Pierre Bourque Montreal preview

Bourque Looking For First CASCAR Top Ten In Montreal

OTTAWA, ONT. (August 23, 2006) - - Canada's only full-time NASCAR driver returns to high-stakes competition inh is native land this weekend. Pierre Bourque, currently 17th in the NASCAR Busch East Championship, will be among this country's best stock car drivers dueling for glory at the Grand Prix of Montreal's CASCAR event at Circuit Gilles Villeneuve, Saturday August 26th.

This will be Bourque's third CASCAR event this season. After placing a stout 12th place earlier this month at the Grand Prix de Trois-Rivieres, Bourque is looking to bypass that stellar run and collect his first top-ten finish in his last CASCAR race of the 2006 season.

Since then, Bourque has kept the momentum plugged into a high-adrenaline rush through his first-ever superspeedway start at Nashville where he finished a head-turning 21st out of 40 contenders and with a career-best NASCAR finish at Waterford, CT (16th) this past weekend.

With his spirits high, Bourque returns to the cockpit of his No. 29 Dodge Charger looking to put another Whitlock Motorsports machine into the top-ten on Saturday. "I'm really looking forward to competing at Montreal. The experience I've enjoyed in the CASCAR Series has really helped my racing career and I would like nothing more than to go out with a bang this weekend."

"We've made vast improvements in the two races I've made thus far this year and the same is expected this weekend. This weekend's race is huge, the Champ Cars are here competing with us, and while the crowds know they will see a great race with them, I really think our show will be evenbetter. I've had a great couple weeks of racing in ARCA and NASCAR, I would like to keep that wave of momentum going this weekend."

Bourque added, "I'm sad that this is my last CASCAR race of the season. I've really enjoyed the people associated with this great series. The people are friendly and helpful and the fans, they are full of addictive energy. We plan to unload strong and run smooth and fast, just like we did at Trois-Rivieres."

"Our sponsors are second-to-none and I'm really glad and honored to have them onboard for this weekend's CASCAR race. They have been strong supporters of my racing career this season and we've had some great runs lately and we're looking forward to having another strong weekend of racing."

Bourque added, "It's important to run near the front once again this weekend. More and more people, including the race fans are becoming aware of the great brands that Canwest-Global are associated with. A top-ten run on Saturday will only boost our sponsor's awareness and that's exactly our goals."

Once the checkered flag falls on Sunday, Bourque will keep the memories at bay while thinking about his promising future in racing. "I've enjoyed every second of the CASCAR Series. Dave Whitlock and his Whitlock Motorsports crew have provided me with some great equipment and the enormous amount of learning experience is priceless. I can't wait to return next year."

Following the CASCAR Race at Montreal, Bourque will enjoy nearly a month break from the NASCAR Busch East Series, but will turn his attention to the ARCA RE/MAX Series where he will participate in the open test session at Chicagoland Speedway on August 29th, enduring many laps with the intent of making another Superspeedway start.

"Racing in CASCAR, ARCA and NASCAR have really helped me ramp-up big time as a racecar driver. I've experienced almost every aspect of stock car racing, from the hurly-burly bumps and grinds of short-track racing to the fast-paced left-right-left of road racing to the finesse of ultra-high-speed superspeedways, and all of that has made me a better driver. I'm a rookie this season and I've had my share of ups and downs, but as the season begins to wind down, we are making our presence known, we are gaining respect on the track, and that will only be a positive outlook heading into the 2007 racing season."

In addition to running his final CASCAR Series races with Whitlock Motorsports, Pierre Bourque also competes in a full NASCAR Busch East Series schedule and a limited ARCA RE/MAX Series schedule for Fast Track Racing and car owner Andy Hillenburg.

-credit: www.pierrebourque.com