Patrick Carpentier is perhaps better known for Indy car racing than he is quad bike racing. Nevertheless, he recently expanded the confines of his car and his career. Last Saturday, September 29, he hit the quad bike tracks and took part in the Monster Energy Super cross event, which was held at the Olympic Stadium in Canada.
Along with his teammate, Alex Tagliani, the pair raced in the side-by-side event and took to roaring four-wheeled quads to race over the dirt track bumps. The side-by-side car is capable of getting over a table top of over 80 feet in length and takes its name from the fact that it has two seats. Carpentier said that it had taken him a long time to learn how to make the jumps in the quad. However, his motocross skills made the task easier. The event is now 35 years old and it is usually the motocross events that draw the greatest interest.
Carpentier described the event as being fun and said that this one in particular was “a blast”. The racer did retire following the NASCAR even in Montreal last year. However, he then went on to come back this year, thanks to an offer he could not refuse. He is also trying to race ATVs this year – a new experience for him.
His team mate, Tagliani is still actively taking part in racing at the age of 40. Tagliani was supposed to be heading off for a vacation but he could not resist the invitation to race quad bikes for the first time.
Carpentier came in 12th in the side-by-side event, with Charles Villeneuve claiming first place.