More than 15 years after selling the Cowie Street complex, MM. Pelleter, 87, and Saint-Sauveur, 82, never miss, or at least very rarely, a program at the Autodrome. Every Friday, they leave Saint-Hyacinthe and take the long spiral staircase which leads to the boxes where they will watch each of the races presented until 11 p.m., curfew time imposed at the Autodrome. And all evening long, sitting most of the time next to the author of these lines, they will constantly comment on what they see on the track.
“The truth is that we left the races, but the races never left the rest of us,” says Normand. We still haven’t found anything morefun to have a lovely Friday evening!”
Although Normand was stopped by a stroke suffered a few weeks before the start of the new season. His doctor prohibited him from driving for a time and he had to give up the opening night at the Autodrome. But guess what the first thing he did when the doc gave him the OK to resume certain activities?
“I was at home and I didn’t feel like I belonged. They were racing at the Autodrome and I was at home. I didn’t like it.”
— Normand Saint-Sauveur
His friend René listens attentively. The minor health problems he has had in recent years have not yet managed to deprive him of his Friday evening at the races.
“As long as I’m able to climb the damn stairs, I’m going there!”, he sends, smiles on his lips.
Believe us, he’s a dog, René.
The Autodrome was owned by René Pelletier, the Saint-Sauveur brothers and Bob Gatien from 1985 to 2007. (Olivier Pierson/Archives La Voix de l’Est)
Back… then forward
René Pelletier, Normand Saint-Sauveur, his brother Serge and Bob Gatien reigned over the Autodrome for more than 20 years. Some will even say that they lived through the golden age of stock-car racing on clay in Quebec, which they largely inspired.
“When we bought, we had work to do,” remembers René Pelletier. The promoter of the Autodrome Drummond, Jacques Lambert, always told us: “In Granby, you are a good 10 years behind the rest of us!” Two years later, he told us: “Crime, you are ahead of me!”
It must be said that Pelletier, St-Sauveur and Gatien were men of action. They added stands, boxes, they installed an ultra-modern scoreboard for the time, they dug a tunnel leading to the pits, they brought the American series to Granby, they moved the Sunday racing evening to Friday… and what not.
“We were often stubborn. Very often other than that. When I came up with the idea of doing races on Friday evening instead of Sunday, the guys didn’t agree on everything. But I held my ground and convinced them. And I was right because the attendance skyrocketed!”
— René Pelletier
Normand smiles, nods and says: “The damned man, it’s true that he was right!”
And the two men laugh heartily!
But if, all these years after having sold, René and Normand continue to go to the races every Friday evening, it is because they love the evolution of their sport and their old home.
“Dominic (Lussier) does a good job,” admits Normand. He works hard to keep the stock car healthy. The next generation is here, the Autodrome will not die anytime soon and that is the most important thing.”
And rest assured that he and René will pass the message on if they no longer like what they see…
