“We may not have won but the outcome of this first rally in 2012 is still pretty positive. On one hand, the new car had no mechanical issues and doesn’t have a scratch on it and on the other hand, we earned second place points in what are promising to be hotly contested championships (North American and Rally America),” confides Antoine L’Estage, who adds, “the 2012 edition of the SnoDrift Rally was without a doubt the toughest driving conditions I’ve ever been faced with. The icy roads were comparable to an extremely smooth ice rink and it was practically impossible to find any grip. The first loop of stages was especially tough for me before I was able to better adapt to the new car on ice. I also made a mistake by cutting a corner where I shouldn’t have, resulting in a flat tire and another big loss of time,” adds the Rockstar Energy Drink driver.

After having conceded a big gap during the first day, L’Estage and Richard essentially tied the eventual winners on the second day, finishing the competition in second place. “Congrats to our British rivals David Higgins and Craig Drew – they had an excellent weekend,” adds Antoine L’Estage, who concludes, “thanks to Nathalie for another perfect co-driving job, to my entire Rockstar team, and to our sponsors, which now also includes Formica for the 2012 season.”

Rallye Perce-Neige, start of the Canadian championship.

On the heel of their return from Michigan, the members of the Rockstar Energy Drink team will be faced with another winter challenge this weekend as they contest the Rallye Perce-Neige, in Maniwaki, Quebec. This event will be the first round of the Canadian Rally Championship. “We’re looking forward to a nice winter rally, with nice winter conditions!” exclaims Antoine L’Estage. “The roads in and around Maniwaki are hopefully covered in snow and the route that we follow for the Rallye Perce-Neige is fantastic. We’re eager to cross the start line on Saturday morning to kick-off the defence of our 2011 titles,” chimes in Nathalie Richard.

The Rockstar Energy Drink team will again be using the Yokohama line of tires for 2012, this weekend it will consist of A034s for the snow and IG20s for icy conditions. “Tires are a key element when we’re aiming for the victory at this rally,” explains the Quebec driver, who has already won this event four times making him one of three drivers in the history of the Rallye Perce-Neige with such a successful record since its inception almost half a century ago. The start of the 47th edition of the Rallye Perce-Neige will take place on Saturday morning at 9am in Maniwaki. The finish is scheduled for approximately 10:30pm after the teams have covered more than 500 km.

Antoine L’Estage holds four North American championship titles (2007, 2008, 2010, 2011), four Canadian titles (2006, 2007, 2010, 2011), one American title (2010), and thirty-one overall victories in Canada and the US. Nathalie Richard holds seven overall national championship titles (4 Canadian and 3 American), as well as thirty-seven overall rally wins on both sides of the border. She also holds a record seven North American Co-Driving Championship titles (2004 – 2011, excluding 2006).

Antoine L’Estage and Nathalie Richard participate in the 2012 Rally America and Canadian Rally Championships with the support of Rockstar Energy Drink, Formica Group, Fenetres Concerto, Mitsubishi Canada, Yokohama Tires, Drenth Motorsport Gearboxes, Garrett Turbos, Energie Cardio, VP Racing Fuels, Exe-Tc Suspensions, Hawk Performance Brake Pads, Driver’s Edge Autosport, and Libra Racing. For more information on the team or on rallying in general, visit antoinelestage.com.

Photo : Canadian and North American champions Antoine L’Estage and Nathalie Richard finished 2nd at the 2012 SnoDrift Rally in Michigan. By Scott Rains

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Rockstar Energy Drink team driver Antoine L’Estage is looking forward to getting back to competition after a two-month hiatus since the final round of the 2011 Canadian Rally Championship and the North American Rally Cup. John Buffum, rally legend and owner of Vermont-based Libra Racing, just completed the build of a brand new Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution X for the Rockstar duo and with a successful test a few days ago, the entire team eagerly awaits Friday’s rally start. “Antoine and I both love competing in winter conditions. This year, we are expecting less snow in Michigan than we’ve generally had in the past, which can make for an extremely challenging two days. He’s a fantastic driver and that definitely holds true on snow and ice,” shares co-driver Richard. “And regardless of what conditions we are faced with, we have a great selection of Yokohama tires to choose from,” she adds.

