Raphaël Lessard finishes in the Top 5 at the Rattler 250 in Alabama!

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Raphaël Lessard, a member of the TRD – Toyota driver development program, finished 4th on Sunday afternoon at the Rattler 250, which took place at the South Alabama Speedway in Kinston, Alabama, as part of the Southern Super Series. For the second time at the wheel of his new car, the FRL Express/Mobil 1/Toyota Camry #51, Raphaël Lessard excelled in the practice sessions. Starting in the lead position after having the best times in qualifying, the young driver demonstrated his immense talent throughout the 250 laps of this frenzied race.
 
Proudly representing the colors of the team Kyle Bush Motorsports (KBM), the wunderkind from Beauce showed his desire to win by making a nice comeback during the race. Indeed, after maintaining a position in the top 5 for more than half of the race, Lessard received a penalty sending him to the back of the pack. After this setback, the young driver overtook the pace car with the goal of entering to the pits. That’s when we saw the determination and talent of the 16-year-old as he moved up from 15th to 4th place.
 
As is often the case with Super Late Model races, many yellow flags punctuated the event. The flags were sometimes to the advantage of Raphael who has a penchant for the outside lane. At the beginning of the race, though, while chasing Jeff Choquette for the lead position, Lessard was forced to start from the inside lane, and was unable to regain the lead, despite never abandoning his efforts to reach the podium.
 
“I think having the best times all weekend clearly demonstrates my abilities and those of the car. Sure, I’m disappointed to have passed the safety car, it’s something I should not have done. However, I must learn from my mistakes and I can guarantee that it will not happen again! In addition, the comeback that I made, from 15th to 4th position, makes me very proud! My car was excellent so I did not have too much trouble making my way to the top group. With so much neutralization, it is easier to join the pack, because the leaders do not have the chance to flee very far,” said Raphaël Lessard.
 
“I would like to sincerely thank the Kyle Busch Motorsports team for their undeniable support and the incredible car they provide for me. My thanks also go to my parents, the investors, FRL Express, Mobil 1, Toyota-TRD, Cody Glick, my team leader and all the members of the team, as well as to Kyle Busch and his valuable advice. I’m really looking forward to the next race in CARS, where I was the champion in 2016, ” added Lessard.
 
Next race on the calendar
The 3rd race of Raphaël Lessard’s 2018 calendar will take place on March 24th as part of the CARS Series, a 100-lap race at Myrtle Beach Speedway in South Carolina.

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