Honda Michelin Series Returns to Circuit Gilles-Villeneuve

  Information:
Max d'Orsonnens (514) 246-8909
Richard Jacobs (416) 287-4708
Ralph Luciw (416) 287-4367

  Two photos of the Honda / Michelin Challenge Series race will be
sent to e-mail subscribers

They're Back... Honda Civics Return to Circuit Gilles-Villeneuve

EXCITING HONDA / MICHELIN SERIES TO RUN THIS SATURDAY  AT THE GRAND
PRIX OF CANADA

Montréal, (June 8, 2004) - Round Two of the new Honda / Michelin
Challenge Series will be held this Saturday afternoon at Circuit
Gilles-Villeneuve as part of the Grand Prix of Canada race weekend.
Drivers and Series organizers are thrilled to return to the fabled
track after a 13-year absence. The Honda Civic Hatchbacks competed on
the Ile Notre-Dame track from 1978 until 1990, producing some of the
most exciting races ever held on the Montreal circuit. Previous Honda
/ Michelin Series winners at the Canadian Grand Prix include
Montrealers Richard Spénard, Gaétan St-Louis, Lindsay Riddell and
Marc Dancose as well as Toronto racers Terry DiFrancesco and Geoff
Chandler.

''The Series is back and we are happy to once again be part of the
greatest show on Earth,'' said Ralph Luciw, Honda Series Director.
''It's important for the series and the driver's sponsors to be part
of the Grand Prix program. The Grand Prix of Canada has been an
integral part of the Canadian motorsport scene and the drivers are
looking forward to this first class challenging course.''

The 2004 driver crop includes a mix of veteran Honda / Michelin
drivers, newcomers and rookies. Leading the veteran contingent is
Normand Boyer of Saint-Agathe, Quebec who drove his Honda Lombardi
from last on the grid to the winner circle in the rain-soaked season
opener at Mosport last May 23. Boyer, a three-time series champion,
won in Montreal in 1989 and was runner up to Dancose the following
year. His brother Robert, who finished fifth in Mosport ahead of his
Lombardi Racing teammate Steven LaPorte, has also competed three
times in Montreal. Robert's best finish on the island was seventh in
1989 and Laporte, 16th in only appearance in 1990.

Mont-Saint-Hilaire resident Didier Schraenen also ran three times in
a Honda Civic on Circuit Gilles-Villeneuve with a best finish of
fourth in 1990. The Énergie/NAPA/RDS driver finished 7th in the
opening race at Mosport ahead of Montrealer Denis Baillargeon's Hamel
Honda Civic.

Newcomers mixed well with the veterans in the Mosport opener with
Mont-Joli driver Frédérick Lelièvre finishing second ahead of
brothers Kuno and Nick Wittmer of Hudson, Québec. Lelièvre, who was
beaten to the checkered flag by only half a second, ran a strong race
in his Lamontagne Auto Civic, exchanging the lead with the Honda de
Sigi DX Coupe of Kuno Wittmer for the first 10 of 16 race laps. As
for Nick, his Honda Sainte-Rose Civic set the fastest race lap.

Ryan Kelly of London, Ontario surprised most of the veterans during
qualifying leading his KelCoating Honda Civic to the Mosport pole
ahead of Kuno Wittmer. However the inexperienced 21-year old
engineering student fell off the pace during the rain-soaked race,
and finished ninth ahead of rookies Alex Penfold of Georgetown, and
Travis Walker of Mississauga.

Three new drivers will join the series regulars this weekend bringing
the total to 21 entries. Sixteen-year old Jamie Holtom of Ottawa
becomes the youngest driver in the series. The Control Microsystems
rookie joins Travis Walker on the Jonak Brothers Racing Team. At 17,
Walker was the youngest Honda / Michelin Series rookie at Mosport.
Both are kart champions and raced in the Ron Fellows Karting
Championship last season. Holtom is the 2004 SKUSA Florida Winter
Tour RotaxMax Champion. He also won the RotaxMax class at the 2003
OKRA GrandNationals. In 2002, he was the NCKC Junior Honda Champion.
He started karting at the age of 9. As for Walker, he is a two-time
Canadian Grand National Champion - Junior Heavy and Junior Medium -
in 2002. In addition, Walker claimed the Simcoe Kart Club 2002 Junior
Heavy Championship in 2002.

The other two new entries are veteran Benoit Theetge of Quebec City
and American Kurt Kossman of Scituate, Maine. Theetge is a two-time
Michelin EnduroSeries class champion (1995-96). He started his racing
career in 1988 in karting and graduated to road racing in 1992,
finishing third in the Honda / Michelin Series B Class.

Race action on Circuit Gilles-Villeneuve starts on Friday, June 11 at
8:45 a.m. with a 30-minute practice session, which will be followed
by a 30-minute qualifying session at 4:00 p.m. The command for the
starting start of the 30-minute timed race will be given at 2:25 p.m.
on Saturday.

The Honda / Michelin Challenge Series is a 10-race series held over
nine weekends and is contested in Ontario (Mosport and Shannonville)
and Québec (Montréal, Trois-Rivières, Saint-Eustache and
Mont-Tremblant).

The stock Honda Civic DX Coupes are equipped with Michelin Pilot
Sport Cup tires, and provide a truly low cost form of motor racing.
The series was re-introduced to encourage young drivers to enter the
sport, but it did not deter some veterans from returning to the
series. The single-make Championship Series gives drivers the
opportunity the showcase their talent in identical cars.

The road racing series was originally launched in 1976 with the Honda
Civic Hatchback.  During its 17-year run, the series has attracted
more than 400 racers.  Among the Canadian race drivers who have
competed in this series are Richard Spénard, Tony Morris, Frank
Allers, Marc Dancose and Jacques Villeneuve, brother of the late
Formula 1 driver Gilles Villeneuve.

The series is sanctioned by ASN Canada FIA and sponsored by Honda
Canada Inc., and Michelin North America (Canada) Inc. The Honda Civic
has been the top-selling passenger car in Canada for the past six
years.  The Honda / Michelin Challenge Series reinforces the
fun-to-drive aspects of the Civic and will be further supported by
its reputation for quality, reliability and durability.

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If you wish to receive digital photos of the Honda Michelin Series
following each day of racing activities, please send your request and
the e-mail address you wish to receive them at to:
PAUL STRACK
pstrak@attglobal.net