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Canadian Short Track Ace Raphael Lessard Eighth at Five Flags

www.arcaracing.com March 20, 2019

Canadian short track ace Raphael Lessard (No. 19 FRL Express Chevrolet) made his second career ARCA Menards Series start at Five Flags Speedway, leading the most laps of the night on his way to an eighth-place finish in the ARCA Pensacola 200.

Lessard, who drives for Kyle Busch Motorsports’ super late model program and is scheduled to make a limited number of starts for the team in the NASCAR Gander Outdoors Truck Series later in the season, started the race from the sixth position in a second car for Mike Bursley’s KBR Development team.

Lessard moved to the front of the field at lap 39 when he passed General Tire Pole Award winner Chandler Smith (No. 20 Craftsman/828 Logistics Toyota) for the top spot. Lessard would hold the lead for 45 trips around the high-banked half-mile before eventual race winner Michael Self (No. 25 Sinclair Lubricants Toyota) would take the lead after the first round of pit stops under caution at lap 82.

Just like he did at the start of the race, Lessard needed about 39 laps to work back to the front of the field. He passed Self for the lead to complete lap 123 and led until the second caution of the night at lap 158. 

Once the race went back to green, Lessard dropped through the field as the drivers with four new tires worked their way towards the front. Despite dominating the middle stages of the race, Lessard was relegated to eighth at the finish.

“It was fun, we had a very fast car,” Lessard said. “KBR Development gave me an awesome car, Jeff Stankiewicz my crew chief gave me everything I needed. We just came up short there at the end, just got too tight I don’t know why. We put four brand new tires on and got super tight. We dominated the race, I was playing with everyone, just making them burn their stuff up and I was being smooth. That car was a rocket and I don’t know what happened. Didn’t get the win again, so that sucks but we will turn the page.”

The race was a one-off start for Lessard, but plans could change based on his performance.

“Right now this is the only race of the year in ARCA for me,” the Canadian said prior to the start. “We could do more, but it depends on how we do here today.”

Practice for the Kentuckiana Ford Dealers ARCA 200 is set for 11 am ET on Saturday, April 13 with General Tire Pole Qualifying scheduled for 3 pm ET that afternoon. The green flag on round three of the 2019 ARCA Menards Series season will drop shortly after 2 pm ET on Sunday, April 14. The race will be televised live on MAVTV and ARCA for Me members can access live timing & scoring, live chat, and live track updates at ARCARacing.com. New members can register for free at ARCARacing.com/login.