Stéphane Proulx
Encyclopedia
Stéphane Proulx was a Canadian racing driver born in Sainte-Adèle, Quebec
. His mother Monique was a Formula Atlantic
driver in the 1970s and was one of the first women to be sponsored by a cigarette company. She gave up racing to support the career of her son, who inherited her looks and her love of speed.
2000 Championship driving a Reynard 87SF for the Spenard-David Racing School. In 9 races he won 6, took 3 pole positions and finished on the podium in every race.
In 1989 he made the step up to Formula 3000
, joining GA Motorsport bringing his Player's Ltd sponsorship with him. He drove a Lola T89/50 Cosworth DFV
but had a difficult season adjusting to the power and to the new circuits. He finished 5th at Le Mans
and finished the season 17th in the Championship with 2 points.
In 1990 he stayed in Formula 3000 but switched to Pacific Racing. Pacific had lost their sponsorship from Philip Morris
and so Stéphane's Player's Ltd funding was a welcome addition. Proulx was competitive but he failed to capitalise on it. A 12th at Donington
was followed by accidents at Silverstone
, Pau, Jerez, Monza
and Enna-Pergusa
. 10th at Hockenheim
in a rare finish was followed by gearbox failure at Brands Hatch
. After two more accidents at Birmingham
and Le Mans, he finished 7th at Nogaro
in the final round.
In 1991 Proulx came back to Canada and drove a Swift
tuned by Mauro Lanaro in the Canadian rounds of the IMSA Molson Formula Atlantic series, being declared the Canadian Formula Atlantic
Champion, after a win in the last round at Vancouver.
In 1992 he competed in five rounds of the French F3
Championship driving a Dallara F392 Alfa Romeo for Formula Project Racing.
-related illness on November 21, 1993, in Sainte-Adèle. He died at the very young age of 27. On April 3 of that same year, while participating in a Formula Atlantic race at Phoenix, Arizona
, Proulx was hit on head by a wheel lost by another competitor. He sustained head injuries from which he never recovered.
Sainte-Adèle, Quebec
Sainte-Adèle is a municipality in Quebec, Canada, and is part of the Les Pays-d'en-Haut Regional County Municipality. It lies on the Route 117 about north-west of Montreal. Its tourism-based economy centres on its skiing and hotel industry...
. His mother Monique was a Formula Atlantic
Formula Atlantic
Formula Atlantic is a specification of open wheel racing car developed in the 1970s. It was used in professional racing through the IMSA Atlantic Championship until 2009 and is currently primarily used in amateur racing through Sports Car Club of America Formula Atlantic.-History:The history of...
driver in the 1970s and was one of the first women to be sponsored by a cigarette company. She gave up racing to support the career of her son, who inherited her looks and her love of speed.
Career
Stéphane won the 1987 Canadian Formula FordFormula Ford
Formula Ford is a single seater, open wheel class in motorsport which exists in some form in many countries around the world. It is an entry-level series to motor racing....
2000 Championship driving a Reynard 87SF for the Spenard-David Racing School. In 9 races he won 6, took 3 pole positions and finished on the podium in every race.
In 1989 he made the step up to Formula 3000
Formula 3000
The Formula 3000 International Championship was a motor racing series created by the Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile in 1985 to become the final preparatory step for drivers hoping to enter the Formula One championship...
, joining GA Motorsport bringing his Player's Ltd sponsorship with him. He drove a Lola T89/50 Cosworth DFV
Cosworth DFV
The DFV is an internal combustion engine that was originally produced by Cosworth for Formula One motor racing. Named Four Valve because of the four valves per cylinder, and Double as it was a V8 development of the earlier, four-cylinder FVA , making it a Double Four Valve engine...
but had a difficult season adjusting to the power and to the new circuits. He finished 5th at Le Mans
Le Mans
Le Mans is a city in France, located on the Sarthe River. Traditionally the capital of the province of Maine, it is now the capital of the Sarthe department and the seat of the Roman Catholic diocese of Le Mans. Le Mans is a part of the Pays de la Loire region.Its inhabitants are called Manceaux...
and finished the season 17th in the Championship with 2 points.
