MONT-TREMBLANT, Que – Jordan Szoke clinched an unprecedented ninth Canadian Superbike title in proper fashion by winning at the fast and demanding Ste-Jovite track ahead of challengers Alex Welsh and Jodi Christie.
The Brantford, Ont. racer took the lead on the opening lap after passing fast-starting Bodie Edie and Welsh, leading the rest of the way on his Waznie Racing / BMW Motorrad Canada / Parts Canada BMW S1000RR.
Welsh took second on his AW7R / Kenwood Electronics Canada / Parts Canada Suzuki GSX-R1000, while Jodi Christie of Keene, Ont.completed the podium aboard the Jodi Christie Racing / Honda Canada / Accelerated Technologies Honda CBR1000RR.
“To win one of these championships means so much,” said the 34-year-old Szoke. “I never imagined I would be able to win nine. I hope it never stops. These guys [Welsh and Christie] gave me a good fight this year. They keep getting better and better and I keep getting older.”
Welsh came into the weekend as the only rider with a shot at taking the Mopar Canadian Superbike Championship title from Szoke. But the Uxbridge, Ont. racer suffered a fall in practice on Friday and could only qualify fifth fastest on Saturday.
“We were just a little bit behind all weekend,” said Welsh, who finished on the podium in every Mopar Canadian Superbike Championship event this year. “My team gave me the best bike of the weekend today but it was a lot of work out there. Jordan was tough as always.”
Christie’s Jodi Christie / Honda Canada / Accelerated Technologies crew picked up the Inside Motorcycles Team of the Year Award.
Kleinburg, Ont. veteran FrankTrombino settled for fourth aboard the Trombino Racing / Royal Plumbing / FDS Racing Aprilia RSV4 Factory despite pressure throughout the race from the OneSpeed Suzuki GSX-R1000 of Mississauga, Ont.’s Trevor Daley. Daley picked up the $500 Sunoco / Brooklin Cycle Racing Rookie of the Race Award for his fifth-place finish.
Kris Garvie finished ninth and the Caledon, Ont. racer picked up the season-long Sunoco / BCR Pro Rookie of the Year Award.
In other action, Christie completed a perfect season in the Hindle Exhaust Pro Sport Bike class with his sixth win from six races on Sunday. Riding his Honda CBR600RR the Keene, Ont. racer edged the Team Archambault / Town & Country / Acme Slate Suzuki GSX-R600 of Terrebonne, Que.’s Raphael Archambault by just 0.568 sec, with Garvie third aboard the Honda Canada / Genics Inc. Honda CBR600RR.
Steve Crevier of Maple Ridge, B.C. wrapped up his third straight Harley-Davidson Canada XR1200 Cup title with a third place finish on his MotoSport Plus-backed entry, finishing behind Toronto’s Michael Taylor on the Mackie Harley-Davidson team, who just held off a late charge by Ruthless Racing’s Darren James of North Vancouver.
Mitch Card claimed both Amateur national titles at Le Circuit on Sunday with a third in Superbike and a second in Sport Bike.
Tomas Casas of Peterborough, Ont., completed a sweep of the Honda CBR250R National Race Series by taking his his Peterborough Cycle Salvage-backed bike to an 18.113-sec. victory over Oakville, Ont.’s Cameron Walker.
Final standings, 2013 Mopar Canadian Superbike Championship
1.Jordan Szoke, Brantford, Ont., BMW S1000RR, 307 points
2. Alex Welsh, Uxbridge, Ont., Suzuki GSX-R1000, 252
3. Jodi Christie, Keene, Ont., Honda CBR1000RR, 208
4. Frank Trombino, Kleinburg, Ont., Aprilia RSV4 Factory, 146
5. Kristopher Garvie, Caledon, Ont., Kawasaki ZX-10R, 146
6. Sebastien Tremblay, Longueuil, Que., BMW S1000RR, 145
7. Franklyn Dominguez, St-Lazare, Que., Honda CBR1000RR, 111
8. Trevor Daley, Mississauga, Ont., Suzuki GSX-R1000, 108
9. Matt McBride, Mississauga, Ont., BMW S1000RR, 102
10. Austin Shaw-O’Leary, Falmouth, N.S., Yamaha YZF-R6, 91
