October 23, 2021.- The Eastern Canadian Rally Championship (ECRC) presented its fourth round of the 2021 season, as part of the Rallye de Charlevoix.  Back in the calendar after a one-year absence, the event had multiple leaderboard changes among the beautiful scenery surrounding the towns of La Malbaie and Clermont.  In the end, it was Jérôme Mailloux and Philippe Poirier who were victorious, despite a stressful end to their rally thanks to mechanical problems that chipped away at their lead.

After claiming their first win last month at the Rallye Défi Petite Nation, in addition to second place finishes at the first two events of the season (Rallye Baie-des-Chaleurs and Black Bear Rally), Mailloux and Poirier completed another important step towards earning themselves a championship title.

The issues at the end of Mailloux/Poirier’s rally could have been to the advantage of Alexandre Moreau and Ian Guité, but the Swap Shop team duo were victims of a transmission failure in the second last competitive stage, forcing them to retire.

Winner of the 2019 edition, Nicolas Laverdière, co-driven by Patrick Lévesque in a Mitsubishi Lancer Evo, finished in second place, only 26 seconds behind Mailloux/Poirier.

Also with a remarkable performance were Vincent and Christopher Trudel, who drove their Subaru WRX STI to a third place finish and won the Production 4 wheel-drive class.  They finished just four seconds ahead of another Subaru WRX STI sibling duo, that of Nick and Kelly Mathew, of Nova Scotia.

Leaders of the 2 wheel-drive class from the second of nine stages, Mathieu Leblanc and Éric Dubé once again impressed with their Honda Civic. They won their class and finished in the Top 5 overall and in both cases, finished just ahead of Yvan Joyal and Marc-André Lamontagne, who claimed fastest 2 wheel-drive time on the first stage.

The Top 8 was completed by Yves Barbe and Patrice Harvey, in another Test Racing car, Simon Aubé and Danny Hudon, and André and René Leblanc, all driving Subarus. The Leblanc brothers were initially eyeing the victory but turbo problems during the first stage ruined those chances.

Gabriel Monette and Olivier Martineau (Subaru) rounded out the Top 10 while Éric Dufour and Denis Pesant won Production 2 wheel-drive.

In total, fifteen ECRC teams completed the event of the 19 entries. The Rallye de Charlevoix continues tomorrow for the Canadian Rally Championship registered teams.

The Eastern Canadian Rally Championship (ECRC) consists of six events this season, spread out between Ontario and Quebec.  The next round will take place on November 20^th in Ontario, as part of the Rally of the Tall Pines. Two rounds will be contested at this event and will complete the 2021 season.

For all information, please visit the website www.ecrc-crec.ca

2021 ECRC Calendar

 © Marie-Lyse Tremblay / poleposition.ca