2005 Trois-Rivieres - Hankook Touring Championship

In addition to the Echo Pirelli Cup, there were four other closed wheel categories the Federation Auto Quebec was responsible for administering during the 2005 Quebec road racing season - Touring, Sedan GT, 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.
- o Sedan GT – this group was introduced in 2005. It is based on the rules used for the Grand-Am’s Grand Sport category and the Sports Car Club of America’s Grand Touring class.
- Sedan GTU – under three-liter engines, which must be normally aspirated.
- Sedan GTO – over three-liter engines that are permitted to use a turbocharger or supercharger.
Unlike the Touring category, there are very few restrictions for the GTU and GTO cars. 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 Championship’s season kicks off at Autodrome St-Eustache in early May. This is followed by a race weekend at Sanair. Then the teams travel to Autodrome St-Felician for round three. Next is the highlight of the season, a stop at Le Grand Prix de Trois-Rivieres. In September, the series returns to Sanair. The final weekend on the calendar is a doubleheader held at Le Circuit Mont-Tremblant.

Round four of the 2005 Hankook Touring Championship was held at the eleven-turn 1.53-mile temporary street circuit at Trois-Rivieres, Quebec.

The start of round four of the 2005 Hankook Touring Championship at the Grand Prix de Trois-Rivieres. Exiting corner one in first place is the No. 3 JMA Competition BMW M3 of the pole-sitter, Marc-Antoine Camirand. Behind Camirand is the other front row starter, Travis Walker, driving the No. 41 Kensai Racing Acura RSX Type S. Next to Walker is the No. 1 Hyundai Tiburon of the third-place starter, Jacques Gravel.

On Sunday, Marc-Antoine Camirand added to his legendary status at Trois-Rivieres. Camirand won Saturday’s GT race, driving the No. 96 Production Le Carrossier BMW Z3 Coupe SC. For the Touring event, he competed in the No. 3 JMA Competition BMW M3 used by Jean-Marc Alcaraz the previous day. Once again, Camirand started on the pole and led flag-to-flag for the victory.

Keeping the winner, Marc-Antoine Camirand, honest was Charles-Andre Bilodeau. Bilodeau failed to finish the first two events of the season. By the time the series traveled to Autodrome St-Felicien, the No. 26 BMW 328i was fully sorted and Bilodeau finished second. At Trois-Rivieres, he was sixth fastest during the qualifying and capitalized on some retirements during the contest to capture a runner-up result.

Last year’s winner, Jocelyn Hebert, had already scored a victory in this season’s Hankook Touring Championship. The veteran was the fifth fastest during the qualifying session at Trois-Rivieres. The driver of the No. 89 Equip 89 Acura Integra Type R put his experience to good use during the race. A pass on Jacques Gravel and the retirement of Travis Walker allowed him to grab the final spot on the podium.

Three podium finishes, one of which was a victory in the open round at Autodrome St-Eustache, gave Bobby Hamel the lead in the Hankook Touring Championship. Hamel drove the No. 22 GT Racing prepared BMW 328i with backing from Auto Techno and Bardahl. He struggled during qualifying and was sixteenth fastest in the twenty-four car field. Hamel retired on lap-9 with a suspension issue.

The defending Hankook Touring Championship titleholder, Jacques Gravel, drove the No. 1 GT Racing prepared Hyundai Tiburon. Gravel opened this season’s campaign with a runner-up result, but he finished just inside the top-ten in rounds two and three. At the Grand Prix de Trois-Rivieres, he was on form and qualified third. During the race, Gravel lost two positions and was fourth at the checkered flag.

FINISH	START	DRIVER	CAR	LAPS	RETIREMENTS
1	1	Marc-Antoine Camirand	BMW M3	20	-
2	6	Charles-Andre Bilodeau	BMW 328i	20	-
3	5	Jocelyn Hebert	Acura Integra Type R	20	-
4	3	Jacques Gravel	Hyundai Tiburon	20	-
5	9	Yves Bedard	Volkswage Golf GTi	20	-
6	8	Pascal Carre	Honda Civic	20	-
7	10	Martin Hamel	Acura Integra Type R	20	-
8	14	Steve Djelebian	Hyundai Tiburon	20	-
9	DNQ	Valerie Limoges	Acura RSX	20	-
10	18	Pascal Bastien	Honda Prelude	20	-
11	25	Jacques Belanger	Honda Civic	19	-
12	19	Manuel Bastien	Acura Integra Type R	19	-
13	26	Stephane Carrier	Volkswagen Jetta GLX	19	-
14	20	Vincent Basile	Acura Integra GSR	19	-
15	21	Remi Villeneuve	Subaru 2.5RS	18	-
16	23	Bernard Franke	Mercedes C280	18	-
17	13	Paul Sarrazin	Volkswagen Corrado	17	-
18	24	Eric Durand	Chevrolet Storm	16	-
19	22	Jean-Luc Gehant	Acura Integra Type R	15	-
20	15	Jacques Montpetit	Honda Civic	14	Did Not Finish
21	7	Jean-Philippe Papineau	Hyundai Tiburon	11	Did Not Finish
22	16	Bobby Hamel	BMW 328i	9	Did Not Finish
23	2	Travis Walker	Acura RSX	1	Did Not Finish
24	12	Etienne Borgeat	BMW 328i	1	Did Not Finish

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