The Sweet Taste of Victory

Cambridge, ON - August 9, 2014

Photo via formula1600.com

It would be nearly impossible for a Hollywood script writer to come up with a plot this good for a movie.  In fact, it's so stunning that we're still reeling.

In Canada, for 2014, there is a new Formula 1600 (Formula Ford) Championship called the Toyo Tires Formula 1600 Super Series.  Essentially, it's a collection of support races run at bigger events for the Formula 1600 series in both Ontario and Quebec.  It brings the best young open-wheel talent in Canada together for a select group of races to battle it out for what amounts to an unofficial national Championship Title.

Today marked the final two rounds of the Super Series, with a race in the morning and a race later in the afternoon at the historic Grand Prix de Trois-Rivieres in Quebec.  The GP3R is the longest running street course venue in North America, having run the first of it's annual events in 1967.  The points leader coming into the GP3R was Tristan DeGrand.  Chase Pelletier was sitting second in the Championship, but in order to win the Title, he had to be absolutely perfect and DeGrand had to have a major problem.  It was an outside shot at best to win for Pelletier.  Added to the pressure of managing a high stakes weekend such as this, 18-year-old Pelletier is a Type 1 Diabetic.  However, Pelletier is the same young man that beat John Heinricy last weekend at Mid-Ohio in the PWC race.  

Pelletier came out of the box fast, flying, and determined.  He grabbed pole for the first race, took the lead on the first lap, and never looked back.  While Pelletier would win the race, DeGrand ended his race on the first race lap in the tire wall.  The first half of Pelletier's goal was accomplished.  He and DeGrand were now tied for the points lead in the Championship.  With Pelletier starting third in the second race in the afternoon, it was still not a locked up Championship for either DeGrand or Pelletier.  In an unbelievably high drama race, DeGrand would climb the race order from last to fourth.  Even with Pelletier in the lead, DeGrand would have won the Championship with a fourth place finish.  In the latter part of the race, DeGrand would end up suffering a mechanical failure that ended his race.  Pelletier would win the race and the Championship in one fell swoop.

We look forward to catching up with Chase at some point in the not-too-distant future to gather his inspiring story for our series.  In the meantime, Chase, from us at Inspiration At Speed - CONGRATS!!!