Szoke, McCormick win big

From Professional Motorsports Productions

SHANNONVILLE, ON – Brett McCormick scored his first career professional race win while teammate Jordan Szoke locked up his third consecutive Parts Canada Superbike Championship in the final round of the season at Shannonville Motorsport Park on Sunday.

Riding his Canadian Kawasaki Motors Kawasaki ZX-10R, Szoke scored a sixth place finish in the 20-lap race, presented by Buell American Motorcycles, on Shannonville’s 2.45km (1.53-mile) ‘Pro Track.’ He ended the season with 317 points to the 277 of Clint McBain, who finished fourth on Sunday.

“It was a boring race for me and not the way I want to do it,” said Szoke, who now has five Canadian Superbike titles. “But we got the championship and that was the most important thing.

“I want to leave my mark on racing and leave my mark as a guy who won a lot of championships and a lot of races. Winning three in a row is phenomenal.”

The 17-year-old McCormick survived a great battle with Kevin Lacombe to win the race. The Saskatoon rider took his Canadian Kawasaki Motors Kawasaki ZX-10R past the Team Toyota Yamaha / Fast Company Yamaha YZF-R1 in the hairpin two laps from the end and held on to win by 0.113 seconds.

“It was an unbelievable race,” said McCormick, who started from pole position and led off the start. “To get my first win in a battle like that is really something. Hopefully I can do more of this next year.”

Calgary’s Chris Peris completed the podium on his Team Suzuki / Blackfoot / Picotte Racing Suzuki GSX-R1000, finishing 4.692 secs. behind McCormick.

McCormick and Lacombe each led 10 laps. The Yamaha rider got around McCormick in the hairpin on lap nine and stayed in front until the teenager managed to repay the favor.

“Brett stuffed me under braking for the hairpin, just like I did to him,” said Lacombe, who was riding with a broken wrist he had suffered at the previous round at Atlantic Motorsport Park in Shubenacadie, NS. “I just didn’t have enough time to come back. But to come here, be able to lead the race and almost win is pretty good.”

Lacombe finishes the season third in the Superbike standings with 250 points.

Peris initially broke away with McCormick and Lacombe but faded in the second half of the race with tire trouble.

McBain came into the weekend as the only rider with a shot at catching Szoke in the Superbike title chase, but the Cochrane, AB rider suffered a setback when he crashed his Acceleration Racing Suzuki GSX-R1000 in Saturday’s Pirelli SuperPole qualifying session and had to start from 10th on the grid in Sunday’s race.

He then had to recover from a jump start penalty to work his way up to fourth at the finish.

Maple Ridge, BC’s Steve Crevier finished fifth on the Deeley Harley-Davidson Canada / Ruthless Racing Buell 1125R after running as high as fourth.

Former two-time Canadian Superbike champion Michael Taylor was seventh on his series return aboard a ProStar Motorsports Suzuki GSX-R1000.

The Canadian Kawasaki Motors team picked up the Inside Motorcycles Team of the Year Award.

Race Results
1. Brett McCormick, Saskatoon, Sask., Kawasaki ZX-10R, 20;
2. Kevin Lacombe, Granby, Que., Yamaha YZF-R1, 20;
3. Chris Peris, Calgary, Alta., Suzuki GSX-R1000, 20;
4. Clint McBain, Cochrane, Alta., Suzuki GSX-R1000, 20;*
5. Steve Crevier, Maple Ridge, B.C., Buell 1125R, 20;
6. Jordan Szoke, Brantford, Ont., Kawasaki ZX-10R, 20;
7. Michael Taylor, Toronto, Ont., Suzuki GSX-R1000, 20;
8. Jeremy Stepper, Calgary, Alta., Suzuki GSX-R1000, 20;
9. Matt McBride, Mississauga, Ont., Suzuki GSX-R1000, 20;
10. Franklyn Dominguez, Santo Domingo, D.R., Kawasaki ZX-10R, 20;*
11. Karl Daigle, Granby, Que., Kawasaki ZX-6R, 20;
12. Marie-Josee Boucher, Montreal, Que., Honda CBR1000RR, 20;
13. Andrew Dunlap, Truro, N.S., Kawasaki ZX-10R, 20;
14. Dave Young, Woodstock, Ont., Suzuki GSX-R1000, 20;
15. Ross Millson, Hamilton, Ont., Suzuki GSX-R1000, 20;
16. Dave Stokowski, Calgary, Alta., Kawasaki ZX-10R, 19;
17. Marco Alessandrini, Bradford, Ont., Yamaha YZF-R6, 19;
18. Terry Steeves, Dartmouth, N.S., Kawasaki ZX-10R, 19;
19. Junior Dallaire, Drummondville, Que., Suzuki GSX-R600, 18;
Did Not Finish
Dan Henri, Ottawa, Ont., Yamaha YZF-R6, 12;
Francis Martin, Sherbrooke, Que., Suzuki GSX-R1000, 10;
Dean Plater, Ottawa, Ont., Yamaha YZF-R6, 9;
Brian Blaauwendraat, Truro, N.S., Honda CBR600RR, 7;
Matthew Cooper, Guelph, Ont., Yamaha YZF-R1, 2;
Did Not Start
Alex Welsh, Uxbridge, Ont., Triumph 675;
Todd Scott, Bedford, N.S., Honda CBR600RR;
Louie Raffa, St-Marthe, Que., Yamaha YZF-R6;
Jean-Francois Cyr, Mascouche, Que., Honda CBR600RR;
Stephane Chabot, Oshawa, Ont., Yamaha YZF-R6;
Zenon Nelson, Bowmanville, Ont., Suzuki GSX-R600;
Time of Race: 21:48.104
Margin of Victory: 0.113 seconds
Fastest Lap: 1:05.045 by Chris Peris on lap 2
* -- Includes five-second jump start penalty

Final point standings
1. Jordan Szoke, 317; 2. Clint McBain, 277; 3. Kevin Lacombe, 250; 4. Chris Peris, 199; 5. Brett McCormick, 165; 6. Francis Martin, 154; 7 tie. Steve Crevier, 133; Matthew McBride, 133; 9. Ross Millson, 125; 10. Andrew Dunlap, 123;
11. Jeremy Stepper, 119; 12. Franklyn Dominguez, 111; 13. Chris Murray-Audain, 73; 14. Brian Blaauwendraat, 65; 15. Marie-Josee Boucher, 58; 16. Karl Daigle, 57; 17. Dave Young, 53; 18. Csaba Werner, 42; 19. Terry Steeves, 40; 20. Bill Clark, 38;
21. John-Ross MacRae, 31; 22. Dave Stokowski, 29; 23. Todd Scott, 28; 24. Michael Taylor, 25; 25. Zenon Nelson, 20; 26 tie. Peter Holzinger, 19; Gene McKay, 19; 28. Matt Cooper, 15; 29. Mark MacDonald, 14; 30. Sean Heydorn, 12;
31. Dan Henri, 8; 32 tie. Brad Gavey, 6; Marco Alessandrini, 6; 34 tie. Andrew Carruthers, 4; Steve Bourdeau, 4; 36 tie. Michael Barnes, 2; Junior Dallaire, 2; 38 tie. Richard Maurice, 1;
Cory Canfield, 1