CMG’s Costa Mouzouris topped the roster in the Honda CBR250R series media challenge in rounds 3 and 4 at his home track in St Eustache, Quebec over the weekend.
Mouzouris posted the fourth fastest time during qualifying on Saturday (first fastest in the media class), behind Thomas Casas, CBR125R champion Stacey Nesbitt and pole-sitter Ryan Roche. Mouzouris’ qualifying time of 59.257 was one second faster than the next fastest media competitor, Moto123’s Pascal Bastien, and 1.1 sec. off Roche’s time.
A good start from the first row in Race 1 saw Mouzouris slot in behind Roche and Casas, with Nesbitt glued to his tail. Nesbitt made a pass on Mouzouris on the second lap, relegating him to fourth position for the remainder of the race.
Fortunately, despite our CMGer’s heftier dimensions he managed to keep pace with the leading trio, distancing himself considerably from the media riders while getting a front-row seat to the action ahead.
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Nesbitt ran a remarkable race, making a last-lap pass on leader Roche on the back straight and holding him off to the finish line, taking her first CBR250R series win of the season. Casas took third spot.
In the media class, Mouzouris took the win, followed by Bastien and JP Schroeder in third.
The start of Sunday’s race was a repeat for Mouzouris, who slotted himself into third place, again with Nesbitt, who’s got to practice her starts, following closely in fourth.
Nesbitt eventually got by our intrepid reporter, who again stayed with the leaders, distancing himself from the rest of the older guys. He even made a statement by making a mid-race charge into the lead.
He led for two laps before the trio shot by his fat ass again on the same back straight. The trio ahead battled hard until the last lap, with Casas taking the chequered flag ahead of Nesbitt and Roche closing off the top three spots.
The media class podium was a repeat of Saturday’s with Mouzouris on the top spot, followed by Bastien and Schroeder.
The CBR250R series is proving to be more exciting than last year’s CBR125R Challenge, with faster bikes, faster riders and tight racing action. There have been three winners in four rounds, with Roche leading the championship at 193 points, followed by Nesbitt at 175 and Sean Smith in third with 136. A DNF in round 2 at Shannonville puts Casas in fourth with 134 points.
An official points tally for the media challenge can’t be found on the CSBK.ca website but it’s safe to assume that with a four for four record, Mouzouris is safely in the lead.
The next round is scheduled on July 20-22 at Atlantic Motorsport Park in Shubenacadie, NS.
Take the journalists out of the field and there are FOUR kids running for a National Championship.
That is a sad state of affairs in a class were saving $$$ is a huge part of the equation.
Is that truly better than the previous four years of 125 racing ?