Canadian Tire SuperPole Thursday Displays Supreme Competition to Kickoff Canadian Championships

The competition at the ASN Canada FIA Canadian Karting Championships officially kicked off as Canadian Tire SuperPole Thursday stormed onto the Jim Russell Karting Academy facility in Mont-Tremblant, Quebec. Although the weather appeared to be concerning, Mother Nature managed to keep the rain away and allow all competitors to qualify under dry and overcast conditions.

The new format for this years Canadian Championships had many slightly pondering the SuperPole format entering the day. But by days end they were convinced following the hour-long excitement filled SuperPole sessions that really pushed drivers to hit their marks.

Following the round of qualifying sessions for all classes, the top-six drivers in each category returned to the grid for their SuperPole sessions. Separated on track in equal distances, drivers were forced to put their fastest individual lap in a green-white-checkered, two-lap session. Keeping everyone trackside on their feet, the sessions saw some classes completely shakeup the top-six positions, while others remained stationary.

Here is a recap of Canadian Tire SuperPole Qualifying:

| Qualifying Results | Photo Gallery 1 |

Olivier Bedard Blasts to Rotax Senior SuperPole

There was a new name on the top of the time sheets following the first round of Qualifying as Olivier Bedard (PSL/CRG) bested Zachary Claman DeMelo (ZCD-Goodwood/Intrepid), who was the odds on favourite entering the weekend. Kevin Monteith (REM/Birel), Marco Signoretti (Energy Kart Canada/Energy Kart), Coltin McCaughan (CKN-SH Racing/FA Kart) and Zacharie Scalzo also advanced into the SuperPole, while Anthony Tolfa (TonyKart), Tommy Lemaire-Ouellet (PSL/CRG), Kieren Oxley (REM/Birel) and Maxime Couturier (SC Performance/TonyKart) were on the outside looking in.

When the karts returned to the track for SuperPole, Bedard through down an immediate flyer to close out lap one with the lead. As drivers managed their way around the circuit for lap two, nobody was able to better Bedard’s time, earning him the Canadian Tire SuperPole. DeMelo maintained his second position while Signoretti and McCaughan hopped over Monteith as Scalzo completed the SuperSix.

Photo by: Cody Schindel/CKN

Fast Time for Austin Bisschop in Junior Briggs

As the second group on track for their SuperPole session, Briggs & Stratton Junior had some big shoes to fill following the excitement of Rotax Senior.

In the Fast Six courtesy of the qualifying session were: Roman DeAngelis (Birel), Austin Bisschop (Birel), Xavier Dorsnie (KMS/Birel), Joshua Conquer (TonyKart), Andre Fiorini (K&K Kart) and Alex Murphy (CRG).

With the support of a drafting partner, Briggs drivers were forced to really show their true speeds in the two-lap shootout. Overtaking DeAngelis with his finally flier, Bisschop stormed the SuperPole with DeAngelis falling back to second. Conquer advanced up to third and Murphy up to fourth, while Dorsnie and Fiorini fell down to fifth and sixth.

David Anderson the Fastest Briggs & Stratton Master

As 28 drivers have entered the Briggs & Stratton Masters class this weekend, it is the second largest category on track behind it’s predecessors, Briggs Senior.

Qualifying was extremely tight as David Patrick (DMR/FA Kart) and David Anderson (Goodwood/Intrepid) were only 0.001 seconds apart to top the initial session, while British Columbia’s Blake Choquer (BBR/Birel) was third. Keith Barrick (K&K Kart), Eric Beltrami (CRG) and Kyle Aulenback (K&K Kart) completed the Fast Six, with Steve MacVoy (K&K Kart) and Sylvain Coursol (Arrow) just missing the SuperPole cut.

Choquer was unable to complete a lap in the SuperPole session as he experienced an issue. On track, Anderson and Patrick were at it again, but this time Anderson was able to gain the edge, as Patrick had to settle for second. Barrick, Beltrami and Aulenback completed the top-five while Choquer winds up sixth.

Photo by: Cody Schindel/CKN

Micro-Max Domination by Thomas Nepveu

He continues to take the Micro-Max division by storm this season and Thursday was no different for Thomas Nepveu (SH Racing/FA Kart). Nepveu topped not only the initial Qualifying session, but then posted a fast lap a lost a half-second quicker than his closest competition in the SuperPole session.

Following Nepveu, Justin Arseneau (PSL/CRG) was the second quickest in the SuperPole just edging out Jeremy Tallon (KMS/Birel). The second half of the Fast Six was completed by William Michaud (PSL/CRG), Gianluca Savaglio (Goodwood/Intrepid) and Liam Rhodes (REM/Birel). Rounding out the top-ten in qualifying were: Patrick Woods-Toth (PSL Montreal/CRG), Georgie Zouelin (KMS/Birel), Dale Curran (Energy Kart Canada/Energy Kart) and Louis-Charles Gelinas (PSL Montreal/CRG).

