Veteran Claude Leclerc Files Série ACT Castrol Full Season Entry
Waterbury, VT – American Canadian Tour veteran Claude Leclerc of Lanoraie, Quebec has filed a full season entry for the 2012 Série ACT Castrol season. Leclerc is coming off an 8th place effort on the series in 2011. It was his fifth straight top ten in the final standings.
Leclerc began competing on the former NASCAR North Tour during its inaugural 1979 season. He competed full-time in each of the Tour’s seven seasons through 1985, and finished in the top ten six times, including third in the 1981 standings. He continued to race full-time with the ACT Tour from its inception in 1986 through its final Pro Stock season in 1995. From 1979 through 1995, Leclerc had the most starts of any driver on the NASCAR North/ACT Tour with 397. He finished in the top ten in the standings in 13 of the 17 seasons, and earned six career wins.
“Claude and I started at just about the same time in this business nearly 35 years ago,” commented ACT President Tom Curley. “It is a remarkable record of racing achievement he has compiled over the years. I remember immediately after the NASCAR North days when Claude was one of three drivers, along with Jamie Aube and Dick McCabe, who drove to Burlington, VT and encouraged me to start the American Canadian Tour,” continued Curley. “When it was time to go to Dover Downs, DE, Milwaukee, WI, Nashville, TN, Thompson, CT or Nova Scotia, Claude was always the first to make the commitment. ACT is very proud to have Claude Leclerc still racing competitively with us going into the 2012 season. He is truly one of a kind and a good friend,” Curley concluded.
Leclerc returned to full-time ACT competition in 2007, the first season of the Série ACT Castrol. He has now started all but one of the 52 Castrol events run to date. The 70 year old has 447 starts, 6 wins, 96 top fives, and 253 top tens during his 22 seasons on the NASCAR North/ACT/ACT Castrol Tours. He has finished in the top ten in the standings in 18 of those 22 seasons.
The 12-event 2012 Série ACT Castrol season will kick off at Autodrome Montmagny in Montmagny, Quebec with a 100 lap event on Saturday, May 26. It will be the sixth season of Série ACT Castrol competition.