Valérie Limoges, a Sentra and feats

During his last interview with The Pressalmost two years ago, Valérie Limoges attempted to become the first woman to win the Nissan Sentra Cup championship. Not only did she succeed, but she also accomplished the feat a second time at the end of September.

A few weeks before winning her first title, in 2022, the driver told us she wanted to “end it on a good note”, when talking about her career. “If things go well and I can win the championship this year, I could stop and it would be the perfect time,” she added.

Two years later, Limoges has not retired from motor racing. Even though she did quite the opposite. She still drives her Sentra…and she continues to excel.

To triumph.

“I seem to like it so much!” she exclaims. It’s really family. My family follows me, my friends too. We’re having a great time. Losing that would be boring. As long as I have opportunities and there are sponsors who follow me, I continue. »

At 41, Limoges is not only the first female Nissan Sentra Cup champion, she is also the first woman in any category in Canadian circuit racing to win a title – two, in her case.

His second championship, won in Ottawa on the last weekend of September, was hard won. Arriving there, Limoges was around thirty points ahead of its closest pursuer, Nicolas Barrette.

In the second race of the weekend, she was in fifth place and Barrette, in third, at the end of the race. His points lead allowed Limoges to “keep it safe” by staying behind. “I just needed to finish there and win the championship,” she says. “Except he had a run-in with someone else and he bumped into me” at the same time.

Red flag out, the race was stopped. As there was only one lap remaining, the results from before the accident were used. “I still won the championship,” said Limoges.

Talent… and teamwork

On the Nissan Sentra Cup circuit, the vehicles are all identical. As a result, the talent on the track has a lot to do with the results. Nevertheless, Valérie Limoges insists: “It’s a team result. »

“There is the talent, that’s for sure, but there are also the settings of the car,” she explains. We are working really hard on this. I have people who are quite experienced, the best in the field, who work with me. It makes small differences too. »

The fact remains that it is Limoges who is driving the car. And that it is she who crosses the finish line at the front. She who won 4 of the 12 races this season.

“I still have quite a bit of experience! she blurted. Sometimes you’re better off finishing second than finishing first and getting crashed. […] I think I have good judgment with that, knowing what it takes to win a championship. It’s consistency.

“It’s all well and good to win two races a year, but if you don’t finish the other 10 because you crash, you’ll never win the championship. »

“I hope it encourages them”

In every male-dominated field, women are breaking the glass ceiling. In car racing in Canada, Valérie Limoges is one of them.

On social networks as well as during race weekends, the driver is often approached by young girls who go karting. “I hope it encourages them [de me voir] because I myself started karting at the age of 12,” says Limoges, who herself is accompanied by her two and a half year old daughter at each race.

As we did during our call two years ago, we asked Limoges what will be next for her. At the end of the line, she hesitates.

“Of course I could stop next year, but we’ll see… I may not have said my last word. […] The season is over, so I figure it would be a good time to stop, but look… I’m going to be the oldest on the grid! »

It’s not very clear, but what we understand is that she will probably be back in 2025. Looking for a third title, why not?