Louis-Philippe Dumoulin has a dream job, to put it lightly. After making his NASCAR Canadian Tire Series debut in Trois-Rivieres back in 2009, he went on to be named the 2011 NASCAR Canadian Tire Series Rookie of the Year and made his NASCAR Nationwide Series debut in Montreal of the same year. A full-time racer in the NASCAR Canadian Tire Series, Dumoulin has been sponsored by WeatherTech Canada for the last three years. Make sure to watch his this weekend as he hits the track for the Canadian Tire Motorsport Park Speedfest Weekend (May 17th and 18th). We caught up with the Quebec native to find out his best racing tips, most cherished career highlights, and more about his life on and off the racetrack…
You grew up in a family that loved cars. Tell us a bit about yourself.
My dad was a gym teacher and a very talented mechanic, so he has always been around cars and racing. He used to race a Mini Cooper S and an Alfa Romeo in the 70s with a ton of passion but very little budget. My brother Jean-Francois and I grew up in the garage working with him and helping him.
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I grew up playing football, rugby, and soccer too, but car racing hooked me. The trouble is that you can’t practice all the time because it’s so expensive to run those cars, and everyone knows that if you want to get better at a sport you need to practice. I started racing at the Jim Russell Racing School in 1994. I paid for my track time by working on the school’s Formula 2000 and 1600 cars as a mechanic. That’s the way I’ve worked my way up.
My biggest break was getting sponsored, and the only way to earn a sponsorship is to perform well, so that was a huge accomplishment after racing in the Formula 1600, Formula Atlantic, and sports car series including the Rolex Series/American LeMans Series (now named the Tudor Series).
I’m racing full-time in the NASCAR Canadian Tire Series now, and this is going to be my third year being sponsored by WeatherTech Canada, which is every driver’s dream. WeatherTech provides top of the line products and their values match those that I live by, so I’m extremely proud of the partnership.
What races are you most looking forward to in the near future?
Definitely the Canadian Tire Motorsport Park race this weekend (May 17th and 18th) because it’s a very fast track. I won twice there last year so I am really hoping we can win that one again for the team and for my sponsor, who has been trusting me for three years now. It would start the season perfectly. I’m pumped!
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You’re also a racing instructor. What are a few racing tips you can give us?
Vision: Look as far as you can in front of you. If your vision is too short, everything will seem to be moving too quickly. You really need to chin up and look far ahead so you can anticipate what’s coming up and assess how fast you can go.
Breathing: Since you’re going very fast and it’s high risk to drive a fast car on a race track, some people forget to breathe or breathe very little. It’s super intense out there, so you need to find a way to relax. Breathe in, breathe out!
Smoothness: You can’t be rough with a car. You need to be smooth with the steering – you can’t strangle the wheel – and you need to be smooth with the shifter. You don’t want to blow your gear box halfway into the race or do a miss-shift that could cost an engine. And if you jam the brakes too hard, you could flat spot the tires or upset the car entering or exiting the corner. It’s a delicate balance.
What have been some of your biggest career highlights and “pinch me” moments so far?
Every win is a great moment. It reminds me why I do what I do. There are a lot of ups and downs in racing, so every time I’m on a podium is a highlight. Last year we won twice with my WeatherTech #47 in the NASCAR Canada Series at Canadian Tire Motorsport Park and it felt awesome.
The year before we ended up 2nd at the 12 Hours of Sebring with the #22 WeatherTech Porsche GT3 Cup car after having problems at the beginning of the race, but we worked our way back to the podium and it felt outstanding. Sometimes even a second place can feel like a win!
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What are three things you can’t live without?
1 My wife, Sheila Lemay.
2 My parents, family, and friends.
3 Racing cars and sports.
What’s your favourite restaurant?
O’Centro and Le Carlito are both owned by friends of mine and serve amazing food.
How do you relax on a day off? We’re guessing long drives aren’t in the picture…
A good workout and spending time with family and friends are the best ways to unwind.
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Let’s get social for a mo’. How can people stay up-to-date with your busy life?
Twitter @DoumoulinDC and @DumoulinLP, Facebook at Dumoulin Compétition and Louis-Philippe Dumoulin, and dumoulincompetition.com.