MONTMAGNY, QC – Mario Gosselin drove to his first career Serie ACT Castrol Late Model stock car victory at Autodrome Montmagny Speedway in Montmagny, QC on Saturday. Gosselin, a Quebec native now living in Lake Wales, Florida with a career that includes superspeedway victories on the national ARCA Re/Max Series, started 15th in the 22-car field for the Montmagny 100, and led the final 27 laps of the race en route to the win.
Gosselin took the lead from 17 year-old Jonathan Desbiens of Levis, QC on lap 72, then held off former Serie ACT Castrol champion Donald Theetge of Boischatel, QC. Desbiens had a career day, leading twice for a total of 55 laps. Desbiens took the lead from polesitter Stephane Descoste on lap 3, and led until lap 44 when Karl Allard took over.
Allard, of St-Felicien, QC, was attempting to win his second consecutive Serie ACT Castrol race after taking the victory at Autodrome Chaudiere last weekend. Second-place driver Alexandre Gingras of Val-Belair, QC nudged Allard on lap 59, spinning Allard and bringing out the race’s only caution flag. Both drivers were sent to the rear of the field for the restart.
Desbiens re-took command until Gosselin worked his way past on lap 73. From there, Gosselin and Theetge pulled away to finish first and second, respectively. Dany Ouellet of La Pocatiere, QC finished a season-best third place after battling with Yvon Bedard of St-Nicolas, QC for many laps. Martin Lacombe of Terrebonne, QC finished fourth for his third-straight top-five finish. Jean-Francois Dery of Quebec, QC finished fifth.
Gingras recovered from his incident with Allard to finish sixth, unofficially, while Desbiens tied a career-best finish in seventh. Rookie Patrick Hamel of St-Edouard-de-Lotbiniere, QC finished eighth ahead of Lanoraie, QC veteran Claude Leclerc. Allard rebounded to finish tenth.
The Montmagny 100 was completed in just 36 minutes, 14 seconds. The top 14 cars finished with all 100 laps complete. The Serie ACT Castrol continues on Sunday, August 24 at Autodrome Montmagny Speedway with the Montmagny 250 at 1:00pm. For more information, call (802) 244-6963 or visit www.laserieactcastrol.com or www.acttour.com.
UNOFFICIAL RESULTS – Montmagny 100
Serie ACT Castrol – Autodrome Montmagny Speedway – Montmagny, QC
Sat., August 23, 2008
(# – denotes rookie)
Pos.-Driver-Hometown
1. Mario Gosselin, Lake Wales, FL
2. Donald Theetge, Boischatel, QC
3. Dany Ouellet, La Pocatiere, QC
4. Martin Lacombe, Terrebonne, QC
5. Jean-Francois, Dery, Quebec, QC
6. Alexandre Gingras, Val-Belair, QC
7. Joanthan Desbiens, Levis, QC
8. Claude Leclerc, Lanoraie, QC
9. # Patrick Hamel, St-Edouard-de-Lotbiniere, QC
10. Karl Allard, St-Felicien, QC
11. Yvon Bedard, St-Nicolas, QC
12. Stephane Descoste, Oka, QC
13. Kevin Roberge, Levis, QC
14. Jacques Poulin, East-Broughton, QC
15. Renaud Blais, Ste-Agathe, QC
16. Stephane Durand, Quebec, QC
17. Steven Boissonneault, Lyster, QC
18. Eric St-Gelais, St-Nicolas, QC
19. Sylvain Lacombe, Terrebonne, QC
20. # Spencer MacPherson, Carleton Place, ON
21. Daniel Descoste, St-Joseph-du-Lac, QC
22. Dany Gagnon, Levis, QC