Le Monaco de Trois-Rivieres: Maxime Couturier Breaks Out in Briggs Senior

Back in action on the temporary street circuit in Trois-Rivieres, Quebec, the Eastern Canadian Karting Championship and Coupe du Quebec completed their next-t0-last events of the season on Sunday under hot and overcast skies.

As the two championships came together for the first time this season, a stellar Briggs & Stratton Senior division gave us a preview of what is to come at this years Canadian Championships. The largest class thus far in 2014, Briggs Senior was an excellent show all weekend long and when the final checkered flag flew, the crowd on hand gave them a great roar of appreciation.

| Saturday Results | Sunday Results | Photo Gallery 1 |

It was a very similar look up front in Qualifying as Tommy Lemaire-Ouellet (PSL/CRG) once again topped the time sheets, even after a scary incident slowed most of the session in qualifying that effected ECKC championship leader Jon Treadwell (K&K Kart) along with William Lalonde (Quyon/Margay), who needed an inspection from the medical staff.

The front row swapped in the PreFinal as Maxime Couturier (SC Performance/TonyKart) and Lemaire finished 1-2 with the Lafontaine’s right behind them with Jean-Francois third and Amelie fourth.

Roaring through the opening lap in the Final the dust was flying as drivers attempted to make up ground all over the temporary circuit.

When it settled, JF Lafontaine (Birel) had acquired the lead with Couturier, Marco Di Leo (Goodwood/Intrepid) and Lemaire creating a four-kart train for the lead. The foursome would run nose-to-tail until the final two laps where the four-cycle chess match became a race to checkered flag.

First, Lemaire moved past Di Leo and into third, then Couturier grabbed the lead in the hairpin and he brought Lemaire with him as the group came the last lap sign.

Maxime Couturier (Photo by: Cody Schindel/CKN)

Running a defensive line through his final tour Couturier held off Lemaire as he had his hands full of Lafontaine, who led 90% of the laps this weekend. No changes on the final lap meant Couturier went on to claim the win over Lemaire with Lafontaine third just ahead of Di Leo, Saturday winner Simon Belanger (SH Racing/FA Kart) and Amalie Lafontaine.

Gerald Caseley (PSL Moncton/CRG) came home seventh in his first race of the season, Derek Michaud eighth (DMR/FA Kart), Darryl Timmers (Goodwood/Intrepid) – who subbed in for an injured Elvis Stojko – was ninth and Mathieu Demers completed the top-ten. Michael Glaze (DMR/FA Kart), who was on the podium on Saturday came home twelfth and failed to gain much on his ECKC championship battle with Jon Treadwell who finished fourteenth.