It’s in the bag

Holding an insurmountable 33-point lead at the top of the standings, Marc-Antoine Camirand will become the fourth Quebecer to win the NASCAR Pinty’s Series championship on Sunday.

• Read also: Camirand takes a double hit at Mosport

• Read also: Nascar: « I don’t have to win » – Marc-Antoine Camirand

The driver from Saint-Léonard-d’Aston only has to take the start of the last race of the season, which will be contested on the oval circuit of Delaware, in Ontario, to confirm his first title.

Even if his most serious pursuer, Kevin Lacroix, wins the event and accumulates the maximum number of points (48), he need not worry. By finishing last, which is unlikely, Camirand will collect enough points to lift the champion trophy.

« We also did our calculations to realize that the title cannot escape us, » said the 43-year-old driver.

But, true to its reputation, Camirand does not intend to play a role of figuration for this final confrontation of the season, whose announced rain could however compromise its kick-off. On the contrary, he intends to mingle with the leading pack as soon as the green flag is waved. He has no pressure to take risks that could cost him valuable points in the standings.

« I want to behave like a champion, » he said. I’m going to fight for the win like I’ve been all season. »

What a long way

In his fifth full-time season in the Canadian series, Camirand had the best run of his career with three wins and nine top 5 finishes in 2022. Driving his car sponsored by renowned dealer GM Paillé, he led an impressive total of 803 laps, or 588 more than Lacroix, second in this chapter.

It all started in 2013 when, at the Grand Prix de Trois-Rivières (GP3R), where he holds the record for victories (all categories combined), he had the privilege of racing for the first time in NASCAR. Pinty’s.

A victory on Friday in the Sportsman Series support event landed him a drive in NASCAR Pinty’s. Despite a retirement in the race, he did not miss his entry by setting the third fastest time in qualifying.

Then, everything went on afterwards, thanks to this essential contribution from the GP3R and also from the brothers Derek and Brandon White who gave him this first chance.

« I owe them a lot, » said Camirand. I will have a special thought for Brandon, who lost his fight against cancer two years ago. »

Unheard of in six years

They will be 27 pilots to take the start of this 13th and last stage of the season. This is the highest participation rate since the inaugural event of the 2016 season in Mosport, Ont.

Among the logical candidates for victory, it will be necessary to count, in addition to Camirand and Lacroix, on Louis-Philippe Dumoulin, defending champion of the series, Andrew Ranger, Alexandre Tagliani, Donald Theetge, Raphaël Lessard and Alex Labbé. The latter, who ranked 17th on Saturday in NASCAR Xfinity in Texas, will be on his first appearance on an oval track in the Pinty’s series since 2019.

To this group of drivers, we must add the names of DJ Kennington and Kyle Steckly, whose father has four championships in the Canadian series. If the first is the most experienced on the set, and the second, the youngest, they have in common to know the Delaware track like the back of their hand.