BOWMANVILLE, Ont. – Eight-time Canadian Superbike champ Jordan Szoke is in the catbird seat going into the last round of the Mopar CSBK series, but he’s not happy that he hasn’t clinched the title, or that he didn’t take a win at the Canadian Tire Motorsport Park / Mosport doubleheader.
“The race was fantastic but I’m pretty disgusted with myself for going two years here without a win,” said Szoke, who has won 10 Superbike events at CTMP but none since 2011. “If you’re talking about golf, this is like the Masters for us here in Canada, and I’m really disappointed not to win. But we’re still right in there for the championship.”
The races were both tight. Bodhi Edie, of Warman, Sask., shocked the series regulars by winning Saturday’s race in his first appearance this season, while Alex Welsh grabbed his first win of the year – after a string of third-place finishes – by passing Szoke at the end of the back straight on the last lap. Sadly, Edie’s transmission broke in the Sunday warm-up and he wasn’t able to compete in the second race.
“I’m just over the moon. I’m super happy to get it done today,” said Welsh, who had finished third in each of the previous four rounds of the season, including Saturday’s first race of the doubleheader weekend. “We’ve had such a rough year and had strange things happen.
“I didn’t get the best of drives onto the backstraight but I was just able to get beside him,” added the Suzuki rider, who scored his first career national Superbike win at CTMP a year ago. “From there I just tried to get through turn eight as best as I could. I was sideways going through there.”
The winner of the last race in Shubenacadie, NS, Jodi Christie, had a weekend to forget. He lost the front end of his Honda CBR1000RR and crashed out of Saturday’s race, then had his fairing come loose on Sunday, which combined with handling issues to hold him back to eighth. He’s still third in the series, but is out of contention for the title.
Kris Garvie of Caledon, Ont., will be fourth going into the final round, riding the Kawasaki ZX-10R on which he scored his first Pro victory in 2012. Before the Mosport weekend, he said, “This bike is really something special to me. It’s been sitting in my mom’s dining room since that first win last fall! I’m going to take it to Mosport and see what I can do with it.”
A seventh and a strong fifth at CTMP justified his decision to unretire his trophy bike.
The rest of the top 10 after the CTMP doubleheader are Sebastien Tremblay (BMW), Frank Trombino (Aprilia RSV4), Matt McBride (BMW, who parlayed his Mosport experience into a fourth and a third at CTMP, Franklyn Dominguez (Honda), Austin Shaw-O’Leary (Falmouth, NS, and very impressive on a 600cc Yamaha R6), and rookie Pro Trever Daly (Suzuki).
Despite his Superbike disappointments, Jodi Christie wrapped up his third straight Hindle Exhaust Pro Sport Bike title with his fifth win of the season on Sunday. Christie and his Honda CBR600RR came out on top of an exciting five-rider battle for the win, edging the Riedmann Racing / Castrol / Blackfoot Triumph 675 of Calgary’s John Ross MacRae by just 0.316 sec at the line.
Kris Garvie was third aboard his Honda Canada Honda CBR600RR, while Austin Shaw-O’Leary of Falmouth, N.S. took fourth and Thornbury, Ont.’s Ben Young (back from U.S. competition) completed the lead bunch in fifth on his R6.
Second in Sport Bike, McRae scored his first career Harley-Davidson Canada XR1200 Cup win on Sunday. The Ruthless Racing rider was in the lead when the race was red-flagged after 10 of a scheduled 14 laps for a crash involving Jon Cornwell of Erin, Ont.
Steve Crevier of Maple Ridge, B.C. finished second, extending his points lead over Toronto’s Michael Taylor. Taylor finished third in the race for the Mackie Harley-Davidson team.
Mitch Card took over the lead of the Bazzaz / Inside Motorcycles Amateur Sport Bike standings with two victories over the weekend aboard the ProStar Motorsports / Blue Streak Racing Honda CBR600RR. The Ripley, Ont. rider held off the Suzuki GSX-R600 of Marco Sousa by just 0.343 secs. in the 12-lap race and takes a 12-point lead over the Schomberg, Ont. racer into the Mont-Tremblant finale.
Amateur Superbike results were unavailable at time of writing.
Tomas Casas of Peterborough, Ont. clinched the Honda CBR250R National Race Series with his sixth win of the season on Sunday. The 14-year-old led all 10 laps on his Peterborough Cycle Salvage-backed entry and finished 5.064 secs. clear of Dartmouth, N.S. rider Connor Warnell.
Next and final race, Le Circuit Mont-Tremblant, Que., August 25.
Mopar CSBK Standings after five of six races
1.Jordan Szoke, Brantford, Ont., BMW S1000RR, 251 points
2. Alex Welsh, Uxbridge, Ont., Suzuki GSX-R1000, 210
3. Jodi Christie, Keene, Ont., Honda CBR1000RR, 168
4. Kristopher Garvie, Caledon, Ont., Kawasaki ZX-10R, 125
5. Sebastien Tremblay, Longeuil, Que., BMW S1000RR, 118
6. Frank Trombino, Kleinburg, Ont., Aprilia RSV4, 114
7. Matt McBride, Mississauga, Ont., BMW S1000RR, 100
8. Franklyn Dominguez, St-Lazare, Que., Honda CBR1000RR, 92
9. Austin Shaw-O’Leary, Falmouth, N.S., Yamaha YZF-R6, 91
10. Trevor Daley, Mississauga, Ont., Suzuki GSX-R1000, 79
Too bad about Corndog – get well soon !
Nice shots, Rob.
(and article, Monsieur Tate)