With the start of a new season and the debut of a new car, the team is also pleased to announce their new partnership with Formica Group, an industry leader in the design, manufacture, and distribution of innovative surfacing products. “I’m thrilled that Formica will be joining our already impressive line-up of committed partners and we expect this to be the start of a long and strong relationship,” confides L’Estage. “We have had such a successful past two years, winning the Canadian and North American titles both years and the Rally America title once. With this new car and our devoted partners and fans, we’re ready to start yet another amazing season.”

Antoine L’Estage holds four North American championship titles (2007, 2008, 2010, 2011), four Canadian titles (2006, 2007, 2010, 2011), one American title (2010), and thirty-one overall victories in Canada and the US. Nathalie Richard holds seven overall national championship titles (4 Canadian and 3 American), as well as thirty-seven overall rally wins on both sides of the border. She also holds a record seven North American Co-Driving Championship titles (2004 – 2011, excluding 2006).

Antoine L’Estage and Nathalie Richard participate in the 2012 Rally America and Canadian Rally Championships with the support of Rockstar Energy Drink, Formica Group, Fenetres Concerto, Mitsubishi Canada, Yokohama Tires, Drenth Motorsport Gearboxes, Garrett Turbos, Energie Cardio, VP Racing Fuels, Exe-Tc Suspensions, Hawk Performance Brake Pads, Driver’s Edge Autosport, and Libra Racing. For more information on the team or on rallying in general, visit antoinelestage.com.

Antoine L’Estage and Nathalie Richard, 2011 Canadian and North American Rally Champions. Photo by Tim Williams

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“We started the Tall Pines without any real pressure on our shoulders because we had already accumulated enough points to clinch both the North American and the Canadian Rally Championship titles earlier this year. Regardless, we were still motivated to have a great battle with our primary rival in the Canadian Rally Championship, as well as our primary rival in the Rally America series,” explains Antoine L’Estage. He adds, “We pushed hard and had fun and won all the stages of the rally before our mechanical problem. The roads were fast with a bit of mud but no ice – we chose the right Yokohama tires for these conditions, which allowed us to increase our lead after each stage.”

This mechanical DNF (Did Not Finish) is the only one in 2011 for Antoine L’Estage and Nathalie Richard, which is a testament to how solidly the Mitsubishi Evo X is prepared by John Buffum’s Libra Racing shop. The Rockstar Royal Group team has contested thirteen rallies this year, comprising of the entire Canadian Rally Championship and Rally America series, as well as the Rallye de Charlevoix (Quebec Championship) won by Antoine L’Estage and John Buffum last month. In total, they climbed onto the podium eleven times with 7 victories and 4 second places.

In addition to their overall 2011 Canadian and North American driver’s titles for L’Estage and Richard, they almost single-handedly won the Manufacturers’ title for Mitsubishi. “Leading up to Tall Pines, we had earned all of the Manufacturers’ championship points for Mitsubishi with four wins and a second place. In order to secure the title, the highest finishing Mitsubishi needed to be in the top 6. Thanks to Simon Losier and Brian Maxwell’s sixth place finish, we are thrilled to announce Mitsubishi’s very first overall Manufacturers’ title in Canada. It’s definitely the icing on the cake in a year that has brought so much success to our sponsors,” conclude Antoine L’Estage and Nathalie Richard.

At the end of the 2011 season, Antoine L’Estage holds four North American championship titles (2007, 2008, 2010 and 2011), four Canadian titles (2006, 2007, 2010 and 2011), one American title (2010), and thirty-one overall victories in Canada and the US. Nathalie Richard holds seven overall national championship titles (4 in Canada and 3 in the USA), as well as thirty-seven overall rally wins on both sides of the border. She is also a seven-time North American Champion (2004 – 2011, excluding 2006).

Antoine L’Estage and Nathalie Richard participated in the 2011 Rally America and Canadian Rally Championships with the support of Rockstar Energy Drink, Royal Group, Yokohama Tires, Mitsubishi Canada, Drenth Motorsport Gearboxes, Garrett Turbos, Energie Cardio, Libra Racing, Driver’s Edge Autosport (OMP), VP Racing Fuels, Exe-Tc Suspensions, Seibon Carbon and Hawk Performance Brake Pads. For more information on the team or on rallying in general, visit antoinelestage.com.

