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After a one year absence, the popular Hankook Touring Championship returned to the Grand Prix de Trois-Rivieres.
The Hankook Touring Championship kicks-off at Autodrome St-Eustache in early May. This is followed by the championship’s first of four doubleheader weekends. Rounds two and three are conducted at the Grand Prix de Sanair. In August, the teams travel to Ontario for a doubleheader at the new Calabogie Motorsports Park. This event is followed by a weekend at the Grand Prix de Trois-Rivieres. Next, the championship returns to Ontario, but this time it is a doubleheader at Mosport International Raceway. The season concludes in late September, with the final doubleheader taking place at Circuit Mont-Tremblant. The Touring 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. Round six of the 2007 Hankook Touring Championship was held at the Grand Prix de Trois-Rivieres. Drivers would compete on the eleven-turn 1.53-mile temporary street circuit for twenty-laps.
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The start of round six for the 2007 Hankook Touring Championship at the Grand Prix de Trois-Rivieres. Spreading out three-wide as they head for corner one are the Lombardi Autosport entries. On the left is the third-fastest qualifier, Kuno Wittmer, driving the No. 20 Honda Civic. In the center and piloting the No. 37 Acura RSX Type S is the pole-sitter, Remy Audette. On the outside of Audette is his brother Mathieu. |
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The defending Hankook Touring champion Mathieu Audette scored seven podium finishes, of which two were victories on the way to last year’s title. In the off-season, Audette exchanged his Acura RSX Type S for a Honda Civic. In the first three rounds, he had failed to finish a race and the team skipped Calabogie. At Trois-Rivieres, he qualified second to his brother Remy and when Remy retired, he claimed the win. |
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Trois-Rivieres veteran Marc-Antoine Camirand returned with the familiar No. 96 BMW Z3 Coupe that he used to win the GTO division in 2004 and 2005. Round five was Camirand’s first start of the season. During the qualifying session, he recorded a time that put him fifth on the grid; however, an irregularity was discovered and Camirand started last. He charged through the field and finished in the runner-up spot. |
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World Challenge Touring Car competitor, Kuno Wittmer, was also making his first series appearance of the year at Trois-Rivieres. Wittmer was part of the three-car Lombardi Autosport assault that included Mathieu and Remy Audette. Driving the No. 20 Honda Civic, he qualified third fastest. Wittmer benefitted from the retirement of Remy Audette but could not hold-off Marc-Antoine Camirand and finished third. |
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Although he missed the first round of the season at Autodrome St-Eustache, Bruno Desfosses was leading the Hankook Touring Championship when the series arrived at Trois-Rivieres. In the four races, he entered Defosses three victories and a second place. He started round five in the eighteenth position driving the No. 10 Acura RSX Type S but made progress during the race and finished in the fourth position. |
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The Formula Tour 1600 points leader, Remy Audette, joined his brother Mathieu as part of the Lombardi Autosport team for round five of the 2007 Hankook Touring series at Trois-Rivieres. Remy adapted quickly to the No. 37 Acura RSX Type S and won the pole by a margin of 0.706-seconds. Unfortunately, he retired on lap-6 of the twenty-two-lap event. |
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| FINISH | START | DRIVER | CAR | LAPS | RETIREMENTS |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2 | Mathieu Audette | Honda Civic Si-R | 20 | - |
| 2 | 19 | Marc-Antoine Camirand | BMW Z3 Coupe | 20 | - |
| 3 | 3 | Kuno Wittmer | Honda Civic | 20 | - |
| 4 | 18 | Bruno Desfosses | Acura RSX Type S | 20 | - |
| 5 | 5 | Jocelyn Hebert | Acura Integra R | 20 | - |
| 6 | 7 | Pascal Bastien | Honda Civic Si-R | 20 | - |
| 7 | 12 | Michel Dulong | Acura Integra Type R | 19 | - |
| 8 | 8 | Luc Richard | Volkswagen Golf | 19 | - |
| 9 | 4 | Alain Lauziere | Mini Cooper S | 19 | - |
| 10 | 6 | Stephane Carrier | Audi TT Turbo | 19 | - |
| 11 | 13 | Frederick Savard | Honda Civic | 19 | - |
| 12 | 10 | Bertand Lambert | Toyota Echo | 18 | - |
| 13 | 15 | Gilbert Tomaro | Hyundai Tiburon | 18 | - |
| 14 | 9 | Nigel Heron | Acura Integra GSR | 18 | - |
| 15 | 14 | Marc-Andre Rivest | Acura Integra Type R | 18 | - |
| 16 | 17 | Shayne Morten | Honda Civic | 17 | - |
| 17 | 16 | Jacques Deshaies | Honda Civic | 17 | - |
| 18 | 11 | Manuel Bastien | Honda Prelude | 10 | Did Not Finish |
| 19 | 1 | Remy Audette | Acura RSX Type S | 6 | Did Not Finish |
| - | - | Stephane Trahan | Honda Civic | - | Did Not Start |
| - | - | Samy Ben Larbi | Honda Civic | - | Did Not Start |
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