Claude Brouillard Takes the 16th Mr.Modified Title at Granby

GRANBY, Que., August 4, 2001 The strong challenge in which Real Lafrance and Claude Brouillard are having for the Carquest Auto Parts Modified Championship is far from being over at Autodrome Granby. Last Friday night, at the occasion of the 16th Annual Mr. Modified Championship, Lafrance and Brouillard struggled strongly for the top honors but in the end, Brouillard had the last word. For the Teo/Eau Labrador driver, it was his fifth visit in the winner s circle so far this season and a second career triumph in this annual event.

During the last 15 laps of this 40-lap feature, fans were witnesses of crisscrossing moves for the top spot. Using both grooves, inside and outside, Lafrance and Brouillard didn t spare electrifying passes. Many fans, like Steve Poirier who was sitting third in that race, tought that both drivers would not finish the race and would be involved in an accident before the end. This situation never occured since both drivers were able to race very tightly together without any mishap.

Brouillard who started twelfth on the grid, only took seven laps to take the command of that race. Then, six laps later, Lafrance was able to make it in second place closing the gap on Brouillard. Never, Brouillard conceded his place desp=EEte four yellow flags that made this confrontation very spectacular. Both drivers managed to avoid any incident even, if it was close at times.

For one, Cl=E9ment Therrien who was the defending champion of this annual event, finished ninth after two unscheduled pit stops. At the green flag, Richard Chauvin took the early lead for the first five laps. During that time, he registered the fastest time, 20.984 seconds, the sole participant to run under the 21 second bareer. He finished eight.

Already, in the qualification heats, Brouillard and Lafrance had set the table for the feature by winning their own race.

Disqualifications

The feature race in the Sportsman division gave also a lot of action to the fans. Winner in the 20-lap feature in front of Jacques Poulin and Martin H=E9bert, Rock Poulin was later disqualified for refusing to allow DIRT officials to inspect his car. Martin H=E9bert had the same treatment but for an illegal car.

During that race, Alain Mathieu, the points leader, and Fran=E7ois Becksted, last week s winner, missed a good opportunity to climb on the podium. On lap 9, Becksted tried to take the lead away from Mathieu entering the second turn. Both cars tangled and the drivers were sent to the end of the field. Mathieu was able to comeback in fourth place while Becksted with a little driving mistake near the end could not do better than a 12th place finish.

First win

In the Late Model division, Richard Bertrand registered a first career win by having the best on Yannick Ledoux and Marcel Godbout who was later disqualified while in the 4 Cylinders class, Pierre Grondin made his ninth visit of the season in the winner s circle.

MODIFIED (40 laps)

3, Claude Brouillard 2- 11, R=E9al Lafrance 3- 61P, Steve Poirier 4- 5, Mario Moreau 5- 66, Martin Gagn=E9 6- 4, Leon Gonyo 7- 46, Kayle Robidoux 8- 2C, Richard Chauvin 9- 39, Cl=E9ment Therrien 10- 21, Ian Bussi=E8re 11- 83, Lloyd Sturtevant 12- 2B, Claude Marcoux 13- 66W, Wallace Stacey 14- 72, Gino Clair 15- 32, Guy Ouellette 16- 24L, Carl Labont=E9 17- 02, Mike Reyell 18- 57, Mario Lajoie 19- 0, Craig Ormsby 20- 121, Richard Pontbriand 21- 91, Michel Pelletier.