eventually made. This season’s beginning has been psychologically tough on the team and I, we needed such a result to stay focused and motivated. I am very confident for the remaining of the season“, confides Leblanc.

As for Christian Raymond, driver of the Mazda car # 04, the qualifications went well, positioning him in the fifth spot for the Saturday race departure. And what race it was : continuously fighting with the two Rapone’s Acura, Raymond lost twice the control of his car in the famous turn number 2 – without hitting anyone – and overtook many cars, including a memorable moment in the turn number 1, where he moved from the third to the first position. “It was a very exciting race Saturday, with a lot of passing. My concentration was excellent and I had to remain quite calm in the turn number 2, where frankly I really did not want to lose the control of my car!”, says Raymond. It’s finally in the second position, behind Réjean Vincent, that Raymond crossed the finish line.

The final race of the week-end gave Raymond the opportunity to consolidate his position at the head of the Championship. Starting from the very first position since the driver Vincent did not compete on the Sunday, Raymond moved to the second position after a few laps and then to the third when his partner Éric Leblanc passed him while he was slightly going out of the raceway. However, a few minutes later, it was Leblanc’s turn to slightly go out of the track and Raymond gained back the second position in front of him, where he finished the competition. “I am pleased by this week-end for two reasons: first, this podium gives me a comfortable length ahead in the Championship, and second, Eric’s results are in line with the incredible efforts of our team. It’s good for our morale!”, states Raymond.

The Twofast Racing team will be dedicating the coming weeks to preparing the July 11-13 competition that is to take place in Mirabel, region where the pilot Christian Raymond was born.

Christian Raymond and Éric Leblanc want to thank their mechanics who again maximized the cars’ performances and fixed an engine in a record time : Yves Bédard, head of the team and chief mechanic, as well as Alexandre Boiteau, Benoît Brazeau, Dominique Brazeau and Mathieu Ouellette. TwoFast Racing also wants to express its gratitude towards its driver, François Ouellette, and its precious sponsors, the Québec Mazda Dealers Association, Rythme Urbain, Rack’N’Roll, Lettrage ProVan, International AllStars and Mazdaspeed.

Visit TwoFast Racing at www.twofast.ca.
Information on the Championship is available at www.touringcar.ca.
Contact : Véronick Raymond Communications – vraymond@sympatico.ca – 514-269-7698