In 1990 he stayed in Formula 3000 but switched to Pacific Racing. Pacific had lost their sponsorship from Philip Morris
Philip Morris
- Philip/Phillip Morris :*Altria Group, conglomerate company previously known as Philip Morris Companies Inc., named after the 19th century tobacconist**Philip Morris USA, tobacco company wholly owned by Altria Group...
and so Stéphane's Player's Ltd funding was a welcome addition. Proulx was competitive but he failed to capitalise on it. A 12th at Donington
Donington Park
Donington Park is a motorsport circuit near Castle Donington in Leicestershire, England.Originally part of the Donington Hall estate, it was created as a racing circuit during the pre-war period when the German Silver Arrows were battling for the European Championship...
was followed by accidents at Silverstone
Silverstone Circuit
Silverstone Circuit is an English motor racing circuit next to the Northamptonshire villages of Silverstone and Whittlebury. The circuit straddles the Northamptonshire and Buckinghamshire border, with the current main circuit entry on the Buckinghamshire side...
, Pau, Jerez, Monza
Autodromo Nazionale Monza
The Autodromo Nazionale Monza is a race track located near the town of Monza, north of Milan, in Italy. The circuit's biggest event is the Formula One Italian Grand Prix, which has been hosted there since the sport's inception....
and Enna-Pergusa
Autodromo di Pergusa
The Autodromo di Pergusa is an automobile and motorcycle circuit that encircles the only Sicilian natural lake, Pergusa Lake. The circuit is also known as Enna-Pergusa, as the lake is located near the city of Enna....
. 10th at Hockenheim
Hockenheimring
The Hockenheimring Baden-Württemberg is an automobile racing track situated near the town of Hockenheim in Baden-Württemberg, Germany, located on Bertha Benz Memorial Route. Amongst other motor racing events, it biennially hosts the Formula One German Grand Prix...
in a rare finish was followed by gearbox failure at Brands Hatch
Brands Hatch
Brands Hatch is a motor racing circuit near West Kingsdown in Kent, England. First used as a dirt track motorcycle circuit on farmland, it hosted 12 runnings of the British Grand Prix between 1964 and 1986 and currently holds many British and international racing events...
. After two more accidents at Birmingham
Birmingham
Birmingham is a city and metropolitan borough in the West Midlands of England. It is the most populous British city outside the capital London, with a population of 1,036,900 , and lies at the heart of the West Midlands conurbation, the second most populous urban area in the United Kingdom with a...
and Le Mans, he finished 7th at Nogaro
Circuit Paul Armagnac
Circuit Paul Armagnac is a motorsport race track near Nogaro in southwestern France. The track was built in 1960. The venue hosted the French round of the Grand Prix motorcycle road racing world championship in 1978 and 1982, as well as the 2003 round of the FIA Sportscar Championship. It also...
in the final round.
In 1991 Proulx came back to Canada and drove a Swift
Swift
The swifts are a family, Apodidae, of highly aerial birds. They are superficially similar to swallows, but are actually not closely related to passerine species at all; swifts are in the separate order Apodiformes, which they share with hummingbirds...
tuned by Mauro Lanaro in the Canadian rounds of the IMSA Molson Formula Atlantic series, being declared the Canadian Formula Atlantic
Formula Atlantic
Formula Atlantic is a specification of open wheel racing car developed in the 1970s. It was used in professional racing through the IMSA Atlantic Championship until 2009 and is currently primarily used in amateur racing through Sports Car Club of America Formula Atlantic.-History:The history of...
Champion, after a win in the last round at Vancouver.
In 1992 he competed in five rounds of the French F3
Formula Three
Formula Three, also called Formula 3 or F3, is a class of open-wheel formula racing. The various championships held in Europe, Australia, South America and Asia form an important step for many prospective Formula One drivers...
Championship driving a Dallara F392 Alfa Romeo for Formula Project Racing.
Death
Tragically Proulx died of complications resulting from HIVHIV
Human immunodeficiency virus is a lentivirus that causes acquired immunodeficiency syndrome , a condition in humans in which progressive failure of the immune system allows life-threatening opportunistic infections and cancers to thrive...
-related illness on November 21, 1993, in Sainte-Adèle. He died at the very young age of 27. On April 3 of that same year, while participating in a Formula Atlantic race at Phoenix, Arizona
Phoenix, Arizona
Phoenix is the capital, and largest city, of the U.S. state of Arizona, as well as the sixth most populated city in the United States. Phoenix is home to 1,445,632 people according to the official 2010 U.S. Census Bureau data...
, Proulx was hit on head by a wheel lost by another competitor. He sustained head injuries from which he never recovered.
Links
- http://www.wheels.ca/article/32650
- http://forums.autosport.com/index.php?showtopic=115119
- http://www.oldracingcars.com/driver/Stephane_Proulx
- http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0JXWRYLMclk
- http://www.motorsportmemorial.org/LWFWIW/focusLWFWIW.php?db=LWF&db2=&n=479