L’Estage, Richard wrap up 2010 Rally America Championship

 Antoine L’Estage and Nathalie Richard of St-Jean-sur-Richelieu, Que., won the 2010 Rally America Championship at the weekend when they finished first in the New England Forest Rally in Maine.

It was the last round of the 2010 Rally America season. 

This was the first U.S. title for L’Estage, who is a two-time Canadian and two-time North American rally champion.

For co-driver Richard, this was the third overall American title she's earned, making her the most successful Canadian competitor in U.S. rally competition.

Sponsored by Rockstar Energy Drink and the Royal Group, and driving a Mitsubishi Lancer Evo X, L’Estage and Richard finished every round of the U.S. series on the podium, with two victories (Maine and Pennsylvania), three second-place finishes and a third.

L’Estage, who has won a national and/or international title in each of the last five years, said: “We’re a small team of never more than five people, including Nathalie and I, and we’re battling top factory teams for titles on both sides of the border. It’s fantastic to see what we can accomplish.”

Overall, L’Estage has won 22 rallies in Canada and the United States. Richard has won 31.

The couple will now head to Los Angeles for the 16^th X Games, scheduled for July 31^st. L’Estage will contest the Rally Car Racing event as well as Super Rally, a rallycross-type event that's new this year.

This will be the Quebec driver’s third appearance in the X Games, which will be televised live on ABC. 

After that, L’Estage and Richard will head for Ste-Agathe, Que., to drive in the Rallye Defi, which is the fourth of six events that make up the Canadian rally championship.

After three rounds, they are fourth in the national standings.

TV ALERT:

The TSN broadcast of the NASCAR Canadian Tire Series Jumpstart 100 that was run last Saturday as part of the Honda Indy Toronto weekend will be re-aired this afternoon on TSN at 3:30 and again at midnight on Friday (July 23).
If you miss it on TSN, it will be seen on TSN2 this Thursday at 10:30 p.m. and on Saturday at 3:30 p.m.