Antoine L’Estage and Nathalie Richard, 2011 Canadian Rally Champions, in action while leading the Rally of the Tall Pines. Photo by Antoine Belanger-Leclerc

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“We stuck to our original plan for the weekend and the entire team did an amazing job to ensure that we could bring home the championship title again this year,” confided Antoine L’Estage, who adds: “after winning every single Canadian rally since September 2010, (seven consecutive events), I had to hold myself back a bit here because our priority was the championship title. The Pacific Forest Rally is not an easy event and again this year, many teams suffered from flat tires or mechanical issues. Our Yokohama tires provided us with the best line-up to avoid any flats and our Mitsubishi Lancer Evo X was once again extremely reliable. Our championship is as much for us as it is for John Buffum and the entire Rockstar Royal Group team for their dedicated work throughout the entire season.”

Quebec driver, L’Estage, and his small private team have experienced a remarkable season with a string of victories and titles. “Winning the championship here in Merritt, during the second last event in the 2011 calendar, is such an advantage because it eliminates all pressure for the Rally of the Tall Pines, the final event of the year taking place next month in Ontario. The last rally will still offer Mitsubishi a chance to win the manufacturer’s title if the top Mitsubishi finishes in the top 6 overall,” mentions Antoine L’Estage.

As for Nathalie Richard, this second consecutive Canadian title highlights a faultless season. “This year we truly demonstrated how important the concept of a team is. In the car, it’s Antoine and I that need to set fastest times but it’s the work of John Buffum and our amazing mechanics, as well as the implication of all of our sponsors, that enable us to be so successful,” she explains.

Antoine L’Estage holds four North American championship titles (2007, 2008, 2010 and 2011), four Canadian titles (2006, 2007, 2010 and 2011), one American title (2010), and thirty-one overall victories in Canada and the US. Nathalie Richard holds seven overall national championship titles (4 in Canada and 3 in the USA), as well as thirty-seven overall rally wins on both sides of the border. She is also a seven-time North American Champion (2004 – 2011, excluding 2006).

Antoine L’Estage and Nathalie Richard participate in the 2011 Rally America and Canadian Rally Championships with the support of Rockstar Energy Drink, Royal Group, Yokohama Tires, Mitsubishi Canada, Drenth Motorsport Gearboxes, Garrett Turbos, Energie Cardio, Libra Racing, Driver’s Edge Autosport (OMP), VP Racing Fuels, Exe-Tc Suspensions, Seibon Carbon and Hawk Performance Brake Pads. For more information on the team or on rallying in general, visit antoinelestage.com.

Antoine L’Estage and Nathalie Richard, 2011 Canadian Rally Champions.
Action Photo Credit : Andrew Snucins, Coyote Rallye Media
Podium Photo Credit : Aaron Kathman, www.WorldRallySport.com

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Since the 2006 season when Antoine won his first Canadian championship and the year that he and Nathalie began competing as a team, Antoine L’Estage has been victorious at twenty-one of the thirty-four events in the Canadian series, giving him an impressive winning score of 62%. Unbeatable in Canada since the 2010 Rallye Defi, the Rockstar Royal Group team does not need to finish higher than tenth place at the Pacific Forest Rally to once again have their names engraved on the Canadian Rally Championship trophy for 2011. “Many of our fans are encouraging us to continue our winning streak and go for the victory at the Pacific Forest Rally this weekend. But, sometimes we have to make choices and this time, our priority is to get enough points to secure another Canadian title,” explains Antoine L’Estage, who adds: “Naturally, if circumstances play in our favour and present the opportunity to win this rally, it’ll be hard to just sit back and not go for it.”

Weather conditions often play a big role in this event, located in and around the town of Merritt, British Columbia, a few hours northeast of Vancouver. “It is not rare for us to compete on gravel roads in the flatter areas and then find ourselves in a foot of snow in the higher altitude competitive stages,” confides Antoine. “It has already happened in the past but our team has always been prepared for this and with our Yokohama tires, we didn’t have any problems.”

The Rockstar Royal Group team has been driving a Mitsubishi in the Canadian, North American, and Rally America championships since 2009. Each season, Antoine L’Estage and Nathalie Richard contest between ten and twelve performance rally events on both sides of the border and each time, they are one of the favoured to win.

Antoine L’Estage holds four North American championship titles (2007, 2008, 2010 and 2011), three Canadian titles (2006, 2007 and 2010), one American title (2010), and thirty-one overall victories in Canada and the US. Nathalie Richard holds six overall national championship titles (3 in Canada and 3 in the USA), as well as thirty-seven overall rally wins on both sides of the border. She is also a seven-time North American Co-Driving Champion (2004 – 2011, excluding 2006).

