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L'Estage, Dowell And Mitsubishi, Canadian Champions
Driving their Mitsubishi Evolution, Antoine L’Estage from St-Jean-sur-Richelieu, Que. and co-driver Nathalie Richard from Halifax finished second in the final round of the Canadian Rally Championship this weekend. A tire puncture in the closing stages of the Rally of the Tall Pines relegated the duo to second place although the pair were already crowned 2012 Canadian Rally Champions with a spectacular run of four victories and two second places this season, earning Mitsubishi another manufacturer’s title.
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In addition, Ontarians Jeffrey Dowell and Yavor Klostranec shared the driving duties of their entry-level Lancer and won the Production Sport category again this year.
Among the Top Ten finishers, Rally West champions Hardy Schmidtke and John Hall from Alberta finished seventh in their Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution VII while Michelle Laframboise partnered with co-driver Dean Hopkins in their Evolution IX to take ninth place in this demanding event. Attrition was high due to very icy roads and only half the starting field completed the rally.
“Congratulations to the rally teams that drove their Mitsubishi cars to victory during the 2012 season. In their Mitsubishi Evolution, L’Estage and Richard are without a doubt the best crew in Canada and a class win by Dowell and Klostranec in a base Mitsubishi Lancer is also a tribute to our cars,” said Tony Laframboise, vice president of sales and marketing, Mitsubishi Motor Sales of Canada.
2013: Rallye Perce-Neige and a new calendar
The curtain falls on 55th Canadian Rally Championship but the next season is only two months away. Rally teams will reconvene in Maniwaki, Quebec, 150 km north of Ottawa for the 48th running of Rallye Perce-Neige.
The 2013 calendar will feature six events but the complexion changes with the second event, Rocky Mountain Rally heading to Invermere, British-Columbia and now being staged in November instead of May.
PaddockTalk Perspective
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Also in WRC Rally News 2010: |
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