Jordan Szoke overcame a points disadvantage coming into Mosport in his quest for a sixth Parts Canada Superbike title — not to mention another double in the 600 class — and walked away with three wins out of four races on his Kawasakis. The Brantford native captured both Superbike wins (in part helped by weather on Saturday that stopped the first of the double-header early) and split the 600 cc Sportbike wins with his former team-mate Brett McCormick.
The 17-year-old Saskatoon resident and his Blackfoot Suzuki lost out in the first race, suffering a start-line penalty plus a further painful five-position hit when his bike rolled over the horsepower limit in the post-race check, and the next day was only a tenth of a second behind Szoke in maybe the best Superbike race in years.
In that Sunday race, Kevin Lacombe on his Yamaha was third, only another tenth back. Lacombe suffered a mechanical problem in the first race and didn’t score any points. That definitely left the dueling twosome of Szoke and McCormick alone in the race for the 2009 title with two races left in the schedule, at Shubenadadie in Nova Scotia in August and Shannonville in Ontario on the Labour Day weekend. Lacombe is third, but realistically out of the title chase, while Szoke has a healthy but far from insurmountable lead.
Calgary’s Clint McBain took two fourths on his Suzuki Dealers/Acceleration Racing GSX-R1000, right in the contest until the end both days and leading the early laps in the Sunday contest. That leaves him third behind Szoke and McCormick heading into the two final rounds.
In the Sportbike contests, McCormick won on Saturday by a hair thanks to traffic at the end, while he dropped back due to a mechanical problem on Sunday and Szoke and his team-mate Alex Welsh of Uxbridge, Ontario, finished 1-2. That gave Szoke a decent breathing spell on the points with only two races left in the series, making it look possible for him to yet again do the double in the series.
Other winners at Mosport were Cody Matechuk in AM600 with two wins, a double for Steve Nickerson in the Honda CBR125 Challenge, and another double for Raphael Archambault in the SV650 National Cup races, Raphael a graduate of the 2008 CBR series. Vickie Schouten took double wins in the Womens Cup series.
The next event is August 6–9 at Atlantic Motorsports Park, Shubenacadie, Nova Scotia. Top 10 in the Superbike standings to date after five of seven races are:
1. Jordan Szoke, Brantford, Ont., Canadian Kawasaki, 251 points; 2. Brett McCormick, Saskatoon, Sask., Blackfoot Suzuki, 226; 3. Clint McBain, Cochrane, Alta, Suzuki Dealers/Acceleration Racing Suzuki, 167; 5. Alex Welsh, Uxbridge, Ont., Canadian Kawasaki, 145; 6. Andrew Nelson, Kars, Ont., Yamaha, 142; 7. Kevin Lacombe, Grandy, Que., Yamaha Canada, 118; 8. Royce McLean, Coaldale, Alta., Yamaha Canada; 9. Karl Daigle, Roxton Pond, Que., Perusse Kawasaki, 78; 10. Matt McBride, Mississauga, Ont., Riders Choice Suzuki, 78.
