Powell Motorsport will join the SGSfield for the Rolex Sports Car Series 6 Heures du Circuit Mont-Tremblant,May 21-23. Marc Antoine Camirand and Normand Guindon will co-pilot theChemcraft Corvette Z06 in the six-hour race at the historic Le CircuitMont-Tremblant. The car will be sponsored by Canadian companies ChemcraftInternational, Comet Chemical and R.M. Ferguson & Company Inc.
"Lately we have been very busy with our Cadillac CTS-V program," team leaderJohn Powell said. "Fortunately, we have Chemcraft and Comet Chemical behindour effort to take Corvette into the SGS class at Mont-Tremblant, and therace is close to our home base."
According to the Powell team, the Grand American SGS concept of a stock LS6engine in a 2700-pound Corvette is the right combination. Racing with astandard engine enhances the reliability of the car. The lightly stressed405 plus horsepower of the Z06 engine propelling a lighter weight car makesthe six-hour race an easier task for the brakes, transmission anddifferential.
Camirand, of Quebec, is a young racer with a portfolio of success in thejunior leagues of karting and formula cars. Guindon is a successfulbusinessman with many years of club racing and training behind him. Bothdrivers have been able to combine the allure of Mont-Tremblant and the RolexSports Car Series with the interests of local sponsors.
"Driving a Corvette will be new for me" Camirand said. "The car is heavierthan a formula car with a lot more torque and horsepower. It will be likedriving an elephant compared to a Formula Atlantic or a shifter kart. But myracing skills will be improved by this chance to drive a long distance race.Most of my races are over in 10 or 20 minutes in karts or formula cars. NowI will drive for two hours at a time. And while working with Normand Guindonand the Powell team is new to me, driving at Mont-Tremblant is not. This isone race track that I know really well."
"Stepping up to the Rolex Series into the SGS class is exciting," Guindonsaid. "I know the Corvette, but like Marc Antoine says, better to get intothe big leagues in a car I know at a track I know. We can race, be familiarwith our surroundings, and make sure we use our mirrors so we don't get inthe way of the fabulous Daytona Prototypes. And we can have fun around thePorsches in our class."
Powell expects to announce the final driver line-up this week.
The Powell Motorsport Chemcraft Corvette joins another Powell-built Corvettein the SGS class. Mike Baughman Racing purchased the 2003 Powell-builtCorvette, which now runs as the No. 46.
Tickets to the Rolex Series 6 Heures du Circuit Mont-Tremblant can bepurchased by calling 800-517-5725. Additional information on the 6 Heures duCircuit Mont-Tremblant and the Rolex Sports Car Series is available onlineat grandamerican.com.
