Dramatically-decreased fields were a prime feature of the first Mopar CSBK race at Shannonville June 9, but there was still enough action in most classes to keep a decent-sized crowd entertained.
Jordan Szoke, on pole and seeking a completely unprecedented ninth Canadian Superbike title, took the lead on lap 10 of the 22-lap race and held off determined challenges from Jodi Christie and Alex Welsh the rest of the way.
Szoke’s Waznie Racing / BMW Motorrad Canada / Parts Canada BMW S1000RR finished 0.474 sec ahead of Christie’s Jodi Christie Racing / Honda Canada / Accelerated Technologies Honda CBR1000RR, with Welsh just 0.607 sec behind aboard the AW7R / Kenwood Electronics Canada / Parts Canada Suzuki GSX-R1000.
It was an amazing 41st career Superbike victory for Szoke. “When I got past Jodi I thought I would be able to get away but those two guys [Christie and Welsh] stuck with me,” said the defending Mopar Canadian Superbike champion after his fourth career victory at Shannonville. “I backed off a bit and was surprised that they held on and kept pushing me.”
“It was a great race and I enjoyed the pace,” said Christie, who calls Keene, Ont. home. He’s still looking for his first national Superbike victory. “There were a couple of places where I was really strong under braking but I made a couple of mistakes that allowed Alex to get by, and I had to work hard those last few laps.”
Welsh said he had a bike capable of winning. “For a lot of the race I hung back and tried to conserve stuff, saved my energy and tires,” the Uxbridge, Ont. racer said. “I think the bike was good enough to win and I think I should have taken charge of the situation. You can’t afford to lose points to Jordan like we did today. We had a shot to win.”
Christie made no mistake defending his Hindle Exhaust Pro Sport Bike title, taking victory after a hard-fought battle with veteran Pro racer Frank Trombino. Trombino’s rear tire went off late in the contest and it turned out he also lost power due to a clogged fuel filter, but he held on for second ahead of Calgary’s John Ross MacRae on an ex-Riedmann Triumph 675.
In the Harley-Davidson Canada XR1200 Cup race, veteran ace Steve Crevier grabbed the lead and was never headed despite a hard mid-race challenge from former brother-in-law (and also former Canadian Superbike champ) Michael Taylor, with North Vancouver’s Darren James in third.
Steve Hoffarth of Orangeville, Ont. won the season opener for the Magneti Marelli Amateur Superbike division on his Inside Motorcycles BMW S1000RR ahead of the AdrenalineX BMW S1000RR of Toronto’s Riley Dawe, while Steve Hamer of Gravenhurst, Ont. took third aboard a Yamaha YZF-R6.
Earlier in the day, Dawe rode his Yamaha YZF-R6 to an 8.618-sec. victory over Hamer in the Bazzaz / Inside Motorcycles Amateur Sport Bike race. Schomberg, Ont.’s Marco Sousa placed third aboard a Suzuki GSX-R600.
Rising star Tomas Casas of Peterborough completed a sweep of the Honda CBR250R National Race Series doubleheader at Shannonville with his second straight lights to flag victory on Sunday. The rider of the Peterborough Cycle Salvage-backed entry finished 16.121 secs. ahead of Oakville, Ont.’s Cameron Walker, while Jordan Bauer of Breslau, Ont. rounded out the podium.
Next race, at Autodrome St-Eustache, St-Eustache, Que. July 5-7
CSBK standings after one of six events:
1.Jordan Szoke, Brantford, Ont., BMW S1000RR. 56
2. Jodi Christie, Keene, Ont., Honda CBR1000RR, 45
3. Alex Welsh, Uxbridge, Ont., Suzuki GSX-R1000, 39
4. Frank Trombino, Kleinburg, Ont., Suzuki GSX-R600, 32
5. Matt McBride, Mississauga, Ont., BMW S1000RR, 30
6. Sebastien Tremblay, Longueuil, Que., BMW S1000RR, 27
7. Marie-Josee Boucher, Montreal, Que., BMW S1000RR, 25
8. Kristopher Garvie, Caledon, Ont., Honda CBR600RR, 23
9. Franklyn Dominguez, St-Lazare, Que., Honda CBR1000RR, 21
10. Matt Cooper, Guelph, Ont., BMW S1000RR, 19
