Lagoy ready to face world champions at Grand Prix

Sports

Related Photos

Nick Lagoy from Morrisonville, got off to a great start in the Eastern Pro Tour season opener at Manitowaning, Ontario sweeping both days' finales ahead of 2012 World Champion Nicholas Van Strydonk. Photo / Michel Brault

Discussion

PLEASE NOTE: There is a 150 word maximum for comments. All comments greater than 150 words in length will be deleted in their entirety.

ALSO NOTE: Derisive name-calling of an individual or group will result in the entire comment being deleted. This includes the terms "stupid" and "idiot" and similar references.

Welcome to our new online comments feature. Before you can join the discussion, you must first register with Disqus and verify your email address.

Once you do, your comments will post after they have been reviewed by a moderator.

We welcome your thoughts and your opinions, including unpopular ones. We ask only that you keep the conversation civil and clean.

Not all comments are deemed printable. Some are disqualified, at the newspaper’s discretion, for a number of reasons. Here are some typical practices to avoid in trying to get your comment printed:

There is a 150 word maximum for comments. All comments greater than 150 words in length will be deleted in their entirety.

Don’t state as a fact something that is unsubstantiated or that our editors wouldn't know to be true.

Don’t presume someone’s guilt in a case when it hasn't been established by a court.

Don’t assail or impugn an identifiable individual or group. If you have that kind of criticism, sign your name and submit it as a Letter to the Editor. (There is some leeway on this in connection with public officials, but it is not unconditional.)

Don’t use profanity. This includes the term “tea bagger.”

Don’t be incendiary or tasteless. Those qualities are subjective, of course, and our editors will be the arbiters.

Do not identify yourself in the main content area of the article content form. Only by enforcing this rule can the moderators prevent unscrupulous commenters from falsely identifying themselves as someone they are not.

Don't type in all caps. It is considered the Internet equivalent of shouting.

In sports articles, do not criticize officiating.

Remember, moderators are not allowed to edit any article comments. If an article comment fails any of the above criteria, the entire comment will be deleted.

We monitor comments Monday - Friday, 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. Saturday and Sunday, 2 p.m. to 8 p.m. Approval of comments outside these times may be delayed.

comments powered by Disqus

February 14, 2012

Anonymous Press-Republican The Press Republican Tue Feb 14, 2012, 02:23 AM EST

VALCOURT, QUEBEC — Each year, the top ice oval snowmobile racers in America gather in Valcourt hoping to win the coveted Grand Prix event, which will be held on the half mile Circuit Yvon Duhamel from Feb. 17-19.

Last year, Nicolas Van Strydonk scored his second consecutive Valcourt Grand Prix win by edging 18-year-old Travis MacDonald of Winnipeg, Manitoba and 20-year-old Joel Diamond of Lapeer, Michigan.

Nick Lagoy, from Morrisonville, was not among the leaders in last year's Sunday race. In fact, he did not even finish the race. But on the previous day, Lagoy enjoyed his best day in Valcourt as he topped the Pro Champ field of America's top ice oval racers, winning ahead of Dan Fenhaus of Wausau and Van Strydonk of Tomahawk, both from the state of Wisconsin.

It was a preview of things to come for the young, rising star.

The two-time Grand Prix Valcourt champion Van Strydonk began the 2012 season with a bang capturing the World Championship Snowmobiler Derby last January in his home state at the famed Eagle River track. The 21 year-old edged Matt Schulz of Wausau, Wisconsin and Dustin Wahl of Greenbush, Minnesota.

Runner up twice to Jacques Villeneuve in the Eastern Pro Tour Pro Champ standings since graduating from Pro Lite in 2010, the 21-year old Lagoy is still looking for his first big win in Valcourt. He began his 2012 season preparation in Eagle River, but even though he did not make the field for Sunday's finale, he picked-up valuable pointers on how his Ski-doo sled was handling. It paid off at the 2012 Eastern Pro Tour (EPT) Series opener as his sled was ready from the get-go.

Last weekend in Manitowaning, Ontario, defending series champion Jacques Villeneuve recorded a third-place finish on Saturday, followed with a fourth on Sunday. An auspicious start for Villeneuve who was taking part in his first real test of the year. Last year's EPT Series Pro Champ runner-up Lagoy got off to a great start winning both days' finales to take the lead in the 2012 EPT standings coming into Valcourt. The New Yorker won the second heat race on Saturday after finishing second in the initial one. He eventually claimed the final race of the day ahead of the 2012 World Champion Van Strydonk. On Sunday, Lagoy swept the two qualifying heat races and the finale again ahead of Van Strydonk and Dustin Gehrke, who also hails from Morrisonville.

The Boonville, New York event that was to open the 2012 EPT season has been twice postponed, depriving Villeneuve from early testing of his machine, and it probably showed in Manitowaning. Valcourt will be Villeneuve's second sortie, but unlike the Ontario two-day event, the Grand Prix is a long, three-day affair.

Fans wishing to meet with Lagoy and all the other stars of ice and snow, and also find out what makes Valcourt and its Grand Prix tick, will be admitted free of charge on Open House Thursday. They will be able to see the drivers testing their machines on the ice oval and on the snocross track, as they get ready for the big weekend ahead. Gates open at 1 p.m.

Plenty of action for every Xtreme sports fans in Valcourt

Aside from the highly charged ice oval snowmobile races, motorcycle and ATV riders will share the bill on Circuit Yvon Duhamel as will the snocross riders in the infield track featuring the best of the Pro and Pro Lite riders from the eastern section of North America who have included Valcourt on their 2012 race schedules. The Quebec-based SCMX Sno-Cross Championship riders will face stiff competition from those of the Canadian Snocross Racing Association (CSRA) and the American East Coast Snocross championship (ECS).

Tickets for the 30th running of the Grand Prix of Valcourt are available at the ticket office at 1-450-532-3443 or at 1-866-532-7543. Some Trackside Suite passes are still available. To learn more about the weekend festivities, schedule and ticket packages, fans can log-on to www.grandprixvalcourt.com.