It’s far from certain, but the word is that Brett McCormick may be headed back to Canadian Superbike next year.
McCormick, the 2011 CSBK champ, hasn’t race a superbike since he left the World Superbike series in 2012; he suffered a serious injury that year, returned, put up a very good showing with Effenbert Liberty, but walked away after the last race. Given the Looney Tunes nature of that team, he probably made a wise decision.
In the years since, he’s been going to university (making the school’s hockey team), fooling around on motocross bikes, and working on the farm. There have been attempts to get him back on a superbike, but so far, nobody’s put up enough money.
But now, McCormick appears to be considering a return, after he spent a day at Mont Tremblant aboard a Kawasaki ZX-10R, provided by Ross Millson Racing and tuned by Scott Cameron (who worked with the BMW Motorrad team last time McCormick rode their bike to a Canadian championship).
McCormick had already been poking around the CSBK paddock at the CTMP double-header, but did not ride, possibly because he may have been still recovering from a broken collarbone suffered during motocross competition earlier this summer. And of course, it’s been years since he’s been on-track.
That’s not true anymore, though. According to Inside Motorcycles, Brett’s times at Mont Tremblant were said to be very good — at CSBK level. He spent three days there with Cameron, and when it was over, Inside said he was considering a return to pro racing next year.
If that’s true, the next question is, who’s paying? Inside said his Quebec adventure was funded by a combination of Tremblant SBK, Ross Millson Racing, SC Motosport, Pro 6 and Shoei. Hrm.
That’s a lot of people to get behind a three-day track excursion, and it’s especially interesting that no OEM is on that list.
What would Brett ride, if he did come back? Is Kawasaki eyeing an official return to the Canadian pro series? After all, they’re already sponsoring the Ninja 300 series, and while Kenny Riedmann has had plenty of success on a ZX-10 and ZX-6, he’s not an official factory rider. Kawasaki hasn’t had an official CSBK team since 2011. Or maybe it’s just a coincidence that the Millson team happened to have a Kawasaki, and McCormick, if he did return, could be on any bike.
Guy may be fast, but that’s one corny mustache…
Photo’s a few years old. He is probably rocking a wicked handlebar now.
Geez I remember when he was the young gun!!
The guy to watch …..!!!!
We can only hope – the series desperately needs fresh(er) talent.
If Brett can put a deal together that would be terrific.
But, it’s not as if Brett is anything new. I mean, he would certainly upset the rankings, in theory, but he’s actually one of the old guard now. It wouldn’t be fresh talent, it would be old talent come back. Same as Michael Taylor this year, and several other names. Big age difference there of course, but you see what I mean.
Hence the wording fresh(er) – the obscene costs incurred putting together a serious road racing effort even here in Canada requires very deep pockets on someone’s part.
Maybe that’s why dirt track (see- Jodie Christie) and motocross still have greater appeal for those on a limited budget.
“…it would be old talent come back. Same as Michael Taylor this year…”
Please enlighten yourself as to the age of McCormick vs the age of Taylor and then reconsider your above statement.
Oh I’m well aware of the age difference. But the fact is, McCormick is an established rider returning, which is my point.