Press release: Richelieu Hardware moves up to main partner of Raphael Lessard Racing for the March 20 race at Atlanta Motor Speedway - NASCAR Camping World Truck Series (NCWTS).

Saint Joseph de Beauce (Quebec, Canada) – March 16, 2021. Raphael Lessard and his #24 Richelieu Silverado will be on track this Saturday, March 20th, for the second race of the season on a typical NASCAR track, the high speed 1.5-mile banked oval of Atlanta Motor Speedway. Raphael Lessard will run under the colours of Richelieu Hardware, a partner in 2020, who are returning by this year as principal partner for this event.

“Richelieu Hardware is pleased to reaffirm its support for Raphael and his team for the 2021 season. This ongoing commitment will allow him to drive a truck bearing exclusively the RICHELIEU colours during the Atlanta race on March 20. We all wish him the best of luck in achieving a well-deserved podium finish,” according to Richard Lord, President and CEO of Richelieu Hardware. 

For Raphael Lessard, this renewed cooperation presents an ideal opportunity to further develop this win-win relationship. “I am very pleased to see Richelieu Hardware reaffirm their confidence in our team and come back to help us for this race. Partnering with leaders in their industry such as Richelieu Hardware is key to the success of our endeavour. I am convinced that this partnership will help both parties achieve their business and sporting goals.”

This is the second time the Saint Joseph de Beauce driver has visited the Atlanta oval. In 2020, Raphael Lessard was running in the top-5 group with two laps to go when a flat tire set him back to 18th place at the finish. On the plus side, that race was a great learning experience for the young driver as he prepares for this coming event. 

“The track surface at Atlanta is extremely hard on tires. You have to take advantage of the first few laps on new tires to gain positions, but always think about saving something for the end of a stage and especially the end of the race. We are driving at around 186 mph on the straights with very little downforce, which reduces grip everywhere. You can really feel it when braking at high speed on entering pit lane. You also have to be very careful not to go over the speed limit in the pits, something NASCAR is quick to penalise. Overall, my team and I did a good job in Las Vegas and really improved the truck for the last segment, which is promising for this race and the rest of the season. We are ready to win,” added to Raphael Lessard.

Event: FR8 Auctions 200, race 4 of 22 (130 laps – 30/30/70-lap stages; 200 miles)

Piste: Atlanta Motor Speedway (Georgia, United States – 1.54-mile oval)

Date: Saturday, March 20, 2:30 pm (EST)

Coverage: live on RDS, FS1, radio MRN and SiriusXM NASCAR

**RDS and RDS DIRECT (a numeric channel) will show every race in the NCWTS 2021 schedule. 

MEDIA CONTACT:

Jessica Ménard, Les Équipes Caissie-Ménard inc. 

Business Consultant, Raphael Lessard Racing                                                         

Mobile: 819.448.6514 – Email: [email protected]