Mazzaferro Drops the Hammer in Rotax Junior

Cedrik Lupien (SH Racing/FA Kart) was the provisional pole-sitter in Rotax Junior as the short grid hit the track for their first round of Qualifying. Jordan Slipacoff (ZCD-Goodwood/Intrepid) was very impressive posting the second quickest time, as he was followed by Alex Lacroix (SH Racing/FA Kart), Roman DeAngelis (Koene/TonyKart) and Clay Van Eerd (CVE/TonyKart). Natael Cantin (KMS/Birel) was expected to make an impression, but he wound up seventh, followed by Samuel Lupien (SH Racing/FA Kart), Ryan Martin (CVE/TonyKart) and Alex Murphy (PSL/CRG) in the top-ten.

The sun made a brief appearance during the Rotax Junior SuperPole session as the drivers completed their out-laps.

Lupien led the way through the first lap but it all changed from there. First Van Eerd went to the top, then Mazzaferro bettered him. Next, Lacroix went quicker, but only good enough for second. With all eyes on the final three as they approached the finish line, none of them were able to change anything meaning Mazzaferro scored the SuperPole over Lacroix and Van Eerd. Lupien wound up fourth, DeAngelis fifth and Slipacoff sixth, who opted to utilize his two fresh tires for the session.

Photo by: Cody Schindel/CKN

Alex Legare on Fire in Mini-Max Qualifying

Alexandre Legare (PSL/CRG) was on fire in qualifying as he was the quickest kart in the initial session ahead of Ryan MacDermid (TonyKart). The d’Orlando Brothers Nicholas and Michael were both struggling in qualifying therefore the Koene duo were only good for third and fourth. Xavier Harris (Goodwood/Intrepid) was quick enough to get fifth followed by Stephano Lucente (Karts & Parts/LH Kart). William Chayer (KMS/Birel) just missed the SuperPole cutoff, as did Marc-Antoine Poirer (FA Kart) and Carson Vogel (BBR/Kosmic).

In the SuperPole session Legare bettered his initial qualifying time and was half a second quicker than Nicholas d’Orlando in second place and a further three tenths ahead of Michael in third. MacDermid dropped two spots to fourth while Harris and Lucente maintained their positions.

SuperPole for Fred Woodley in Rotax DD2

This years class leaders Fred Woodley (Maranello North America/ Maranello) and Jeff Kingsley (PSL/CRG) paced the Rotax DD2 Qualifying session, ahead of the star power drivers Bryce Choquer (BBR/Birel) and Pier-Luc Ouellette (KMS/Birel). Brendon Bain (Maranello North America/ Maranello) and Alessandro Bizzotto (PSL/CRG) also advanced to the SuperPole session edging out Dante Lerra (Energy Kart Canada/Energy Kart), Max Preston (Goodwood/Intrepid) and Dominic Legrand (CRG).

In SuperPole Woodley and Kingsley better their initial times and managed to stay one-two, separated by only six-hundredths of a second. Bain and Bizzotto moved went up from fifth and sixth to third and fourth while Ouellette had a tough two laps placing fifth ahead of Choquer who was the biggest loser in the session falling to sixth.

Photo by: Cody Schindel/CKN

P1 for Stuart Clark in DD2 Masters

Stuart Clark (Maranello North America/ Maranello) was the quickest in both the qualifying session and the SuperPole session late in the day. Elvis Stojko (Goodwood/PRO/Intrepid) was second in the two sessions and was the provisional pole sitter until Clark posted a flyer on his last lap in SuperPole. Martin Verville (PSL Karting/CRG) was third overall ahead of Dany St. Hilaire (PSL/CRG), Francis Mondou (SH Racing/FA Kart), and Paul Carvalho (CRG).

Shootout in Briggs & Stratton SuperPole Qualifying

In today’s Final Qualifying session the Sister-Brother duo of Amelie and Jean-Francois Lafontaine (KMS/Birel) were the quickest two in the Group A, well ahead of the SH Racing duo of Lance Stroll (SH Racing/FA Kart) and Steven Szigeti (SH Racing/FA Kart) who both teamed up together. From Group B only two drivers would make it two the Fast six SuperPole session. Le Monaco de Trois-Rivieres winner Simon Belanger (SH Racing/FA Kart) was able jump into the second overall while Curtis Fox (Maranello North America/Maranello), a late entry into the class, posted the fourth overall best lap.

Just missing the SuperPole session were: Charlotte Lalonde (LCQ/Margay), Jonathon Treadwell (VRS/K&K Kart), Abby Bolton (CRG) and Michael Adams (PSL Moncton/CRG) as the completed the top-ten. With 38 karts in the class, there is plenty of talent starting deep in their qualifying heats.

In the SuperPole session, JF Lafontaine blistered off a quick time on his first tour, ultimately good enough to earn the Canadian Tire SuperPole. Belanger held on to his second spot, while Amelie slid to third. Stroll and Szigeti wound up fourth and fifth while Fox endured troubles and couldn’t enter a reasonable time.

Photo by: Cody Schindel/CKN