TWO LATE MODEL NASCAR EVENTS FOR RAPHAEL LESSARD AT THE AUTODROME CHAUDIERE
Salute to Langis Caron - July 27 and the second round of the "Triple Couronne Kennebec" - July 30
After a NASCAR Pinty's Series victory and a NASCAR Late Model podium on June 29 at his home track, the Autodrome Chaudiere, barely 18-year-old Raphael Lessard will return to familiar ground for two important events in front of his home crowd. The promising young driver will again be at the wheel of the #46 Equipment L.A.V. | Petro Canada - Jean-Paul Lessard et fils | FRL Express and he is looking forward to winning outings.
"I was only a few tenths of a second short of being the fastest car during my race on June 29 in the #46 car of owner and crew chief Marco Bilodeau. The Bilodeau Brothers team has identified some improvements that will certainly make the car faster for the upcoming races. No doubt about it, I'm aiming for two victories," said the confident young driver of the #46 Equipment L.A.V. | Petro Canada - Jean-Paul Lessard et fils | FRL Express car.
The two races are a salute to the drivers, teams and fans in our Beauce region
July 27 - The Langis Caron Evening - Twin 75-lap races
This event is in tribute to Langis Caron, a great driver who started racing stock cars in 1968 aboard his emblematic #35, which he still races today in vintage events. Langis's great passion and outgoing personality has made him one of the great personalities and spokesperson for our sport in Quebec. This evening will also be a salute to the employees of FRL Express and Petro Canada - Jean-Paul Lessard et fils.
- Additional information: https://autodromechaudiere.com/fr/calendrier-evenements/12/Langis-Caron-150
- Schedule: Pits open at 1pm | general admission starts at 3:30pm | Races start at 6pm
- NASCAR Late Model: Live on Race Monitor
July 30, 2019 - Second round of the Triple Crown Kennebec
The second event of the "Triple Couronne Kennebec" will cover 125 laps. Raphael Lessard will also participate in the Sportsman Dirt race (twin 25-lap events), under the direction of Autodrome Granby | Production JR.
- Additional information: https://autodromechaudiere.com/fr/calendrier-evenements/9/2e-Ronde-TRIPLE-COURONNE-KENNEBEC
- Schedule: Pits open at 1pm | general admission starts at 3:30pm | racing starts at 6pm
- NASCAR Late Model: Live on the Race Monitor
Photo credit: MC Levasseur
ABOUT RAPHAEL LESSARD
Born on July 5, 2001, in Saint-Joseph-de-Beauce, Quebec, Canada, Raphael Lessard is one of the most promising prospects in North American oval racing. Raphael made his debut in stock-cars in 2013, on local tracks in the Quebec City area. His exceptional talent quickly allowed him to climb the ladder and attract the attention of David Gilliland, a former NASCAR MonsterEnergy Series driver and now a team owner, in 2015. An agreement then allowed Lessard to participate in the last four races of the season in the PASS North Tour Series.
In 2016, his first full-time season with Gilliland Racing, Lessard won the CARS Super Late Model Tour title with four wins, eight top and 9 top drivers to win a major stock car series title in the United States. Since 2016, Lessard has been part of the Toyota Racing Development (TRD) prestigious driver development program. To date, he is the only Canadian to have been recruited into this program.
2018 - 16 races - Super Late Model with Kyle Busch Motorsports
- Two wins, seven top-5s and 13 top-10s
- Wins the U.S. Short Track Nationals race at Bristol Motor Speedway
- Wins the Red Bull 400 at Anderson Speedway
- Leads 60 laps at the famous Snowball Derby in December, before a mechanical problem puts him out of the race with only six (6) laps to go.
2017 - Competes in 20 Super Late Model races and two ARCA series races
- Two wins and eight top-5 finishes in the Super Late Model category
- A top-10 from two races in the ARCA series
- Voted the most popular driver in North America by Speed51.com
- Voted as one of the top 10 drivers to watch in 2017 by Speed51.com
- Named by Speed51.com Short Track Power Ranking as 7th best driver in the United States
2016 - Participates in 10 races
- CARS Super Late Model Series Champion
- Youngest Canadian driver to win a prestigious stock-car series in the United States
- Four wins, eight top-5s and nine top-10s in 10 races
ABOUT FRL EXPRESS Inc.
F.R.L. Express Inc. is a general transportation company founded in 2004 by François Lessard. Its main field of activity over the last 15 years is general transport in closed trailers over short and long distances in Canada and the United States. FRL currently have about 50 employees in addition to about ten tow carriers. FRL owners are proud of the progress made in recent years thanks to the FRL team members and wishes to continue on this positive note. "Our employees, customer service and satisfaction are our priorities. We are all proud to be partners in the success and achievements of our son Raphael Lessard," state the proud parents.
ABOUT BILODEAU BROTHERS
Founded in 2003 in the family garage in Sainte-Marie de Beauce, the Bilodeau Brothers Racing Team competed in various categories on all paved ovals in Quebec since then. The team can count on Crew Chief Germain Gosselin, who has worked for ARCA and NASCAR teams in the United States. Since 2015, the team has focused on a development program of its NASCAR Late Model cars, having achieved several podiums finishes along the way, as well as winning the ACT 2016 Rookie Championship and a first victory in 2017.
