2003 Trois-Rivieres - Hankook Touring

Three of the closed wheel categories the Federation Auto Quebec was responsible for administering during the 2003 Quebec road racing season were Touring, Sedan GTU and Sedan GTO.

Touring – This category is for production- based vehicles manufactured within the last twelve years. The cars are powered by four or six-cylinder engines with a maximum displacement of 2.8-liters. Motors can be modified turbochargers or superchargers are not allowed. Engines are used to determine the weight of a vehicle. Brakes must retain their original location and the anti-lock must be disconnected. No alterations to the bodywork are permitted. Original bumpers and dashboard cannot be replaced, but a rear wing may be added. For safety reasons, all vehicles must be equipped with a roll cage, five-point seatbelts, window net, fire extinguishing system and fuel cell. The series is sponsored by Hankook tires and all competitors are required to use the brand.
Sedan – This group is split into two classes as determined by the vehicle’s engine displacement.
- Sedan GTU – under three-liter engines which must be normally aspirated
- Sedan GTO – over three-liter engines which are permitted to use a turbocharger or supercharger
Unlike the Touring category, there are very few restrictions. There is no weight limit; modifications are allowed to the engine, transmission, suspension and bodywork. However, like the Touring class, there are similar safety requirements.

The Hankook Touring season kicks off at Le Circuit Mont-Tremblant in late May with a doubleheader. This is followed by another two-race weekend in June at Circuit de Ste-Croix. Next is the most prestigious event on the calendar; Le Grand Prix de Trois-Rivieres. For the final three rounds of the championship teams, compete at Autodrome St-Eustache.

Round five of the 2003 Hankook Touring series was held at the eleven-turn 1.5-mile temporary street circuit at Trois-Rivieres, Quebec.

Twenty-two competitors rush into corner one at Trois-Rivieres for round five of the 2003 Hankook Touring series. Leading the field is the pole-sitter, Jocelyn Hebert in the No. 89 Equipe 89 prepared Acura Integra Type R. The other front row starter is Marc-Antoine Camirand driving the No. 41 Hyundai Canada sponsored Hyundai Tiburon. Behind the fastest qualifiers are Alain Demers and Jacques Gravel.

Early in the race, the pole-sitter and points leader were in close contact. The No.89 Trois-Rivieres Honda Acura sponsored Acura Integra Type R driven Jocelyn Hebert moved into first place at the start of the contest. Within a couple of laps, Alain Demers in the Honda Ile Perrot Honda Civic Si-R was on Hebert’s bumper. Hebert claimed the victory and Demers would finish second but retain the points lead.

Jocelyn Hebert entered round five, second in the Hankook series title chase. Hebert had two victories but a DNF in the first race at Mont-Tremblant, which left him six-markers behind the leader, Alain Demers. He qualified on the pole at Trois-Rivieres in the No. 89 Acura Integra Type R. Hebert would pull away from the field and win by 9.240-seconds. He was now three-points behind the championship leader, Demers.

Last season’s runner-up, Jacques Gravel, competed in a Hyundai Tiburon for most of the year – he raced a Honda Civic in the finale. Gravel switched bands for 2003 and is driving the No. 43 BMW 328i. The new car wasn’t ready until the second weekend of racing at Ste-Croix. At Trois-Rivieres, he qualified fourth fastest and when Marc-Antoine Camirand encountered problems, he secured the final position on the podium.

Claude Rheault made his first 2003 Hankook Touring series start in round five at Le Grand Prix de Trois-Rivieres. Despite missing the first four-races, Rheault put the No. 42 Levy Honda sponsored Honda Del Sol ninth on the grid. During the sixteen lap contest, he passed Jacques Belanger, Martin Hamel and Yannick Bardieux. Rheault also benefitted from Marc-Antoine Camirand’s issue to finish fourth.

Open-wheel sensation, Marc-Antoine Camirand, made his Hankook Touring debut in 2003. Camirand was piloting the No. 41 Hyundai Tiburon prepared by Key Motorsport and with backing from Hyundai Canada. His first start was the Ste-Croix weekend where he grabbed a victory. As expected, Camirand was fast at Trois-Rivieres and qualified second. Unfortunately, issues resulted in a seventeenth place finish.

FINISH	START	DRIVER	CAR	LAPS	RETIREMENTS
1	1	Jocelyn Hebert	Acura Integra Type R	16	-
2	3	Alain Demers	Honda Civic Si-R	16	-
3	4	Jacques Gravel	BMW 328i	16	-
4	9	Claude Rheault	Honda Del Sol	16	-
5	5	Yannick Bardieux	Acura Integra Type R	16	-
6	8	Jacques Belanger	Honda Civic	16	-
7	6	Martin Hamel	Honda Civic	16	-
8	DNQ	Charles-Andre Bilodeau	Volkswagen Golf GTi	16	-
9	17	Mathieu Pichette	Honda Civic	16	-
10	15	Jean-Luc Gehant	Honda Civic	16	-
11	13	Joao Ramalho	Honda CRX	15	-
12	DNQ	Alexandre Brosseau	BMW 318i	15	-
13	12	Alexandre Dupre	Honda Del Sol	15	-
14	16	Jean-Marc Alcaraz	BMW M3	15	-
15	19	Pascal Carre	Honda Civic	15	-
16	20	Jonathan Alarie	Acura Integra	15	-
17	2	Marc-Antoine Camirand	Hyundai Tiburon	13	-
18	11	Dominic St-Jean	Volkswagen Golf GTi	12	-
19	7	Mike Brown	Honda Civic	11	Did Not Finish
20	14	Marc Gagnon	Honda Civic Si-R	10	Did Not Finish
21	18	Eric St-Gelais	Ford Focus	9	Did Not Finish
22	10	Kuno Wittmer	Honda Prelude	2	Did Not Finish

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