Antoine L’Estage and Nathalie Richard participate in the 2011 Rally America and Canadian Rally Championships with the support of Rockstar Energy Drink, Royal Group, Yokohama Tires, Mitsubishi Canada, Drenth Motorsport Gearboxes, Garrett Turbos, Energie Cardio, Libra Racing, Driver’s Edge Autosport (OMP), VP Racing Fuels, Exe-Tc Suspensions, Seibon Carbon and Hawk Performance Brake Pads. For more information on the team or on rallying in general, visit antoinelestage.com.

Antoine L’Estage and Nathalie Richard on their way to clinching the North American Rally championship earlier this month.

Photo Credit : Mat Janiak / WorldRallySport

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Invincible in a Full Year of the Canadian Rally Championship…

Leaders of the Canadian Rally Championship and the North American Rally Cup heading into this weekend’s Rallye Defi, Quebec driver Antoine L’Estage (of St-Jean-sur-Richelieu, QC) and his co-driver Nathalie Richard (of Halifax, NS) had a problem-free performance, which was capped off with the overall victory. In doing so, they set a new record of six wins at this particular event and clinched the 2011 North American Rally championship. Unbeatable in a full year of Canadian Rally Championship competition, the Rockstar Royal Group duo just earned their seventh consecutive win in the series.

The Rockstar Royal Group team arrived with a lot of confidence to the start of this rally, one of the most popular in North America but also one of the most demanding with twenty-three competitive stages over two full days in the Laurentides and Outaouais regions of Quebec. This confidence was translated into the best imaginable result for Antoine L’Estage and Nathalie Richard. “We won the first stage by 9 seconds and maintained the lead right through to the end of the rally, winning by over three and a half minutes,” explains Antoine.

This victory clinched the 2011 North American championship for Antoine and Nathalie with two events remaining in the series. As for the Canadian Rally Championship title, the Rockstar Royal Group team was able to double their lead to forty-one points over the second place team. “Winning the North American Rally Cup is one of our goals at the start of each season. We’re both very happy as this marks my fourth NARC title and Nathalie’s seventh, which ties her for the all-time co-driving record!” shares the Quebec driver, who adds, “We can’t celebrate 2011 Canadian Rally Championship honours but it puts us in a very comfortable position heading into the two remaining events.”

The layout of the 2011 edition of the Rallye Defi once again allowed the Rockstar Royal Group team to demonstrate just how well John Buffum and Libra Racing have prepared a strong and reliable Lancer Evo X, as explains Nathalie Richard: “This is a great win for our entire team. Our car was perfect from the first kilometer to the very last. Knowing that we can focus on our jobs inside the car without having to worry about whether the car can take the beating, makes it easier for us and is a testament to our three mechanics.”

On the tricky Rallye Defi roads, the Rockstar Royal Group team also benefited from their lineup of Yokohama tires. “The tires were definitely a factor in our victory. Several other teams suffered from flats during the rally but it was never an issue for us and I have to say that I was once again very impressed with the performance and quality of my Yokohama Tires,” confides Antoine L’Estage.

Antoine L’Estage holds four North American championship titles (2007, 2008, 2010 and 2011), three Canadian titles (2006, 2007 and 2010), one American title (2010), and thirty-one overall victories in Canada and the US. Nathalie Richard holds six overall national championship titles (3 in Canada and 3 in the USA), as well as thirty-seven overall rally wins on both sides of the border. She is also a seven-time North American Co-Driving Champion (2004 – 2011, excluding 2006).

Antoine L’Estage and Nathalie Richard participate in the 2011 Rally America and Canadian Rally Championships with the support of Rockstar Energy Drink, Royal Group, Yokohama Tires, Mitsubishi Canada, Drenth Motorsport Gearboxes, Garrett Turbos, Energie Cardio, Libra Racing, Driver’s Edge Autosport (OMP), VP Racing Fuels, Exe-Tc Suspensions and Hawk Performance Brake Pads. For more information on the team or on rallying in general, visit antoinelestage.com.

Photo Credit (podium): Rockstar Concerto Team
Photo Credit (action shot): Melina Lamoureux / WorldRallySport

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Victors of the Perce-Neige, Rocky Mountain and Baie-des-Chaleurs rallies in the first half of the season, as well as the last three rounds of the 2010 championship, Antoine L’Estage, Nathalie Richard and the entire Rockstar Royal Group team are now returning to the event that kicked off their winning streak last year. “Defi is a rally that has almost always brought me good luck. I like the event and I’m arriving ready and confident after a great test session last week,” shares Antoine L’Estage.

