Crédit photo : Don Simpson
A tough night of racing with Steve Bernier
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With the recent visit of the Super DIRTcar series, which has come and gone, I reflect on the opportunity to chronicle the efforts of Local racer Steve Bernier as he challenged the invaders from America.
The veteran driver always up for a challenge rolled into his home track of Autodrome Granby a bit on the late side due to struggles with getting the Big block motor into the car and prepared for the days battle. Luckily though the event was delayed due to weather conditions, which were not the best at race time.
Crédit photo : Don Simpson
Once on sight at the track, Steve only had a few minutes to prepare the car and strap himself in before heading out for his group practices with little time to spare, but in the end, come in with the fifth best time of his group.
Next up was the time trials. Steve was on track for setting a very good time but one of the other competitors caused a yellow slowing down the pack. Once the trial resumed Steve could not get back into the track rhythm before the laps ran out leaving him with the eight best time, not what he was hoping for.
Pushing the disappointing time trials results out of his thoughts Steve focused on the up-coming heat race, which was just minutes away.
With some slight adjustments to the suspension, Bernier headed to the line, with the rest of the racers in his group.
Within a few minutes’ of fast high paced racing, Steve came across the finish line in fourth place in his group, not bad for a rushed start to the evenings and having to deal with a coalition with fellow racer Steve Bernard driving the 54 car and Johnny Jackson in the number 18car.
With bad weather coming in Dominic Lussier along with race officials at Autodrome Granby decided to speed things up just giving several minutes for teams to prepare for the Lussier/Granby 100 lap Feature event.
The 25 team went into full overdrive with crew fueling the car and changing suspension and tires on the rear of the car, while Steve and crewman Guillaume Ledoux repaired the front end of the car, which was damaged in the heat race.
Crédit photo : Don Simpson
Steve entered the starting line-up with seconds to spare, taking up his 13th place slot as the cars rolled around the track.
Because of some light rain, the enter field was asked to continue to roll around the track in an effort to dry things out.
With the track dry along with the release of fireworks in the air, the field took the green flag for the 100-lap feature.
Bernier began moving through the field of cars and by lap 42 was in 6th place when a yellow flag slowed the field.
Crédit photo : Don Simpson
With a prolong yellow the 25 car was now overheating from the amount of heat in the engine due to the hard previous racing. But with the slow speeds during the yellow, there was just not enough air going through the rad to cool the motor. Thankfully the green was on and once again the pack of cars was at full race speed.
Unfortunately, the damage was done, and Steve found that the motor was lacking the power it once hard. Slowly but surely the car 25 began losing positions as the laps continued to climb.
A cut tire finally sent the 25 car to the pits where the team tried cooling the motor as they changed the tire and set the alignment on the front end.
Crédit photo : Don Simpson
Back on the track the problems continued to persist and within short time Steve once again back in the pits with another cut tire.
Bernier put in a few more laps when on lap 76 he parked the car for the rest of the race.
In the end, the motor was just not going to last as it was now overheating badly and before a total engine meltdown, he decides it was time to concede that he was not going to finish the race.
Clearly, Steve was disappointed with the night's results as he did have a competitive car, but as the race unfolded the plain began to unravel leaving the 25 team with a 20th place finish at the end of the night, along with a damaged car forcing the team to withdraw from the next nights race at Autodrome Drummond.
A tuff fierce competitor Steve Bernier as always will regroup and be ready for the second swing of the Super DIRTcar series in Quebec later this season with the determination of getting some better results.
Crédit photo : Don Simpson
Once on sight at the track, Steve only had a few minutes to prepare the car and strap himself in before heading out for his group practices with little time to spare, but in the end, come in with the fifth best time of his group.
Next up was the time trials. Steve was on track for setting a very good time but one of the other competitors caused a yellow slowing down the pack. Once the trial resumed Steve could not get back into the track rhythm before the laps ran out leaving him with the eight best time, not what he was hoping for.
Pushing the disappointing time trials results out of his thoughts Steve focused on the up-coming heat race, which was just minutes away.
With some slight adjustments to the suspension, Bernier headed to the line, with the rest of the racers in his group.
Within a few minutes’ of fast high paced racing, Steve came across the finish line in fourth place in his group, not bad for a rushed start to the evenings and having to deal with a coalition with fellow racer Steve Bernard driving the 54 car and Johnny Jackson in the number 18car.
With bad weather coming in Dominic Lussier along with race officials at Autodrome Granby decided to speed things up just giving several minutes for teams to prepare for the Lussier/Granby 100 lap Feature event.
The 25 team went into full overdrive with crew fueling the car and changing suspension and tires on the rear of the car, while Steve and crewman Guillaume Ledoux repaired the front end of the car, which was damaged in the heat race.
Crédit photo : Don Simpson
Steve entered the starting line-up with seconds to spare, taking up his 13th place slot as the cars rolled around the track.
Because of some light rain, the enter field was asked to continue to roll around the track in an effort to dry things out.
With the track dry along with the release of fireworks in the air, the field took the green flag for the 100-lap feature.
Bernier began moving through the field of cars and by lap 42 was in 6th place when a yellow flag slowed the field.
Crédit photo : Don Simpson
With a prolong yellow the 25 car was now overheating from the amount of heat in the engine due to the hard previous racing. But with the slow speeds during the yellow, there was just not enough air going through the rad to cool the motor. Thankfully the green was on and once again the pack of cars was at full race speed.
Unfortunately, the damage was done, and Steve found that the motor was lacking the power it once hard. Slowly but surely the car 25 began losing positions as the laps continued to climb.
A cut tire finally sent the 25 car to the pits where the team tried cooling the motor as they changed the tire and set the alignment on the front end.
Crédit photo : Don Simpson
Back on the track the problems continued to persist and within short time Steve once again back in the pits with another cut tire.
Bernier put in a few more laps when on lap 76 he parked the car for the rest of the race.
In the end, the motor was just not going to last as it was now overheating badly and before a total engine meltdown, he decides it was time to concede that he was not going to finish the race.
Clearly, Steve was disappointed with the night's results as he did have a competitive car, but as the race unfolded the plain began to unravel leaving the 25 team with a 20th place finish at the end of the night, along with a damaged car forcing the team to withdraw from the next nights race at Autodrome Drummond.
A tuff fierce competitor Steve Bernier as always will regroup and be ready for the second swing of the Super DIRTcar series in Quebec later this season with the determination of getting some better results.