Even before his dominating performance at the season opener at Sunset Speedway, Marc-Antoine Camirand (#96 GM Paillé Chevrolet) would have listed the eBay Motors 200 as one of the favorites to capture the checkered flag.

A quick look at Camirand’s history at Canadian Tire Motorsport Park (CTMP) shows why – one win and three second places in the last six races there. His victory came in the most recent race at the historic track, the Clarington 200 last September. Camirand passed Alex Tagliani (No. 18 Viagra/St Hubert Chevrolet) with five laps to go to take his first road win.

“I’m really excited to go there,” said Camirand. “I like (CTMP), it’s my kind of track – I’m more of a road racing guy.”

Camirand’s preference for on-road courses dates back to the early years of his career. He won the Formula 1600 championship in 1997 aged 18, becoming the series’ youngest ever champion. But as he showed on Saturday night by leading a career-high 203 laps, his performance on the oval track came to match his prowess on the road.

What made this race even more impressive was the fact that he was competing against a brand new team in a brand new car. During the off-season, Camirand moved from 22 Racing to newly created GM Paillé Racing with cars prepared from its own new Camirand Performance workshop.

“I don’t think anyone expected us to be so dominant from the first race,” Camirand said. “We have a great team in place, we are proud to represent the Paillé course//racing team and I’m sure this is just the beginning of the great things we can achieve together.”

The secret to early success may be crew chief Robin McCluskey who has spent the past six seasons with LP Dumoulin (#47 Weathertech Bellamare Dodge), guiding him to two Pinty’s Series championships. McCluskey returns to a familiar role as team leader for Camirand – the two spent 16 races together from 2013 to 2015, compiling six top fives and 10 top 10s.

McCluskey is also having success at CTMP with two career wins at the track. His most recent came with Dumoulin at the Olymel Ontario Grand Prix last year, just a day before Camirand’s victory.

“We have to go shake a new road race car and test it,” Camirand said of this week’s preparations. “We will be ready for the race.

If Camirand’s road car looks like the rocket he had at Sunset, the field will be fighting for second place.

Kevin Lacroix seeks to return to CTMP dominance

If Camirand isn’t the clear CTMP favorite, it’s only because Kevin Lacroix (#74 Bumper to Bumper/Lacroix Tuning/Boulonnerie Dodge) has spent the majority of his career winning races at the track. Five of them, in fact – a feat matched only by “Ironman” series DJ Kennington (#17 Castrol Edge/Cathcart Trucking Dodge) who scored five career wins at Delaware Speedway.

Three of Lacroix’s wins, in 2016-17, came back-to-back, making him one of only two drivers in series history to win three races in a row at the same track – Andrew Ranger accomplished the feat twice (ICAR, 2012-14 and GP3R, 2008-10).

In 12 CTMP starts, Lacroix has eight top-five finishes. It seems the only way to keep him from getting on the podium is with car trouble. Lacroix’s four results outside the top five were all the result of crashes or mechanical issues, and all ended in 23rd place or worse. If you throw those four starts – the first three for Lacroix on the track and the first race of 2021 – he has an incredible 2.0 average.

Sam Fellows pursues his racing dream

It doesn’t get much better than this week for Sam Fellows.

After spending his weekdays promoting the Castrol Victoria Day Speedfest as Marketing Director of CTMP, Fellows will take the wheel of his #98 CURB Records Chevrolet for Sunday’s eBay Motors 200.

This season is his second as a full-time driver in the NASCAR Pinty’s Series after finishing second in rookie points in 2021.

“I felt really lucky to have the opportunity last year,” Fellows said. “Everything was so uncertain during covid that I wondered where I could go next with my racing, this opportunity with Jim Bray and Curb Records has been a real blessing. To be on the grid with the best drivers in Canada, this The peloton is full of talent, it’s amazing and I’m trying to learn and do the best I can.

Competing at CTMP, a track he grew up on, makes the opportunity even more special. Fellows has success at the track owned by his father, Canadian racing legend Ron Fellows. He won his first race in the Canadian Touring Car Championship (CTCC) in 2017.

While this moment was truly special, a CTMP victory at the highest level of Canadian motorsport would be the pinnacle for the Fellows family.

“It’s hard to put into words what that would really mean,” Fellows said. “My dad has had some big and memorable wins here, but we never imagined we would be part of the property. It’s like our second home now. It would be emotional for me and my family, to say the least. there would be a lot of hugs and tears, I think.