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After a twelve-year absence, the Honda Michelin Challenge Series returned in 2004 with a ten-race schedule featuring the Honda Civic DX Coupe.
Encouraged by the positive support for the series from competitors and fans, the championship returned in 2005.
The first race of the 2005 season will be held on the Victoria Day weekend at Mosport International Raceway. Next on the calendar is the series most prestigious event at Circuit Gilles Villeneuve as a support race for the Canadian Grand Prix. Then teams will return to Mosport for the second of four visits to this track. Another high profile event takes place at Exhibition Place in Toronto during the Molson Indy weekend. Round five of the championship sees drivers compete on the temporary street circuit at Trois-Rivieres. This is followed by the third weekend at Mosport, when the teams will be a support event for the American Le Mans Series. Then it is back to Quebec for the next two races – the Molson Indy Montreal and the penultimate round at Le Circuit Mont-Tremblant. The finale is held where the season began, Mosport. The cars competing in the series are Honda DX Coupes. The Honda DX is powered by a 1.7-liter 16-valve SOHC engine, which produces 115-horsepower at 6,100-rpm. The DX is also equipped with a 5-speed manual transmission. There is an improved suspension package and exhaust system for the 2005 season. All cars are required to race on Michelin Pilot tires - Michelin Pilot Sport Cup tires 205-50x15 (dry) and Michelin Pilot XGT V4 tires 205-50x15 (wet) – on 15-inch Honda alloy wheels. Modifications to the Hondas such as a padded roll-cage, braided stainless steel flex-lines, FIA five-point seat harness and window net are mandated for safety. Round five of the 2005 Honda Michelin Challenge Series was held at the thirty-sixth running of the Grand Prix de Trois-Rivieres. Drivers would compete in a twenty-lap race around the eleven-turn 1.53-mile temporary street circuit.
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The start of round five for the 2005 Honda Michelin Challenge Series at Trois-Rivieres. Leading the field of seventeen drivers is the pole-sitter, Kuno Wittmer, in the No. 82 Honda de Sigi / Honda Ste-Rose Honda Civic DX. To Wittmer’s left is the other front row starter, Frederick Lelievre, driving the No. 4 Lelievre Karting sponsored Honda Civic. Behind the leaders is the third-fastest qualifier, Nick Wittmer. |
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Despite evidence of the ‘Trois-Rivieres blue stripe,’ Nick Wittmer became the first repeat winner of the 2005 season. This was also Wittmer’s second consecutive victory at Trois-Rivieres. He qualified third fastest in the No. 91 Honda Civic. Wittmer passed the second place starter, Frederick Lelievre, in corner one and battled with his brother Kuno for the lead. When Kuno hit a wall on lap-7, it was ‘clear sailing’ for Wittmer. |
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At Trois-Rivieres, Frederick Lelievre, driver of the No. 4 Lamontagne Auto Honda Civic DX, had his best weekend of the season. During the qualifying session, Lelievre recorded the second-fastest time. Early in the race, he lost positions to Nick Wittmer and Steven Laporte. When the leader, Kuno Wittmer, crashed, he regained a spot. With two laps remaining in the contest, Lelievre passed Laporte for a runner-up finish. |
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The weekend at Trois-Rivieres started out promising for Kuno Wittmer. He was fresh off a win in the previous round at the Toronto Indy and captured the pole for race five. Early in the contest, the driver of the No. 82 Honda de Sigi / Honda Ste-Rose Honda Civic DX found himself in a battle with his brother Nick. On lap-7, Wittmer hit a wall and had to fight back to earn the final spot on the podium. |
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The round one winner, Didier Schraenen, delivered his poorest qualifying result of the season and was gridded ninth for the start of the twenty-lap contest. During the race, Schraenen moved up the race order and at the checkered flag, he was in the fourth position. After the event, Schraenen was still third in the title chase but just ten-markers behind the leader, Nick Wittmer. |
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The defending Honda Michelin Challenge Series champion, Steven Laporte, lost the championship lead at Trois-Rivieres. Laporte’s season to date included three podium finishes one of which was a victory at Mosport International Raceway. He qualified fourth fastest for round five and ran as high as third-place before crossing the finish-line in twelfth. Laporte now trailed the championship leaders, Nick Wittmer by three-points. |
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| FINISH | START | DRIVER | CAR / ENTRANT | LAPS | RETIREMENTS |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 3 | Nick Wittmer | Honda Civic DX / Honda Ste-Rose | 20 | - |
| 2 | 2 | Frederick Lelievre | Honda Civic DX / Lamontagne Auto | 20 | - |
| 3 | 1 | Kuno Wittmer | Honda Civic DX / Honda de Sigi | 20 | - |
| 4 | 9 | Didier Schraenen | Honda Civic DX / Radio Energie | 20 | - |
| 5 | 13 | Sylvain Ouelet | Honda Civic DX / Auto Frank & Michel | 20 | - |
| 6 | 11 | Matt Champagne | Honda Civic DX / Centre Honda | 20 | - |
| 7 | 12 | Jacques Lelievre | Honda Civic DX / Lelievre Karting | 20 | - |
| 8 | 8 | Denis Baillargeon | Honda Civic DX / Hamel Honda | 20 | - |
| 9 | 10 | Bertrand Godin | Honda Civic DX / Honda Canada | 20 | - |
| 10 | 6 | Alex Penfold | Honda Civic DX / Lakeshore Honda | 20 | - |
| 11 | 15 | Tyler Givogue | Honda Civic DX / Dow Honda | 20 | - |
| 12 | 4 | Steven Laporte | Honda Civic DX / Lombardi Honda | 20 | - |
| 13 | 5 | Robert Boyer | Honda Civic DX / Lombardi Honda | 20 | - |
| 14 | 7 | Emmanuel Boivin-Moreau | Honda Civic DX / Lombardi Honda | 20 | - |
| 15 | 16 | Philip Major | Honda Civic DX / Dow Honda | 20 | - |
| 16 | 17 | Andrew Bearss | Honda Civic DX / Dow Honda | 20 | - |
| - | 14 | Richard Penfold | Honda Civic DX / Lakeshore Honda | 19 | Disqualified |
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