Media Advisory for Circuit Mont-Tremblant

Round 9 of the Honda Michelin Series at Circuit Mont-Tremblant

HONDA/MICHELIN CHALLENGE SERIES POINTS RACE BATTLE CONTINUES THIS
WEEKEND AT CIRCUIT MONT-TREMBLANT

Montreal, (September 22, 2004) - With two races to go in the 2004
Honda/Michelin Challenge Series schedule, points leader Steven
Laporte of Saint-Sauveur (QC) heads to Circuit Mont-Tremblant this
weekend to defend his 8-point priority over Honda Ste. Rose driver
Nick Wittmer of Hudson (QC) and Énergie/NAPA/RDS driver Didier
Schraenen of Mont-Saint-Hilaire (QC) who are tied in second place
with 175 points each.

But first year driver Wittmer and the veteran Schraenen are not the
only ones that two-time 2004 race winner Laporte has to worry about
during the annual Fall Classic event. The Team Lombardi driver also
has to look out for Gaspé area driver Frédérick Lelièvre of
Mont-Joli, who is fourth with 171 points, and three-time Series
Champion Normand Boyer of Sainte-Agathe who totals 167 points. As a
matter of facts, the Top-11 drivers still have a mathematical chance
of winning the 2004 title. But, because of the point's structure,
which awards points up to 25th place if the driver runs at the
finish, it will probably be a close battle to the finish between the
top five, with outside chances of mixing it up with the front runners
for Honda de Sigi driver Kuno Wittmer (157 points), Hamel Honda
driver Denis Baillargeon (149) of Montreal, and rookie Alex Penfold
of London who is eighth overall with 148 points. The Pfaff Leasing
driver won the last race at Saint-Eustache on August 22 to close in
on the leaders. Of the top eight drivers in the standings, only
Lelièvre, Kuno Wittmer and Baillargeon have yet to walk on the top
step of the podium this year.

Long Time Running
The Honda Challenge drivers have been competing for the win at the
famed Circuit Mont-Tremblant since the series was first launched in
Québec. The first-ever Honda Civic race, a non championship event,
was held at Circuit Mont-Tremblant on May 23, 1976 and won by Jacques
Villeneuve, brother of the late Gilles-Villeneuve. Since then, more
50 Honda Civic Series races have been held at the scenic Laurentian
track between 1976 and 1992, the last year the series ran at
Tremblant. Normand Boyer is one of three Honda Series drivers to have
uncorked victory champagne at Tremblant. The Lombardi driver, winner
of two races this season, has been very successful on this track
winning seven times between 1986 and 1991. Robert, his brother and
teammate, won his first-ever Honda / Michelin Series race at Le
Circuit in 1989. The Sainte-Anne-des-Lacs driver hopes to repeat the
feat as he is looking for his first win of the 2004 season. Didier
Schraenen also holds dear memories of Mont-Tremblant, as it was there
in 1990, that the radio & TV personality won his first-ever
professional race in a Honda Civic.

Most veterans, who have not competed there lately, will find a very
different track even though it kept the same layout. Following
extensive renovations to the historic track, Le Circuit
Mont-Tremblant reopened its doors in 2001. The 4.26-kilometer track
was rebuilt and upgraded to current FIA safety standards but retained
the traditional character and ambiance of the original circuit. Among
the renovations to Canada's second-oldest existing road course were
an enlarged, paved paddock and a vastly improved pit lane. The track
was widened to 11 meters and fully re-paved.  As for the young
Quebecers, most of them have competed in local and regional races in
the past two years which will make this weekend's Fall Classic, one
of the most exciting one of the season.

What's up this weekend?
Eight separate classes will be in competition this weekend at
Mont-Tremblant. Race action for Honda / Michelin Series 22 drivers
entered in the Fall Classic Race Weekend gets underway Friday with
two practice sessions, followed Saturday with qualifying sessions
that will set the grid for Sunday's Round 9 race.

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.

-HMCS-