The Rockstar Royal Group team made good use of the summer break to do a complete re-prep of Antoine’s Mitsubishi Lancer Evo X in order to be ready for Defi. “We contested many events on both sides of the border in the spring and early summer and even though we’ve had very little issues with the Evo during that time, it was best to ensure that the car is top shape,” confides the Quebec driver.

Antoine and Nathalie head into this event with the same goal as the other events – to win and continue their streak of victories – earning high points to maintain or increase their lead in the championship is crucial, as co-driver Nathalie Richard explains: “We’re attacking this round like any other, without added pressure but without backing off either because even though we have a good lead in the series, it would be pointless to take unnecessary risks to try to win. We’ll see how things are going and adjust our strategy accordingly but if everything goes as planned, we’ll be going for the victory and the North American Rally Championship title.”

The Rallye Defi takes place over twenty-three competitive stages near Ste-Agathe on Friday, September 9th and then in the Outaouais region the following day. The often tricky and challenging roads do not phase Antoine L’Estage, record holder for the total number of wins at this event: “It’s no longer as rough as it has been in the past and lately, the Defi roads are fairly smooth and pretty fast. And with our full line of Yokohama tires, there’s nothing to worry about.”

Winning this event guarantees the North American Rally Cup title for the team, marking Antoine’s fourth and Nathalie’s record-breaking seventh time.

Antoine L’Estage holds three North American championship titles (2007, 2008 and 2010), three Canadian titles (2006, 2007 and 2010), one American title (2010), and thirty overall victories in Canada and the US. Nathalie Richard holds six overall national championship titles (3 in Canada and 3 in the USA), as well as thirty-six overall rally wins on both sides of the border. She is also a six-time North American Co-Driving Champion (2004 – 2010, excluding 2006).

Antoine L’Estage and Nathalie Richard participate in the 2011 Rally America and Canadian Rally Championships with the support of Rockstar Energy Drink, Royal Group, Yokohama Tires, Mitsubishi Canada, Drenth Motorsport Gearboxes, Garrett Turbos, Energie Cardio, Libra Racing, Driver’s Edge Autosport (OMP), VP Racing Fuels, Exe-Tc Suspensions and Hawk Performance Brake Pads. For more information on the team or on rallying in general, visit antoinelestage.com.

Antoine L’Estage and Nathalie Richard attacking on their way to victory at the New England Forest Rally in July.
Photo Mat Janiak / WorldRallySport

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Hot off of a Canadian Rally Championship victory just two weeks prior, Antoine and Nathalie set their sights on another victory with an ultimate goal of capturing the series title for a second year in a row. The duo immediately started the rally by winning stages but knew the odds were against them in terms of the championship. With nothing to gain and everything to lose, the Subaru USA factory team of David Higgins and Craig Drew were less likely to put up a battle for the event win, as explained by co-driver Richard: “When we lost the last US rally by only 1.3 seconds, it meant that we’d be coming to Maine with a ten point deficit instead of being tied for the series’ lead. Winning the New England Forest Rally wasn’t going to be enough for us to claim the title unless David and Craig finished lower than fourth.” Higgins and Drew eventually finished the event in second place, 48 seconds behind L’Estage and Richard.

The Rockstar Royal Group Mitsubishi Evo X was again flawlessly prepared by John Buffum’s Libra Racing shop and the Yokohama tires worked perfectly on the roughest rally surface in North America. Minor problems slowed L’Estage/Richard down a little but notwithstanding, the duo maintained a generally conservative pace throughout the entire weekend. “I’m very happy we won but I can’t say that I’m not disappointed about the championship. We are a private team and every member does way more than their fair share so that we can battle with the big manufacturers’ teams. Nathalie and I are grateful to John, Paul and Mathieu for everything they do,” confessed Antoine. “Having David and Craig in the series this year gave us some solid battles and it’s nice to compare myself with David, who has already accomplished so much internationally,” he added.

In 2010, Antoine L’Estage and Nathalie Richard won the Rally America series, the Canadian Rally Championship, and the North American Rally Cup, collectively known as the Triple Crown. This year the team finished second in the Rally America championship and are currently leading the Canadian championship midway through its season. The duo also has a commanding lead of the North American Rally Cup, which could be locked up as early as the next Canadian Rally Championship event, Rallye Defi, September 9th & 10th.

