Shannonville, ON (June 30, 2019) – The tight twists and turns of Shannonville Motorsport Park were the setting for the Canada Day weekend Summer Challenge and only one car was in the trailer for Britain West – for young standout Zachary Vanier.
Vanier would get to work setting his car up for the hot weather, setting the 2nd fastest time in practice and his first pole position of the season in qualifying, setting a new track record in the process.
Starting P1, with series veteran Olivier Bedard alongside, you are guaranteed a battle heading into the first corner and he delivered. Vanier and Bedard would go side by side but Vanier had the advantage going into the 2nd corner and made good use of it, taking the lead and the eventual win.
Vanier’s fastest lap in Race 1 earned him the pole position for race 2. He would keep the lead through the first half of the opening lap but had a mishap with the brakes at the end of the long back straightaway, losing positions and time to the leader. He did a masterful job keeping his composure and putting his head down, charging back through the field to finish in 2nd position. His command of Shannonville’s technical track earned him another track record and the pole for the start of race 3 later that afternoon.
The start of race 3 was a little more saw a little more aggression from the competition, forcing Vanier off track in corner 2 and dropping him to 3rd with some ground to make up.
He systematically made his way to the back of the leaders gearbox with 5 laps to go. On the last lap he lost a couple of car lengths in the hairpin on some oil but made his way right back to the leader and in the last corner Bedard suffered a gearbox issue, allowing Vanier to grab his 2nd victory of the weekend.
Vanier will take his new found confidence to the BARC Touring Trophy Races July 27/28 where he looks to take the lead in the Toyo Tires F1600 Championship.
