Following an excellent day of SuperPole Qualifying, the action resumed on Friday in Mont-Tremblant with the first two rounds of heat races for all classes participating in the 2014 ASN Canada FIA Canadian Karting Championships in Quebec.
With karts going wheel to wheel for the first time this week, it was an excitement filled day of action with an excellent preview of what is to come throughout the rest of the weekend.
Briggs & Stratton Senior
Heat A vs. B
Reigning Briggs & Stratton Senior National Champion Jean Francois Lafontaine (KMS North America/Birel) went flag to flag in the first Briggs & Stratton Senior heat after he was able to pull away from a heated battle for second position in the early going of the heat. Simon Bellanger (SH Racing/FA Kart) was next to pull away from the field as once he took second away from teammate Steven Szigeti (SH Racing/FA Kart), Bellanger set sight on catching Lafontaine out front but wasn’t able to make a move once he caught the leader in the final laps.
Szigeti had his hands full with Curtis Fox (Maranello North America/Maranello), Darryl Timmers (PRO/Intrepid), and Michael Glaze (DMR/FA Kart) as the racing mid-pack had the crowd on their feet. At the half way point of the race Fox received a big push from behind allowing him to drive along side Szigeti going into the hairpin, but contact between the two would make Fox react and spin off. This also created a serious mix up in the pack with drivers jockeying for position for the remainder of the race. Once the dust settled Lafontaine cruised to the win ahead of Bellanger, Kyle Edgar (REM/Birel), Timmers, and Hugo Mousseau (SH Racing/FA Kart).
Heat C vs. D
Like her brother in the first heat, Amelie Lafontaine (KMS North America/Birel) started in heat C vs D ahead on the pole-position. But Lance Stroll (SH Racing/FA Kart) took the lead away from Lafontaine on the second lap and the two paired up to drive away to the finish. Behind them it was a three kart battle for third as Tommy Lemaire Ouellet (PSL/CRG), Charlotte Lalonde (LCQ/Margay), and Maxime Couturier (SC Performance/TonyKart) were heated. Lalonde was in third a majority of the race however in the final laps Lemaire and then Couturier would get by the driver out of Quyon. Stroll won the race but he was awarded a one position penalty following the heat moving Lafontaine to first as Lemaire snagged the third spot at the line.
Heat A vs. C
Jean Francois Lafontaine once again had a flag to flag victory in his second heat of the day as he was pushed all the way by Szigeti who did make a move for the lead but lost it less than a corner later when Lafontaine criss-crossed on him. Behind them there was a seven-kart battle for third, including Timmers, Lalonde, Abby Bolton (CRG), Alex Healy (DMR/FA Kart), Pearce Herder (Karts & Parts/Awesome), Michael Adams (PSL Moncton/CRG) and Gerald Caseley (PSL Moncton/CRG) as the racing was really intense behind the leaders. On the final lap Bolton tried to get by Lalonde with a push from Timmers however contact slowed down the three drivers and sent Kyle Edgar way off track to avoid the slowed karts. This helped Herder move up to third ahead of Healy and Lalonde who had the best recovery.
Heat B vs. D
Stroll took the holeshot going into the first corner in the final heat on Friday with Jonathon Treadwell (K&K) pushing him from behind with Belanger and Fox slotting into third and fourth. They stayed aligned until Treadwell attempted a pass on Stroll for first but the Ferrari Academy Driver countered right away bringing Bellanger right with him. With Stroll in the lead, Bellanger pushed him to the finish taking the one-two finish. Michael glaze had a good run climbing up to third ahead of Fox and Treadwell as the final lap saw a flurry of action behind the lead two.
**Our points standings do not factor in the qualifying points.
