Jordan Szoke continued his domination
of the Parts Canada national Superbike series with two narrow
victories over teenager Jodi Christie in Superbike and 600. Both
riders were on Hondas, although it says something about the
concrete-and-Armco-lined Mirabel track that Christie’s 115 hp
CBR600RR was able to dog Szoke’s 178 hp CBR1000RR superbike, Christie
even considering a last-lap pass.
The superbike podium was rounded out by
veteran Kevin Lacombe on his private Suzuki GSX-R1000 entry, while
local ace Jean-Francois Cyr took third in the Sport Bike class,
albeit a huge 11 seconds back of Christie’s second place.
The win was Szoke’s 30th career
national Superbike triumph, the most in series history. He is trying
to win his record seventh Canadian Superbike crown and fifth straight
Parts Canada Superbike title. "I get older and I keep getting these
younger and younger guys chasing me," said Szoke, who scored a
perfect 56 points from the weekend by starting from pole position,
leading the most laps and taking the win.
Christie was satisfied if not excited
over his superbike finish. "I was trying really hard and I thought
I could make a move on the last lap but I messed up the chicane,"
said the 2009 winner of the HJC Pro Rookie of the Year award.
The BMW team of Michael Ferreira,
Francis Martin, and Andrew Nelson (who’s running a bike with some
help from the official team) will probably be glad to just get out of
Mirabel intact. A fifth, sixth, and eighth (in the above order) was
not at all what the well-prepped group was hoping for. Then again, a
track as tight as Mirabel doesn’t play to the bike’s strengths –
Calgary and Mosport should be much better venues for them.
The other winners at the first National
of the season were Raphael Archambault in Amateur Sport Bike on a
Honda, Natalie-Catherine Provost in the Pro Honda Oils Women’s Cup
event on her Honda CBR600RR, Robert Busby of Brantford, Ontario, in
the opening round of the Sport Twins championship riding his Buell
XB12R, and Ryan Appenrodt of Quesnel, B.C., who claimed his second
straight victory in the Honda CBR125R Challenge.
Rider entries were light, with a couple
of classes in particular standing out: Sport Twins had only nine
entries, and the Women’s Cup race only eight. The Parts Canada
Superbike Championship resumes with a doubleheader weekend at Race
City Motorsports Park in Calgary June 25-27.
Parts Canada Pro Superbike Standings
after 1 of 4 events:
1. Jordan Szoke, Brantford, ON, Honda
CBR1000RR, 56 points; 2. Jodi Christie, Keene, ON, Honda CBR600RR,
43; 3. Kevin Lacombe, St-Cesaire, Que., Suzuki GSX-R1000, 37; 4.
Frank Trombino, Kleinburg, Ont., Honda CBR1000RR, 32; 5. Francis
Martin, Sherbrooke, Que., BMW S1000RR, 29;
6. Mike Ferreira, Mississauga, Ont.,
BMW S1000RR, 29; 7. Andrew Nelson, Kars, ON, BMW S1000RR, 26; 8. Alex
Welsh, Uxbridge, Ont., Kawasaki ZX-10R, 25; 9. Cody Matechuk,
Cochrane, Alta., Suzuki GSX-R600, 21; 10. Jean-Francois Cyr,
Ste-Adele, Que., Suzuki GSX-R600, 19.
