The Canadian Superbike series is changing up its points structure for the 2022 championship, bringing it more in-line with the structure used in MotoGP and other FIM-sanctioned racing.
The biggest, most noticeable change is the overall number of points available is less, while the points awarded for qualifying and laps led remain unchanged. CSBK also cuts off the points at the 15th place position, instead of 20th place, like before. The changes will hold for all six of CSBK’s championship classes. See below for a graphic explanation of the changes.
So why the changes? Organizers are hoping to promote closer battles in the title races, by eliminating the massive point margins that frontrunners used to be able to rack up. CSBK’s press release explains it this way:
“While the introduction of the new system will continue to bring the CSBK circuit closer to its counterparts in the United States and Europe, it is also expected to highlight more exciting championship storylines for fans and competitors. The smaller point payouts will have no direct influence on positioning, but will do a better job of promoting the battles in the championship, as evidenced by the close competition in MotoGP and their feeder series’.For example, during the 2021 Pro Superbike season, Alex Dumas won the Canada Cup by 31 points over rival Ben Young and a whopping 74 points to Jordan Szoke, with a gap of 159 points covering the top five to Sebastian Tremblay. Under the new system, Dumas would have won the title by just 12 points over Young, with Szoke finishing 44 points back and just 91 points covering the same top five. Notably, none of the positions would have changed inside the top ten under the new structure. The system would have had a similar effect throughout the six classes, with all five National champions from 2021 remaining the same albeit by finer margins.”
Of course, it doesn’t hurt that it’s also bringing the series more in-line with the FIM rulebook, as we see Canadian motorcycle racing looking like it may be re-developing ties to that organization. Currently, the Canadian Motorcycle Association (aka the CMA, our national FIM affiliate) does not sanction CSBK racing. If the CMA and the Motorcyclists Confederation of Canada (aka the MCC, which CSBK is tied to) can mend their relationship, then maybe we’ll see more FIM influence in our country’s racing.
We’re already seeing some rumblings of this, with Canada’s top motocross organization breaking away from the MCC and the subsequent announcement of a new FIM-sanctioned North American MX series, with a stop in Canada.
Or, maybe that’s got nothing to do with it. Either way, we do expect to see tighter racing and more emphasis on qualifying when racers return to Grand Bend Motorplex for the CSBK opener on the June 9-12 opening weekend.
“If the CMA and the Motorcyclists Confederation of Canada (aka the MCC, which CSBK is tied to) can mend their relationship, then maybe we’ll see more FIM influence in our country’s racing.”
I sincerely doubt that will happen until the MCC allows public membership. The MCC is an arm of the MMIC, the manufacturers council and as such does not currently have structure to allow this to happen.
Right, wrong or otherwise if you want to go international you have to go through the CMA or a different FIM affiliate outside the country.
Well obviously it’s all gonna have to change.
Personally – I’d say the fact the FIM wants change to happen, and the industry wants change to happen, means some kind of change is almost certainly going to happen.
The only real question I suppose is how soon ? There is a new regime at the CMA and a lot of this was supposed to be dealt with last year. The MCC/MMIC tried to end run the CMA and it didn’t work. The FIM isn’t going to meddle in Canada’s internal business – they’ll just wait until the issue is resolved.