Antoine L’Estage holds three North American championship titles (2007, 2008 and 2010), three Canadian titles (2006, 2007 and 2010), one American title (2010), and thirty overall victories in Canada and the US. Nathalie Richard holds six overall national championship titles (3 in Canada and 3 in the USA), as well as thirty-six overall rally wins on both sides of the border. She is also a six-time North American Co-Driving Champion (2004 – 2010, excluding 2006).

Antoine L’Estage and Nathalie Richard participate in the 2011 Rally America and Canadian Rally Championships with the support of Rockstar Energy Drink, Royal Group, Yokohama Tires, Mitsubishi Canada, Drenth Motorsport Gearboxes, Garrett Turbos, Energie Cardio, Libra Racing, Driver’s Edge Autosport (OMP), VP Racing Fuels, Exe-Tc Suspensions, Seibon Carbon and Hawk Performance Brake Pads. For more information on the team or on rallying in general, visit antoinelestage.com.

Antoine L’Estage and Nathalie Richard jumping to victory at last weekend’s New England Forest Rally. Photo: Mat Janiak, World Rally Sport

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Success at the Rallye Baie-des-Chaleurs…

Driver Antoine L’Estage (of St-Jean-sur-Richelieu, QC) and his co-driver Nathalie Richard (of Halifax, NS) won this past weekend’s Rallye Baie-des-Chaleurs in New Richmond, Quebec. At the wheel of their Rockstar Royal Group Mitsubishi Evo X, the duo overcame multiple obstacles at this event to eventually walk away with their sixth consecutive victory in the Canadian Rally Championship, increasing their lead in the series, as well as in the North American Rally Cup. This win is extra special for Antoine L’Estage as this past weekend’s event marked the 100th rally of his career.

Already winners at the Rallye Perce-Neige and the Rocky Mountain Rally earlier in the season, Antoine L’Estage, Nathalie Richard and the entire Rockstar Concerto team worked extremely hard to claim this victory. “We just experienced a crazy rally. Friday night we built up a significant lead right from the first stage before losing two and a half minutes with our rear differential problems, which dropped us into second place by nine seconds,”explains Antoine. “We took back the lead on Saturday morning but just before the final stage of the rally, we were forced to change the gearbox, causing us to check out of service later than the allotted time, and therefore incurring a penalty. Luckily, we had a big enough gap ahead of second place that the penalty and another frustrating problem on the last stage were not enough to knock us off of the top spot. This was a roller coaster ride of emotions, one I’d rather not repeat!” adds the reigning champion.

This success goes to a driver celebrating his 100th rally, a co-driver who did another perfect job, and especially to the Rockstar Royal Group team of mechanics who can be extremely proud of their accomplishments this weekend, as explained by Nathalie Richard. “This is a really big team victory because without the fast and efficient work of John Buffum and our mechanics Paul and Mathieu, we are fairly certain that we would not have just won our sixth Canadian rally in a row.”

The road conditions were equally difficult for this edition of the event thanks to hard rainfall on the days leading up to the rally, leaving the surface extremely slick and muddy. Antoine L’Estage emphasizes that this was not a concern of his. “My mechanics prepared a very reliable car for me, we were the fastest team, and with my Yokohama tires, we had a great selection of possibilities. For these conditions, we opted to start the rally on a soft compound tire, which was the right choice for Friday night’s stages.”

This 2011 edition of the Rallye Baie-des-Chaleurs was a challenge for all the top teams, each of which suffered their fair share of major mechanical problems. This win marks Antoine and Nathalie’s third victory in New Richmond, and makes it almost impossible for any other team on the continent to claim the North American Rally Cup. The team is now preparing to head to the New England Forest Rally in less than two weeks for the final round of the Rally America Championship. Antoine and Nathalie currently sit in second place in that series.

Antoine L’Estage holds three North American championship titles (2007, 2008 and 2010), three Canadian titles (2006, 2007 and 2010), one American title (2010), and twenty-nine overall victories in Canada and the US. Nathalie Richard holds six overall national championship titles (3 in Canada and 3 in the USA), as well as thirty-five overall rally wins on both sides of the border. She is also a six-time North American Co-Driving Champion (2004 – 2010, excluding 2006).

