Coupe de Montreal Action Heats Up at ICAR!

The Coupe de Montreal championship rolled into the iconic SRA Karting-ICAR facility this past weekend for its fourth round of the season, and the second round of the Rotax Max Challenge Quebec series, delivering an action-packed Friday-Saturday showdown that served as the final race before the summer break.

Nestled within the grounds of the Mirabel Airport, the ICAR circuit stands out as one of the most unique stops on the Coupe de Montreal calendar. Unlike any other venue in the series, ICAR features a fast, flat layout on a concrete runway surface that challenges both drivers and mechanics. With airplanes taxiing in the distance and the track’s high-speed nature offering plenty of drafting and overtaking opportunities, the event is a favourite for many competitors and never fails to entertain.

A robust 250 entries filled the paddock for the rare two-day format, taking full advantage of the beautiful summer conditions, a sharp contrast to the rain-affected rounds at SH, Mont-Tremblant and SC. This time, the skies were blue, a steady breeze offered some relief from the heat, and only a few light sprinkles during the lunch break threatened to shake up the afternoon. Race officials briefly declared a rain race, but the storm never materialized, and the dry surface led to clean, hard-fought battles all day long.

The start of Open Shifter (Photo by: Cody Schindel / CKN)

As the final event before a much-needed summer pause, tension and urgency were high across all classes. Championships are beginning to take shape, rivalries are heating up, and with the Canadian Open looming in August, this was a pivotal weekend for drivers looking to make a statement.

What followed was a thrilling display of kart racing across the board, with huge grids, photo-finish battles, sibling rivalries, and breakout performances making Round 4 at ICAR one of the most exciting events of the season so far.

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Briggs Senior – Aubin Poirier Times It Perfectly
A massive 39-driver field in Briggs Senior required a Last Chance Qualifier just to set the grid for the Final. And when the green flag dropped, the action didn’t disappoint. Ten drivers were locked in a tight battle at the front, with positions constantly changing throughout the race. But with two laps to go, Mickael Aubin Poirier (BirelART) made the move that mattered most, taking the lead and holding off Brandon Stephens (CompKart), Simon Belanger (SodiKart), and the rest of the snarling pack to claim a hard-fought victory.

Mickael Aubin Poirier celebrates his victory (Photo by: Cody Schindel / CKN)

Briggs Junior – Gauthier Edges Goulet in Late Duel
Briggs Junior delivered another thriller as championship front-runners Maddox Gauthier (BirelART) and Kristopher Goulet (BirelART) were at it again, this time with Hugo Fauteux (Formula K) joining the mix. After a race filled with lead changes and nail-biting moments, Gauthier found just enough space on the final lap to keep Goulet behind and take his second win of the season.

Shifter – Gauthier Grabs Control
In the Shifter class, Charles Gauthier (BirelART) executed a clean pass on Lucas Deslongchamps (BirelART) just after the halfway mark and never looked back. Deslongchamps kept the pressure high in the closing laps, but Gauthier held strong under fire to take the win. In Shifter Masters, it was all about Dominic Legrand (BirelART), who drove to a composed victory.

Rotax DD2 Masters – Bernier Stuns the Favourite
One of the most electric performances of the weekend came in Rotax DD2 Masters, where Sebastian Bernier (OTK) put together a brilliant drive to defeat points leader and teammate Marc-André Levesque (OTK). Taking over the lead on lap 12 of 18, Bernier hit his marks and kept Levesque at bay through to the finish line. Tyler Givogue (Formula K) was also in the mix throughout and secured a well-earned third.

Rotax DD2 Masters lines up for their PreFinal start (Photo by: Cody Schindel / CKN)

Briggs Cadet – Colligan Makes It Three
There’s no stopping Jackson Colligan (BirelART) right now in Briggs Cadet. The young driver was untouchable again at ICAR, scoring his third win of the year. Mason Koury (BirelART) applied pressure all race long but couldn’t find a way through. Victor Julien (SodiKart) rounded out the podium after a strong showing.

Briggs Masters – Novak Brothers Do It Again
The Novak brothers were at it again in Briggs Masters, delivering their second 1-2 finish of the season. This time, it was Vincent Novak (Kart Republic) who claimed top honours, fighting off his brother Anthony (Kart Republic) in a close contest. Mike Larouche (Formula K) was in the thick of the action too, just missing out and taking a solid third behind the family duo.

Briggs Masters winner Vincent Novak (Photo by: Cody Schindel / CKN)

Rotax Masters – Legrand Doubles Up
Dominic Legrand (BirelART) made it a weekend to remember by sweeping Rotax Masters. After showing his pace in the PreFinal, he led every lap in the Final to secure his second victory of the event. Simon Proteau (TonyKart) gave chase but couldn’t maintain the same pace, finishing second, while Olivier Lelievre completed the podium.

Rotax DD2: Sabourin Scores Dramatic Victory After Pernod’s Penalty

Rotax Senior: Mrak Delivers Perfect Weekend in Breakout Victory

Rotax Junior: Medeiros Fights from P11 to Victory in Wild Final

Rotax Mini Max: Colligan Cruises to Second Straight RMC Quebec Victory at ICAR

Jackson Colligan was very happy at the finish line in Briggs Cadet (Photo by: Cody Schindel / CKN)

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With the ICAR round now in the books, the Coupe de Montreal takes its traditional summer pause, returning to action on September 21-22 in scenic Mont-Tremblant. But before that, the spotlight will shine on SH Karting from August 29-31, where the Canadian Open will determine this year’s National Rotax Champions and who will fly the flag for Team Canada at the 2025 Rotax Max Challenge Grand Finals in Bahrain.

Stay tuned — the second half of the season is shaping up to be a classic.