Window net issues hampered EuroNASCAR champion Vittorio Ghirelli on his first NASCAR Canada qualifying session at Grand Prix de Trois-Rivières.
EuroNASCAR champion Vittorio Ghirelli has completed his first official laps in the NASCAR Canada Series. The Italian showed promising speed, but issues in Qualifying left him in 14th place out of the 29 drivers that took part in Grand Prix de Trois-Rivières (GP3R).
Ghirelli received a chance to compete in NASCAR Canada as part of NASCAR International’s drivers exchange program. He punched his ticket to GP3R after he clinched top spot in the overall standings at the halfway point of the EuroNASCAR season.
Ghirelli was given the keys of the No. 50 Chevrolet Camaro, sponsored by long-time NASCAR Canada supporters Rousseau Metal and Festidrag.tv.
The 2025 edition of GP3R sees a really strong field, led by the Paillé Course//Racing duo of Marc-Antoine Camirand and Andrew Ranger.
Camirand and Ranger led a Paillé 1-2 in Qualifying, both running a special livery in tribute to Gilles Villeneuve – father of former F1 world champion, Indy 500 winner and EuroNASCAR race winner Jacques Villeneuve.
Camirand, who is the reigning NASCAR Canada champion, led Ghirelli by 1.734 seconds in Qualifying. Ghirelli was held back by window net issues, with him believing that he had up to one second to gain had he ran a spotless session.
“We had a bit of an issue as my window net wasn’t tightened up and I couldn’t adjust it from the inside,” explains the Italian. “Officials called us in for safety reasons, so I pitted before I did a lap.”
“We managed to put in two laps, but my preparation lap wasn’t good. My fronts weren’t there because I didn’t manage to scrub it well in the out lap and on lap two, my rears were going everywhere.”
“I think I had six tenths to one second in my pocket. But anyways, it’s a pleasure to be in the top-15 on my debut in the Canada Series.”
Ghirelli beat Ryan Vargas, who made the full-time jump to NASCAR Canada for 2025. Vargas was only 18th, with his lap being 0.380 seconds slower than Ghirelli’s lap of 1:08.111.
With Ghirelli expecting the race to be more chaotic than what he’s used to in EuroNASCAR, he plans to “be smart” in the 60-lap race at Circuit de Trois-Rivières.
“I think we have the top-10 pace,” chimes the PK Carsport driver. “It will be a long battle because it’s like a demolition derby here. I’ll be smart, try to stay out of trouble, attack in the last 10 laps and see where we go!”
“I have to thank my sponsors Rousseau Metal and Festidrag.tv that allowed me to be here. Let’s do a good job tomorrow and give them a good result!”
Both Rousseau Metal and Festidrag.tv will also sponsor Raphaël Lessard for his drivers exchange trip to Europe. Lessard is scheduled to compete in the NASCAR GP Germany at Motorsport Arena Oschersleben in September.
Lessard is also competing at GP3R this weekend, driving the No. 7 Trois-Rivières Lions Chevrolet. Fittingly, he qualified seventh for the race, just ahead of NASCAR Xfinity regular Alex Labbe.
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