For the second year in a row at the Canadian Open, Alexis Baillargeon has dominated the Rotax Micro/Mini category in Mont-Tremblant and earned an invite to the Rotax Max Challenge Grand Finals.
From the drop of the green flag, Baillargeon got a nice launch to hold the lead through the opening lap while the field of 23 drivers chased.
There was an early scrap for second place between Eddy Kennedy (TRT/Parolin), Olivier Mrak (BCR/BirelART), Christian Papp (VSR/LN Kart) and Antoine Lemieux (PSL/BirelART) and that allowed Baillargeon to gain an early gap.
On lap four, the battling continued but now for third as Kennedy had broken free from the pack and Lucas Deslongchamps (BCR/BirelART) joined the action after running wide at the start of the race exiting corner two.
While the front two drivers had checked out, the race to watch was for third as Deslongchamps was working his way through the pack. While going for fifth, contact with Bronson Hetherington (Premier/Kosmic) sent him for a spin and caught the eyes of the officials for Deslongchamps, but he powered on.
By lap nine, Deslongchamps was on the bumper of Mrak and he pounced at the end of the straight to put himself into a podium position.
Completing the final few laps the front three remained unchanged as Baillargeon secured the win over Kennedy, who got the gap down to 1.1 seconds, while Deslongchamps crossed in third.
Mrak was able to separate himself from the race for fifth to finish fourth while Lemieux, Papp, Jackson Lachapelle (BCR/BirelART) and Brandon Londono (HMPropela/Kart Republic) mixed it up right to the finish.
Post-race, a penalty was accessed to Deslongchamps for contact, elevating Mrak onto the podium alongside Baillargeon and Kennedy, followed by Lemieux and Lachapelle.