Pirelli Echo Cup Returns for 2005

The Pirelli Echo Cup series will return in 2005 with more teams and technial changes for the upcoming season. The series was born in 2004 thanks to the Toyota Dealer Association, Pirelli Tire Inc. and several sponsors was enormously successful in its first season. In 2005, it will be even more exciting as more than 30 cars will be starting next week in Saint-Eustache.
"The series will be even more competitive this year," explains Public Relations Manager Jean Malboeuf. "An additional dozen cars will be starting the series and our drivers now have the experience of a full season under their belt. Our small Echos are performing better than ever. The event calendar is taking a whole new dimension as we will race on more tracks and will even hold a round in Ontario. The success of the Pirelli Echo Cup series rests on the drivers and the wonderful management team."
The 2004 champion with the Futuroto Team, Jacques Blanger, will return to defend his title against many experienced drivers such as Luc Lesage, Stphane Trahan, Yves Legris, Bruno Carr, Jean-Sbastien Besner and Yannick Bardieux.
Sylvain Prigny, last year’s Trac Racing Rookie of The Year, will have to give up his spot on the team to make room for other new rookies, like Franois Viau, Steven Leblanc and Stphane Bastarache. However, Prigny will join the Dry Toyota Team and will be teamed up with Jean-Franois Veilleux, an experienced driver and past national champion. The season will undoubtedly have its share of surprises; we remember for instance the unexpected victory of Daniel Fortin in his first Mont-Tremblant race last year.
The Pirelli Echo Cup will hold even more events for its second season. Just like last year, the first race will be held in Saint-Eustache, followed by a double header in Sanair. Then, another double header will take place on the St-Flicien track in Saguenay, with a first round in the evening. There will also be a highly anticipated visit to the Trois-Rivires Grand Prix.
The Cup will hold its first race out of Qubec on the new Calabogie track, northwest of Ottawa, and the season will end during the Fall Classic on the Mont-Tremblant track.
For 2005, the small Echos will remain the same, except for new Koni Sport shocks and Snyper brakes that have been designed specifically for the series.
The main strength of the monotype series remains the excellent team of volunteers who manage the series in a very professional manner. Stphane Gagnon was named series director while two officials, Daniel Deschamps and his assistant Martin Hardy, will ensure the cars on the tracks are up to standard. Jean Malboeuf and Bertrand Lambert will remain the main organizers.
The launch of the new season is paired with the launch of a new generation series Website. You will find the 2004 calendar and results, pictures, and driver profiles. The Pirelli ECHO Cup series is sponsored by the Qubec Toyota Dealers Association, Pirelli Tires, DAI Alloys, MOMO Accessories, Cobretti Tuning, Snyper Brakes, TRD Competition Parts, TORCO Advanced Lubricants, Copie Rapide of St-Laurent, Lettrage Vision Plus and TUNING Audio and Performance.