Last season, Jordan Szoke handily won CSBK’s Pro Superbike championship, but was not awarded a Canada Cup.
Turns out, after an appeal to the Motorcyclists Confederation of Canada, that decision has just been reversed. No big deal to most readers, but a big deal for Szoke. See the press release for the decision below:
Press release
Szoke officially awarded #1 plate by MCC ahead of 2021 season
Toronto, ON – Reigning CSBK Pro Superbike champion and 14-time National title-winner Jordan Szoke will once again sport the iconic #1 plate in 2021, after a unanimous decision from the MCC granted the honour to Szoke for his sweep of the pandemic-shortened 2020 campaign.
Szoke, riding for the Canada General Warranty Kawasaki team, won both races at the Calabogie invitational in July of 2020 before sweeping the Round 2 doubleheader at Canadian Tire Motorsport Park in August. Series officials were hopeful of securing at least a third round in the championship, but the restrictions of the COVID-19 pandemic ultimately made that an impossibility – making the two-round season the shortest since the inaugural championship in 1980.
The Canada Cup and accompanying #1 plate have been awarded to the CSBK champion every year since, evidence that was submitted by Szoke in defence of his dominant 2020 season.
“I chose to participate, my sponsors chose to support me, we raced against high calibre competition, and were victorious,” Szoke said in his appeal. “I was awarded points and declared the 2020 Champion. As you know, both are customarily awarded to the CSBK champion.”
CSBK management had originally ruled not to award the Canada Cup nor the #1 plate in 2020 due to the abbreviated season, but Szoke’s appeal led to a unanimous vote from the MCC Tribunal and the decision to overturn their original stance.
“The MCC Competition Council Tribunal reviewed all of the information & rules regarding the events and the appeal,” they said in a press release. “As a result the MCC Tribunal voted unanimously to recognize Jordan Szoke as the CSBK Canadian Pro Superbike Champion and as such award him with both the Canada Cup and the #1 number plate for 2021.”
As a result, Szoke will carry the prestigious number on his Kawasaki ZX-10R machine for the record 14th time during the 2021 Pro Superbike season, which is scheduled to get underway on June 4 at Calabogie Motorsports Park and feature five rounds across Ontario and Nova Scotia.
For more information on CSBK and the upcoming 2021 season, visit the series’ official website at www.csbk.ca.
