Honda Michelin Friday Press Release from the Grand Prix of =?iso-8859-1?Q?Trois=2DRivi=E8res?=

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

  One photo of the Honda / Michelin Challenge Series will be sent to
e-mail subscribers

Results of the first day of practice in Trois-Rivières

STEVEN LAPORTE QUICKEST IN FRIDAY'S HONDA / MICHELIN PRACTICE SESSION
  AT THE GRAND PRIX OF TROIS-RIVIÈRES

Trois-Rivières, Québec (July 30, 2004) - Steven Laporte was the
quickest of 17 drivers who competed in the Honda / Michelin Challenge
Series free practice session held Friday at the Grand Prix of
Trois-Rivières. With a lap time of 1 minute 25.537 seconds, the St.
Sauveur (QC) driver edged his two Lombardi Honda teammates, Robert
Boyer of Ste. Anne-des-Lac (QC) by one tenth of a second, and Normand
Boyer of Ste. Agathe (QC) by almost four-tenths.

Fourth quickest was Frédérick Lelièvre of Mont-Joli who lapped the
2.4336-kilometre street circuit in his Rimouski Automobile Honda in
1:26.193. He was followed by the Pfaff Leasing Honda of Alex Penfold
of Georgetown (ON). The rookie posted his fastest lap in 1:26.195,
only two one-thousandths from Lelièvre. Sixth and seventh quickest
were Kuno and Nick Wittmer of Hudson Quebec. Kuno drove his Honda de
Sigi around the track in 1:26.874 while Nick's Honda Ste-Rose was
clocked at 1:26.572. Didier Schraenen of Mont Saint-Hilaire, Emmanuel
Boivin-Moreau of Longueuil & Denis Baillargeon of Montreal round out
the Top-10.

Honda / Michelin Series drivers return to the track on Saturday for
two qualifying sessions, the first one at 11:50 a.m., and the final
at 5:00 p.m. The green flag for Round 6 of 10 will be given at 9:55
a.m. on Sunday.

The Series
The Honda / Michelin Series is a 10-race series held over nine
weekends. Six races are contested in Ontario (Mosport & Shannonville)
and four in Québec (Montréal, Trois-Rivières, Saint-Eustache &
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 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. The Honda Civic has been the top-selling
passenger car in Canada for the past six years.

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. The series is co-sponsored by Michelin North America
(Canada) Inc., Alpine, Bosal, CSC, Goodridge and NGK.

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