The Canadian Superbike championship kicks off this weekend in Shannonville, and the races should prove very interesting – it seems the competition might be heating up this year.
Jordan Szoke (still aboard a BMW S1000RR) is trying to nail down his 10th CSBK championship this summer. With Brett McCormick seemingly intent on staying in retirement, Szoke’s hottest competition in this year’s Pro Superbike championship is likely to come from the rider who pressed him the most last summer, Jodi Christie (back with Honda this year).
Frank Trombino (aboard an Aprilia) also pressed Szoke hard during the first event of the RACE series back in early May. The final finishing order in that Superbike race was Szoke, Trombino, Christie, and we’re guessing we’ll see something similar happen this weekend, unless Bodi Edhie shows up. Edhie didn’t make it to many CSBK races last summer, but when he did, he impressed everyone by winning his first race of the season at Mosport. Alex Welsh is also a major threat, if he shows up and his Suzuki holds together.
Christie has been virtually uncontested in the Pro Sport Bike series for the last couple years, but Trombino is said to be entering this series as well, so it may not be a walk in the park for Christie, who’s won the last four championships.
The Honda CBR250 spec series is back this year, although previous champs Stacey Nesbitt and Tomas Casas have moved on to bigger, better bikes, thanks to the rulebook. The Harley-Davidson XR1200 series is gone, but the amateur sport bike and superbike series remain.
The provisional weekend schedule is below:
Saturday, June 7
11:25 a.m. – 11:45 a.m. – Honda CBR250R National Race Series Qualifying
1:00 p.m. – 1:22 p.m. – Hindle Pro Sport Bike Qualifying
1:55 p.m. – 2:15 p.m. – Bell Helmets Amateur Sport Bike Qualifying
2:25 p.m. – Honda CBR250R National Race Series Race (10 laps)
2:50 p.m. – 3:30 p.m. – Mopar Pro Superbike Magneti Marelli SuperPole Qualifying
3:30 p.m. – 3:50 p.m. – Harley-Davidson XR1200 Cup Qualifying
4:15 p.m. – 4:35 p.m. – Magneti Marelli Amateur Superbike Qualifying
Sunday, June 8
11:30 a.m. – Honda CBR250R National Race Series Race (10 laps)
1:00 p.m. – Hindle Exhaust Pro Sport Bike Race (18 laps)
Bell Helmets Amateur Sport Bike Race (14 laps)
3:00 p.m. – Mopar Pro Superbike Race (22 laps)
Magneti Marelli Amateur Superbike Race (14 laps)
There will likely be highlight clips on the web later.
Is the series broadcast or webcast anywhere? Last entries I can find are for 2011.
Yawn, same old, same old…
So if the Harleys are gone how come they get a qualifying session on Saturday?
Ah good question. Maybe we were misinformed. I’d been told twice that they were gone after Deeley dropped their sponsorship.