Scott, Galvis split second round of FIM MiniGP Canada Series in Strathmore

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Category: Other Racing News

Published on Sunday, June 30, 2024 17:55 EDT

Written by Cam Bickle

The gap atop the FIM MiniGP Canada Series championship tightened and then swung wide open again on Sunday, as Michael Galvis and Lincoln Scott each took victories at the second round of the season in Strathmore.

Carrying an 18-point lead into his home race, Scott was the overwhelming favourite entering the weekend but struggled to match the initial pace of Galvis, settling in behind the reigning champion in both morning practice and combined qualifying.

Scott would top Q1 by 0.018 seconds over Galvis but the difference was provided in Q2, where Galvis blitzed the FIM lap record to claim pole position by 0.286 seconds over Scott with Jäger Stockill completing the front row for a second consecutive weekend.

The weather would stay dry for Saturday’s first race of the doubleheader, a contrast from the changing conditions in round one and much different than the rain that was forecasted for race two on Sunday.

Scott would get a decent launch in race one but missed a shift on the run to the first corner, allowing Galvis back into the lead and bunching up the pack behind. That would prove to be the last the field would see of Galvis, as he cruised to a dominant and much-needed victory by over nine seconds.

The reigning champion looked much more comfortable than in round one at Stratotech, posting the best lap of the race and holding steady to the end despite a late comeback bid from Scott.

After his poor start, Scott was shunted behind Roman Darby and Stockill in the early going, following the duo for the first four laps before he began to make his moves.

Scott would make a spectacular pass around the outside of Stockill between turn one and two, before diving up the inside of Darby later in the same lap to snatch second, beginning his march towards Galvis.

Unfortunately for the championship leader, he could only match Galvis’ pace once he got into clean air as the gap held firm the remainder of the way. As for the final podium spot, Darby would slip behind Stockill just moments after Scott’s moves, with Stockill taking third and preserving his same position in the standing.

That result would cut Scott’s championship advantage from 18 points to 13, with Galvis seemingly carrying the momentum into for race two on Sunday.

Instead, things went wrong very early for Galvis, who crashed on the opening lap in the rain along with Darby, bringing out the red flag (both were thankfully uninjured).

After a brief pause, the race got back underway with the original grids, a significant help to Galvis’ chances as he returned to pole position. It wouldn’t matter though, as Scott again seized the holeshot and began to stretch his lead up front.

After Galvis tried and failed to reel in the championship leader, he would start to slip into the clutches of Stockill in the battle for second, a heap of pressure that ultimately proved to be too much as Galvis crashed again out of second place.

The eleven-year-old would remount and finish fifth, but it was another devastating blow to his championship hopes as Scott would fend off a charge from Stockill to claim his third victory in five races and extend his title advantage to 27 points.

As for Stockill, his fifth consecutive podium would move him into a tie with Galvis for second in the championship order, though Galvis owns the tiebreaker thanks to his pair of victories. 

Completing the podium for the first time this season was Cole Reimche, as the local favourite made a beautiful early pass on Darby in the battle for fourth and held on the remainder of the way, being promoted to third following Galvis’ late crash.

The field will now enter their mid-summer break following the first five of ten races, with round three scheduled to return to Lombardy Raceway in Ontario from August 17-18, shortly before the fourth and final round at Lombardy from August 22-23.

More information can be found at the Super Sonic Road Racing School website.