Gingras, Hamel Collect Série ACT-Castrol Awards

Gingras, Hamel Collect Série ACT-Castrol Awards

DRUMMONDVILLE, QC – Champion Late Model stock car driver
Alexandre Gingras of Val-Bélair, QC was honored
at the Série ACT-Castrol Banquet of Champions at the Best Western
Hotel Universel in Drummondville, QC on Saturday
evening. The 32 year-old received a bonus check worth $8,000 for his
efforts; the 2008 Série ACT-Castrol title is
the first of his career.
Gingras's #27 SkyJet Chevrolet Impala was steady and consistent
in winning the Castrol championship,
posting six top-ten finishes in eight starts, including a best finish
of second at the Luminaire Napert 150 at
Autodrome Chaudière in August. Gingras was also in the top-five at
Ottawa's Capital City Speedway and Autodrome
St-Félicien in northern Québec, and had strong runs at Autodrome
St-Eustache near Montréal, and Autodrome
Montmagny Speedway near Québec City.
Karl Allard of St-Félicien, QC was given runner-up honors at
the Série ACT-Castrol Banquet of Champions.
Allard finished just three points behind Gingras (643-640) for the
championship. Jean-François Déry of Québec
finished third overall, with Lanoraie, QC veteran Claude Leclerc
finishing fourth. Martin Lacombe of Terrebonne,
QC and Yvon Bédard of St-Nicolas, QC tied for fifth place overall.
Nineteen year-old Patrick Hamel of St-Édourard-de-Lotbiniçre,
QC was honored as the Série ACT-Castrol
Rookie of the Year. Hamel completed his first full season of Late
Model stock car racing in 7th place overall on
the Série ACT-Castrol, with a top result of fourth place at Autodrome Chaudière.
Sophomore driver Stéphane Durand of Québec was voted by
competitors as the Série ACT-Castrol "Most
Improved Driver" for 2008. Durand earned his first-ever top-ten
finish at Chaudière in the Coors Light 100 in
June and finished in 11th place in the championship standings.
Éric St-Gelais of St-Nicolas was named the winner of the Série
ACT-Castrol "Sportsmanship" award, as voted
by competitors and officials. The second-year Late Model racer was on
hand at all events in 2008, and was seen
repairing the car of his competitors on many occasions.
American-Canadian Tour (ACT) President Tom Curley thanked all
involved with the Série ACT-Castrol in his
remarks during the evening, and announced a nine-event schedule for
2009 that includes returns to Autodrome St-
Eustache in May and September, Autodrome Montmagny Speedway in May and
July, Autodrome Chaudière in June and
August, Capital City Speedway in June, and for the first time in two
years, Riverside Speedway (formerly Circuit
Ste-Croix) in June and August. Curley also announced that the
second-annual "Showdown at Chaudière" all-star
invitational event will be held on Saturday, August 29.