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"I’m more than happy with our results this year," said Dominic Labrecque, President of PSL Karting. "Everyone in the team did an extremely good job, and over the past three years we have had really good results at the Nationals. It’s not easy to stay on top and we have to work extremely hard, so when the results are there it’s always good. I’d prefer if we on Junior and Senior also, but in racing we also have to get lucky!"

Commenting on a roster for Grand Finals that includes five Canadian PSL drivers, Labrecque said he thinks great results are possible there as well. "To me this year Canada is a really strong team," he continued. "PLO will have a good chance as he has had a lot of experience at the world finals, and for sure the Senior team should be very competitive. I believe the DD2 drivers really have a chance as well. If it rains Luc will be fast as he won the world final in the rain and also this year’s National in the rain. Kyle has been really strong all season too, and he also has the experience at the world finals."

Labrecque obviously believes having prior experience is a key factor in finding success at the Grand Finals, and another of his drivers on this year’s team certainly has that. Hugo Ouellette has been to the event three times in the past, and returns again this year after finishing in the second qualifying position in the Rotax Senior final. 

"Everything went perfect for me in final," he said afterward. "I had a great start and was fast right on the start. I made some great passes, and when I saw Levesque, who was in the second Team Canada spot at that moment, I knew he was the guy I had to catch. I pushed hard and finally passed him. With Vincec not far behind I was very focussed to keep it up, and although I wasn’t on the podium in the end, I knew I had a ride to go to the worlds because Gelinas and Pier-Luc were already qualified. I was yelling in my helmet. It was a great feeling!"

As the weekend began, Ouellette might have been seen yelling for other reasons. "Having a DNF in the first heat was tragic for me," he said. "So many things were running in my head, like the hard work I will have to do to be qualified, but I never thought my chances were gone. Then, when it was raining the whole weekend I was glad because in Quebec I have had good results in all races in the wet."

The 2009 Canadian National Champion then produced finishes of second and fourth in heats two and three, yet still had more work to do in the final to make up for heat one. "I was starting 16th for the prefinal and I knew I had to finish in the top five to improve my chances for the final," he recalled. "I was slowed down on the start by a crash in front of me, so I lost many positions, but I was consistently fast and passed back to eighth. I was in great shape for the final."

From there came the drive to fourth, and a ticket to the Grand Finals in Italy. Joining him from the PSL stable of drivers are: Kyle Herder in DD2, Luc Sauriol in Masters DD2, and Nicholas Latifi in Rotax Junior. His brother Pier-Luc qualified via the Florida Winter Tour Championship, and Nathan Mauel has already qualified on Team USA for PSL Karting, giving it six drivers to date. PSL National Champions and podium finishers can be seen below, including a clean sweep of Honda Junior by Alex Van Snick, Tyler Kashak and Sean McPhee.

1. Luc Sauriol - National Champion, Team Canada

2. Paul Carvalho, PSL Ontario

5. Mario Martin

6. Eric Beltrami

7. Michel Legrand

1. Kyle Herder - National Champion, Team Canada

9. Rich Hibbs

3. Pier-Luc Ouellette - Team Canada

4. Hugo Ouellette - Team Canada

8. Kevin King

10. Jonathan Tetreault

11. Massimo Scotti

12. Dominic Legrand

15. Reid Arnold

18. Olivier Sirois

22. Pearce Herder, PSL Ontario

24. Gerald Caseley, PSL Atlantic

30. Aaron Kennedy, PSL Atlantic

2. Nicholas Latifi - Team Canada

6. Jesse Lazare

8. Marc-Antoine Cardin

10. Samuel Fontaine

18. Alex Van Snick - PSL Atlantic

29. Simon Lauze

32. Sarah McKay, PSL Atlantic

2. Alexandre Fortin

1. James Dean Laderoute - National Champion

1. Alex Van Snick - National Champion, PSL Atlantic

2. Tyler Kashak, PSL Ontario

3. Sean McPhee, PSL Ontario

6. Sarah McKay, PSL Atlantic

7. Buddie Munn, PSL Atlantic

5. Gerald Caseley, PSL Atlantic

6. Nicolas Michaud

17. Johnny Flute, PSL Ontario

21. Alex Gauthier