PR: Ben Cooper Racing Dominates at the ECKC Opener

The Victoria Day long weekend saw the Quebec-based Ben Cooper Racing stable head to Goodwood Kartways in Stouffville, Ontario for the first round of the Eastern Canadian Karting Championship. After competing in the Florida Winter Tour earlier this season, BCR came out of the gates charging at Goodwood, taking home multiple race victories and podium appearances.

In the ultra-competitive Rotax Senior division Cedrik Lupien took both final wins to successfully start his title defense from last season. Along with Cedrik, BCR had his younger brother Samuel Lupien competing in his first Rotax Senior race weekend. Sam finished in fourth on Saturday, then joined his brother on the podium Sunday with a second place finish. Even though it’s the beginning of the season both brothers should be thick in the championship hunt come seasons end.

Cedrik Lupien  (Photo Cody Schindel/CKN)

Coming off a successful run at the winter tour this year BCR’s Ryan MacDermid was dominant at Goodwood, sweeping the weekend after taking his first National Rotax Junior victory in Saturday’s final. Joining MacDermid in the junior division were Patrick Woods-Toth and Emma Delattre. The Reigning Mini Max National Champion, Woods-Toth, impressed a lot of people in the paddock with his pace, coming home with sixth and fourth place finishes at Goodwood. Delattre continued to show signs of improvement finishing twelfth on Saturday and fourteenth on Sunday.

Chloe Chambers had a breakout weekend for the team in Mini Max taking the pole-position both days. Chambers wasn’t the only BCR driver at the front of the field this weekend as Justin Arseneau had great pace as well. On Saturday Chambers and Arseneau finished second and third. However, on Sunday the positions were reversed as Arseneau brought his BirelART machine in second while Chambers finished third however she was later relegated to eighth after taking a penalty. Dale Curran on the other hand was quick throughout the week but was marred with bad luck come race time. Surely Curran will be back at the front with his teammates at ICAR.

Chloe Chambers (Photo: Cody Schindel/CKN)

Dev Gore and Didier Carre had an up and down weekend in Rotax DD2 finishing ninth and tenth on Saturday. Gore recovered well and finished third on Sunday while Carre, on the other hand, didn’t finish after being crashed out during a top five run. In Briggs & Stratton Senior new team member Simon Belanger had a tough opening weekend for his title defense, finishing seventh on Saturday and sixteenth on Sunday.

Xavier Dorsnie also had a tough weekend in Briggs & Stratton Junior where it ended with him having a nasty accident in Sunday’s Prefinal, resulting in a broken collarbone.  Everyone at BCR wishes Dorsnie a speedy recovery and look forward to seeing him back in a kart soon.

Ben Cooper, BCR Team Manager:
“The first ECKC at Goodwood has to be the strongest team result to date. With us now joining forces with the guys from the old SH setup, Christian and Alex, it has really strengthened our team. To take double wins in Jr and Sr and to be competing for podiums in every class we compete in is a great achievement for the team. We look forward to this week at ICAR.”

Up next for BCR will be the second round of the Eastern Canadian Karting Championship at the team’s new home track at Circuit ICAR where they look to build off such a successful opening weekend.

Ben Cooper Racing is a karting team based out of Mont Tremblant and Mirabel Quebec. In 2016 the team will be competing in the Eastern Canadian Karting Championship, Coupe de Montreal, ASN Canadian National Championships and the US Open Championship. For those interested in joining Ben Cooper Racing please contact us at bencooperracing@gmail.com.