Canada TCC: Media Racing Team Trois-Rivieres summary

JOCELYN FECTEAU "TOP 7" AT THE GRAND PRIX DE TROIS-RIVIèRES

Trois-Rivières (Quebec), August 17, 2009.- Jocelyn Fecteau and the Media Racing Team competed in two races this past weekend at the 40th edition of the Grand Prix de Trois Rivières, in the Canadian Touring Car Championship. Without being able to use his specially prepared engine, the same engine that brought him a podium finish in Toronto Indy GP last month, Fecteau managed to finish 7th and 10th Saturday and Sunday, respectively.

Fifth in the Touring class, Jocelyn Fecteau was looking forward to the ever-popular Trois-Rivières Grand Prix with realistic expectations: " we were hoping to benefit from our competition engine, similarly to when we raced amongst the top competitors earlier this season, but that wasn't the case. We were again relegated to a stock engine, which obviously decreased our chances in the race. With 38 registered competitors, we can't expect to be in the front of the pack without the highest performing equipment " explains the driver.

Despite everything, Jocelyn Fecteau qualified his Media Racing Team Toyota Corolla XRS in fifth place heading into Saturday morning's race. At the start of the race, Fecteau climbed up one more spot. " I had a great start " says Jocelyn, " I was in fourth place after the first lap and my goal was to maintain this position. I was not only fighting to keep fourth place but I was also in the middle of a pack of a few Super Touring cars all pushing very hard to move up in the rankings " adds the driver from Mont-St-Gregoire.

Shortly before the halfway point, a collision took place just in front of Fecteau between Marc-Antoine Camirand's BMW and Alain Lauzière's Mini : " I came into the turn and both cars were sideways blocking part of the track and the racing line. Unfortunately, in attempting to get by them, I lost control and spun " recounts Fecteau. Restarting tenth, Jocelyn nevertheless regained three places to finish the race seventh in Touring class.

The Quebec driver started Sunday in the fourth row and had a trouble-free race. He pushed hard so as not to concede any positions, using all his skills to maintain a "Top 10" finish, despite his car's limited stock engine power. " Contrary to Saturday's race, I wasn't in a fight with anyone. I simply had to stay attentive and shift early to try to save the engine. My main goal was attained by seeing the checkered flag and taking home important championship points " explains Fecteau.

After the Trois-Rivières Grand Prix rounds, Jocelyn Fecteau finds himself in sixth place in the championship. The entire team now gears towards the last race of the season, which wil take place in Mirabel's ICAR complex on September 5th and 6th.

-credit: mrt