Photos: Rob MacLennan
The first round of the Mopar Canadian Superbike series provided superb racing from the Honda CBR250 entries up to the Superbike class, where Brantford, Ont.’s Jordan Szoke held off Keene, Ont. racer Jodi Christie to win his second straight at Shannonville – after taking the first Regional last month – and gives him an 11-point lead over Christie, 56-45, after one of five series events.
The Superbike class is sadly depleted this season, but Szoke’s Waznie Racing / BMW Motorrad / Mopar Express Lane BMW S1000RR and Christie’s Jodi Christie Racing / Honda Canada / Accelerated Technologies Honda CBR1000RR were closely matched, Szoke leading the whole way except for a short period early on when Christie got past briefly, only for Szoke to immediately relegate him back to second.
They stayed that way to the end, Christie never more than a couple of bike lengths behind but unable to find a way past. The 21-year-old did have the consolation of setting the race’s fastest lap, a 1:05.142 on the penultimate tour.
The only other rider who could stay with the two was veteran Frank Trombino, aboard the Trombino Racing / Royal Plumbing Aprilia RSV4. Trombino rocketed into the lead off the line only to have Szoke blast past him on the back straight on the opening lap, while Christie dropped the Kleinburg, Ont. rider down to third on the following go-around. Trombino stayed in touch until he ran off without crashing, re-entering to finish third behind Trevor Daley.
The 35-year-old Szoke, trying for his 10th national Superbike crown, said, “Jodi is getting smarter and really maturing. I got on the gas a little strong out of turn three and that gave Jodi a chance. I was expecting him to try something out of Allen’s [Corner, the second last turn on the track] but I got a good drive and could hold him off to the line.”
Equally close racing was found in the Hindle Exhaust Pro Sport Bike (600 cc) class, where Belfountain, Ont. resident Kenny Riedmann scored his first career national Pro win. Riedmann, who’s been concentrating on AMA racing for the last couple of years, held off a desperate last turn move by three-time defending class champion and great friend Jodi Christie to take the win by 0.358 sec on his Reidmann Racing / Castrol Triumph 675.
An ecstatic Riedmann said on the podium, “Jodi and I are great friends on and off the track. But I was really aggressive in that last corner because I really wanted to beat him!” That win was the first victory for Triumph in national Pro competition. Riedmann added, “This is the first time I’ve been (on the top of the podium) since my amateur days, and it feels great!”
Will Hornblower of Sarnia rode an excellent race to capture third, his first Pro podium.
Best race of the day was probably the Bell Helmets Amateur Sport Bike event, where 17-year-old Stacey Nesbitt rode a superb race, capturing and holding the lead two laps from the end on her OCM Racing Honda CBR600RR. The St-Lazare, Que. racer finished 0.477 sec ahead of the Triumph 675R of Ariss, Ont.’s James Moore, while Tomas Casas of Peterborough, Ont., same age as Nesbitt and a tough competitor with her in the CBR Cup events, was third on his OCM Racing / GoLo Motorsport / Peterborough Cycle Salvage Yamaha YZF-R6.
Nesbitt’s OCM Racing squad also picked up the Ipone Award in the Amateur Sport Bike class for team professionalism and presentation, while teammate Casas was selected for the Dion Device Hard Luck Award after a practice crash on Friday morning.
On the podium, Nesbitt, who also collected fifth in the Amateur Superbike race, said, “This was so much better than school! I can’t believe I’ll be back there tomorrow and nobody will know or care.” She already has two national titles under her belt, in Honda CBR125 and CBR250 classes, and it’d be a brave soul who’d bet against her repeating in the 600 or superbike classes before long. More than one expert observer commented on how smooth and deceptively fast her riding style is, and Pedro Sousa, the pole-sitter who finished fourth, said, “Those kids are so fast! Stacey especially is so smooth you can’t believe she’s getting away from you.”
Tim Toldnes of London, Ont. held off Mississauga, Ont.’s Pedro Sousa to win the opening round of the Magneti Marelli Amateur Superbike Championship. Riding his Inglis Cycle / Blue Streak Racing Kawasaki ZX-10R, he took the lead on lap five of the 14-lap race and finished just 0.120 sec ahead of Sousa’s Honda CBR1000RR.
Early race leader Steve Hamer of Gravenhurst, Ont. held on for third aboard his Yamaha YZF-R6.
Oakville, Ont.’s Cameron Walker turned the tables on Saturday winner Jacob Shaw-O’Leary in the second round of the Honda CBR250R National Race Series. Walker beat the Falmouth, N.S. racer by 7.044 sec after making a last lap pass at the end of the back straight, then Shaw-O’Leary ran off track as he tried to make a move on the outside two corners from the finish. Pro Cycle-sponsored Shaw-O’Leary, who edged Walker to the win on Saturday, leads the Honda CBR250R point standings by three over Walker, 100-97.
Next event Autodrome St-Eustache, St-Eustache, Que. July 4-6.
Mopar CSBK standings after Round 1 of 5
1. Jordan Szoke, Brantford, Ont., BMW S1000RR
2. Jodi Christie, Keene, Ont., Honda CBR1000RR
3. Trevor Daley, Mississauga, Ont., Suzuki GSX-R1000
4. Frank Trombino, Kleinburg, Ont., Aprilia RSV4
5. Sebastien Tremblay, Longueuil, Que., Kawasaki ZX-10R
I think the steady talents of the usual winners in super bike has a lot to do with the dwindling entrants Don’t get me wrong the best win But it is tough to got to the trouble and great expense of putting together an competitive team only to be a constant back marker Sponsors like winners and they seldom take chances on newcomers
There are cheaper classes to play in I would only hope that as the big class dwindles there maybe a growth in the sport and *ahem* amateur classes
How many entries and how many spectators ? Sad days….
Get out and participate instead of being negative! Spectate or come race.. or shut up!