The Canadian Superbike roadracing season has been set for 2020, with a few changes from last year’s campaign.
This year, there are six race weekends again, with doubleheaders at Shubenacadie and Canadian Tire Motorsport Park (formerly known as Mosport). As usual, the season will open at Shannonville, then move to Grand Bend, then Quebec, then Nova Scotia, then CTMP. But, this year will close with a second Shannonville race in September, instead of the mid-August race at CTMP. That makes for eight Pro Superbike races in total, a decent extension from the shorter schedules we’ve become used to.
The changes in the schedule are due to several reasons; of course, the loss of St-Eustache means CSBK is now at ICAR in Quebec. Then, there’s new ownership at Shannonville; word on the street is that new management is quite keen to boost the track, so that might be the reason for the second visit. And, Atlantic Motorsport Park has also supposedly been overhauled since the 2019 season ended there, so racers might see some differences at what’s probably CSBK’s most interesting track.
Race dates and other details are in CSBK’s presser below.
Press release
2020 40th Annual Mopar CSBK Canadian National Schedule Confirmed
The Mopar CSBK National motorcycle roadracing series includes six weekends of action in 2020, the 40th anniversary of the Canadian Championship tour. With eight Mopar Pro Superbike feature class races planned, this will be the busiest schedule for the CSBK Nationals since 2005.
2020 Mopar CSBK Canadian National Series Schedule
Round One – Shannonville Motorsport Park, ON (Pro Track) – May 22-24
Round Two – Grand Bend Motorplex, Lake Huron, ON (Technical) – June 12-14
Round Three – ICAR, Mirabel, QC – July 17-19
Round Four – Atlantic Motorsport Park, Halifax, NS – July 31-August 2
Round Five – Canadian Tire Motorsport Park, ON – August 14-16
Round Six – Shannonville Motorsport Park, ON – September 19-20
The series opens at Shannonville Motorsport Park’s perimeter Pro Circuit in May, with the first round of 2020 once again sponsored by the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers (IBEW). Registration and Technical Inspection will start on the Thursday, May 21, when Dunlop spec tire supplier Pro6 host a Track Day at Shannonville.
The second event will once again take place at Grand Bend in June, using the technical version of the holiday-coast layout for the fourth straight season. The Grand Bend venue has regularly offered some of the closest finishes in CSBK Feature Superbike action.
Round three, already announced, marks the July return to the ICAR venue at the former International airport just north of Montreal, QC. With support from Moto Nation and Liqui Moly, the ICAR round is expected to provide a wide range of activities at the multi-use facility that includes an oval and a drag strip.
August starts with the Pro Cycle supported east coast round at Atlantic Motorsport Park, near Halifax, Nova Scotia. The Shubenacadie-area event again hosts double-header races on Saturday and Sunday for both the Pro classes, Mopar Pro Superbike and Liqui Moly Pro Sport Bike.
The Nova Scotia National is the longest continuous running event of the CSBK calendar, with 2020 marking the 22nd consecutive event at the undulating home of the “Roller Coaster.” The A.M.P. venue has received significant track improvements since the end of the 2019 Society of ARL Regional Series.
Canadian Tire Motorsport Park again holds a full double header event in mid-August, the only venue on the tour to do so. Many of the 2020 series Championships will be determined over the hectic, BMW Motorrad-supported program at “old Mosport’s” famous ten-turn Grand Prix venue.
Canadian Tire Motorsport Park has also undergone repaving to parts of the circuit in preparation for the 2020 roadracing season.
The last race of the season is a special event at Shannonville Motorsport Park in September, on the actual date of the first-ever Superbike National at this venue, then known as Nelson International, back in 1980. Forty years ago, Rueben McMurter of London, ON, won for Kawasaki around the original seven turn layout but George Morin of Mississauga, ON, earned the first Superbike overall National number one plate.
The 2020 S.M.P. National weekend will feature selected classes with a format designed to allow time for demonstrations and special events.
Details of the Shannonville CSBK final event will be announced in early 2020, but the final National of the 2020 Mopar Superbike Championship at S.M.P. will offer the deciding event in the Feature class, with Ben Young of Collingwood, ON, looking to keep his overall National number one plate for BMW.
Serious opposition for Champ Young is expected from a wide range of challengers, including 13 time number one Jordan Szoke of Lynden, ON, aboard a Kawasaki; Trevor Daley of Mississauga, ON, for Suzuki and last year’s outstanding feature class rookie Tomas Casas of Peterborough, ON, leading Yamaha Canada’s program.
Two at Shanny! Excellent!