Antoine L’Estage and Nathalie Richard participate in the 2011 Rally America and Canadian Rally Championships with the support of Rockstar Energy Drink, Royal Group, Yokohama Tires, Mitsubishi Canada, Drenth Motorsport Gearboxes, Garrett Turbos, Energie Cardio, Libra Racing, Driver’s Edge Autosport (OMP), VP Racing Fuels, Exe-Tc Suspensions and Hawk Performance Brake Pads. For more information on the team or on rallying in general, visit antoinelestage.com.

Team Photo: Antoine L’Estage, Nathalie Richard and their indispensable team of mechanics.
Photo: Mat Janiak, World Rally Sport.

Action Shot: Antoine L’Estage and Nathalie Richard, taking the final jump as winners of the 2011 Rallye Baie-des-Chaleurs.
Photo: Mike Proulx, World Rally Sport

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The Rocky Mountain Rally definitely lived up to its reputation of having challenging weather conditions. This year, in addition to rain and mud, the competitors were faced with persistent snowstorms covering the high altitude competitive stages with up to a foot a snow. This paved the way for a showdown between championship rivals Rockstar Royal Group in the Mitsubishi Evo X and the Subaru Canada factory team. “It was really a great battle! We won more than half of the competitive stages even though we were handicapped by being first on the road for the entire duration of the rally, forcing us to plow the sometimes deep snow for the cars behind us. We had to make sure we avoided even the slightest error to remain amongst the leaders, especially during Friday morning’s stages,” comments Antoine L’Estage.

At the wheel of their Evo X, Antoine L’Estage and Nathalie Richard kept the pressure on their rival for several stages before taking over the lead on the penultimate stage. “I pushed to my maximum, especially on the last two stages. I’m very proud of this win because when a battle is this tight, anything can happen. Our car was once again perfectly reliable. We claimed the rally win with a five second lead and not even the slightest scratch on the Evo X. It’s a big victory for our entire team and it puts us in a good position in the championship,” adds the Quebec driver. This victory is one that will remain etched in the Rockstar Royal Group duo’s memory. Coming out on top after a tight battle where neither team suffers from mechanical problems is a memory to hold onto – this is the second time the team has enjoyed this experience in 2011.

For the duration of the rally, Antoine and Nathalie used the Yokohama A031′s, particularly suited for the mud and the best possible choice for Friday’s conditions, explains the reigning champion. “It really helped us to have the Yokohama A031′s available to us, we need to have confidence in our tires in order to constantly drive at the limit and succeed at the top and we have that with our Yokohamas.”

This victory, the Rockstar Royal Group’s fourth win at the Rocky Mountain Rally, increases the team’s lead at the top of the championship standings, as well as at the top of the fight for the North America Rally Cup. “We have a small but passionate team and we all work very hard so this kind of success is the fruit of our labour. John Buffum and our mechanics do a great job and of course my co-driver Nathalie Richard was once again perfect in these difficult conditions,” adds Antoine L’Estage.

The Rallye Baie-des-Chaleurs, the third round of the Canadian Rally Championship, will take place in Quebec on the first weekend of July. Before that, however, the Rockstar Royal Group team will contest next round of the Rally America championship in Pennsylvania. The STPR rally will be held in just a few days (June 3rd and 4th). Reigning STPR winners, Antoine L’Estage and Nathalie Richard hope to use this event to increase their lead in the North American Rally Cup and to jump to the front of the hunt for the Rally America title.

Antoine L’Estage holds three North American championship titles (2007, 2008 and 2010), three Canadian titles (2006, 2007 and 2010), one American title (2010), and twenty-eight overall victories in Canada and the US. Nathalie Richard holds six overall national championship titles (3 in Canada and 3 in the USA), as well as thirty-four overall rally wins on both sides of the border. She is also a six-time North American Co-Driving Champion (2004 – 2010, excluding 2006).

Antoine L’Estage and Nathalie Richard participate in the 2011 Rally America and Canadian Rally Championships with the support of Rockstar Energy Drink, Royal Group, Yokohama Tires, Mitsubishi Canada, Drenth Motorsport Gearboxes, Garrett Turbos, Energie Cardio, Libra Racing, Driver’s Edge Autosport (OMP), VP Racing Fuels, Exe-Tc Suspensions and Hawk Performance Brake Pads. For more information on the team or on rallying in general, visit antoinelestage.com.

Antoine L’Estage and Nathalie Richard, winners of the 2011 Rocky Mountain Rally.
Photos: Kris Schofield.

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