ROIS-RIVIERES, Que. – Last year Kevin Lacroix powered his way by Andrew Ranger on the final lap at Circuit de Trois-Rivieres to win his second race in just his fourth career start. This year the result was the same, but Lacroix provided all the power this season.
Lacroix broke the course record in qualifying in his No. 74 Bumper to Bumper/Total/Go Fast Dodge and led every lap to win the Can-Am Le 50 Tours NASCAR Pinty’s Series race on Sunday in the 47th edition of the race weekend at historic road course.
The Josten’s Rookie of the Year contender was so dominate in his first win of the year and his third of his career that the only driver to almost beat him was himself.
On Lap 48, Andrew Ranger was closing in on Lacroix moving to within five car lengths of Lacroix when Lacroix when in to Turn 8 a little too fast. Lacroix’s brakes locked and he brushed the tire barrier coming out of the turn.
Lacroix recovered to maintain his lead and win by 2.172 seconds over Ranger with Alex Tagliani third. Alex Labbe and Daniel Morad completed the top five.
Daniel Morad was sixth with Cayden Lapcevich sixth and Jeffrey Earnhardt – making his first career Pinty’s Series start – was seventh. L.P. Dumoulin came home seventh.
D.J. Kennington rebounded from starting at the rear of the field after having to fix a transmission issue to finish ninth and J.F. Dumoulin completed the top 10.
The race was slowed just twice due to caution with J.F. Dumoulin and Gary Klutt making contact on Lap 1 to end the NASCAR Next driver’s day early. The second caution flag flew on Lap 27 for an incident between Lapcevich and Simon Dion-Viens.
Ranger, who continues his impressive streak of finishing first or second in every series race held at the famed road course in Trois-Rivieres, maintains his points lead by five points over Lapcevich (331-326) with Tagliani third with 304. With the win, Lacroix moved up to fourth and Labbe is fifth.
The Can-Am Le 50 Tours will be televised on TSN on Sunday, Aug. 21, at 3 p.m. ET.
The NASCAR Pinty’s series will return to action on Aug. 20 at Riverside International Speedway in the Bumper To Bumper 300.
