Jean-Francois Dumoulin and the #04 Spectra Premium | Bernier Crépeau Chrysler Fiat | Groupe Bellemare | MIA team were justifiably looking for the result they deserved at the Jukasa Motor Speedway (Hagersville, Ontario).
The car showed excellent pace at the morning practice session but an unpredictable mechanical failure mid-race forced an early retirement before Jean-Francois Dumoulin could improve his speed. The team did, however, validate that the major changes to the car’s suspension carried out over the winter worked as expected.
The preparation and race strategy addressed the usual dilemma: to be quick over the one- or two-lap qualifying session on a warm afternoon, as well as over the long stints that are the main portion of the race, especially in cooler conditions towards the finish. The objective remains to stay in contact with the leaders late in the race, and give yourself a shot at a podium finish. According to Jean-François Dumoulin, “Persistent understeer affected our lap times in qualifying and during the race, despite working on all available adjustments.”
Starting fourteenth, the driver of the #04 Spectra Premium | Bernier Crépeau Chrysler Fiat | Groupe Bellemare | MIA car held position with a pace that would not overtax brakes and tires but kept him within reach of the leaders until the end of the first part of the race. On lap 75 of 200, a planned red flag brought everyone into the pits for a mandatory stop. Back on track with fresh tires, Jean-François Dumoulin put in some laps within 0.1 sec of the leader.
By mid-race, the car started showing braking problems to the point of having to stop in the pits for repairs after touching the wall. A new wheel bearing had failed and was causing overheating of the whole brake hub and tire assembly, and could not be repaired in a race situation.
“We came here ready to show the fruits of our development work. However, chronic understeer and a failure of a new wheel bearing ruined our day, leaving us with our unrealized potential.” said the driver of the #04 Spectra Premium | Bernier Crépeau Chrysler Fiat | Groupe Bellemare | MIA Dodge.
Fear not! The whole #04 Spectra Premium | Bernier Crépeau Chrysler Fiat | Groupe Bellemare | MIA team will return with the same motivation. The next round of the NASCAR Pinty’s Series will take place at the Autodrome Chaudière (Vallée-Jonction, Québec) on June 30 next.
Our Race Against Cancer Does Not Ease Up!
Everyone we meet is affected in one way or another by cancer and ready to help defeat the disease. Our fund-raising campaign in favour of the Quebec Cancer Foundation relates well to racing fans, who cover the trunk lids of racing brothers Jean-François and Louis-Philippe Dumoulin’s race cars at every Pinty’s event. To make a donation online: lacoursecontrelecancer.ca
