Szoke takes Pro Sport Bike victory

By John Hopkins

CALGARY, AB – Brantford, ON's Jordan Szoke held off Brett McCormick for the Yoshimura Pro Sport Bike win at Calgary's Race City Motorsport Park on Sunday.

Szoke led every lap on his Canadian Kawasaki Motors Kawasaki ZX-6R with McCormick right behind aboard his Team Suzuki / Blackfoot / Picotte Racing Suzuki GSX-R600. As in the Superbike race later in the day, the Saskatoon rider made a move for the lead in the second last corner, only this time he slid wide after getting ahead and Szoke was able to repass him and win by 0.085 secs.

“I thought he might try me going into there but I knew he would have to go pretty deep,” said Szoke, who was on his back-up bike after crashing his primary mount in morning practice. “The bike was phenomenal. It isn’t really much of a ‘B’ bike.”

With the win Szoke regained the points lead over McCormick, 155-146.

Szoke’s team-mate Alex Welsh was third on another Kawasaki ZX-6R for his best career Pro finish and 14-year-old Royce McLean of Coaldale, AB finished fourth on a Team Toyota Yamaha / OTSFF Yamaha YZF-R6 after passing Steve Crevier’s Deeley Racing Powered By Buell / Buell 1125R two laps from the end.

The Sport Bike race was interrupted by a red flag after six of a schedued 16 laps to attend to injured rider John Crump, who had suffered a suspected collarbone injury in a turn one fall. At the time Szoke enjoyed a ead of about four seconds on McCormick, who had made a poor getaway.

"I was really upset about that first one," said Szoke. "Obviously you don't want to see anybody get hurt and you never want to compromise the safety of the riders, but I had such a good lead and I was in a groove."

The restart was scheduled for eight laps of the 3.2km (2.0-mile) track and this time McCormick made a better start to hound Szoke throughout.

"On the first start I really had to work hard to get into second and by the time I got there I just couldn't reel Jordan in," the 17-year-old McCormick said. "The red flag was kind of a blessing for me.

"On the last lap I knew I was strong going into the Carousel and I thought I might have a chance to pass there. But I went in a little deep and I hadn't been on that part of the track all weekend, so I just didn't have the confidence in the grip there."

Crevier ran third for the first two laps of the restarted race. The Buell was strong down the straights but was no match for Welsh or Mclean through the tight Essess leading onto the back straight. Welsh got by there on lap three and young McLean did the same two laps from the end.

"In the first part I thought I could catch Brett if I got by Crevier earlier," Welsh explained. "But I just waited too long. So in the second part I made my move early and after that I just put my head down."

Crevier ended the race as part of a Yamaha sandwich, with McLean ahead of him in fourth and Kevin Lacombe (Team Toyota Yamaha / OTSFF) and Andrew Nelson (Nelson Racing) right behind. Llacombe was very frustrated with his race while Nelson admitted the team was still looking for some midrange power and drive off the corners with its R6. Lacombe is third in the Pro Sport Bike standings with 99 points, just one ahead of Welsh and four clear of Nelson.

Two more Buells cracked the top 10 as Dave Estok took eighth and Darren James 10th on the other Deeley Racing Powered By Buell entries and Jodi Christie was a solid ninth aboard the Powerhouse Honda Dealers of Ontario / Roz-Gar Racing Honda CBR600RR.

Race Results
1. Jordan Szoke, Brantford, Ont., 8, Kawasaki ZX-6R
2. Brett McCormick, Saskatoon, Sask., 8, Suzuki GSX-R600
3. Alex Welsh, Uxbridge, Ont., 8, Kawasaki ZX-6R
4. Royce McLean, Coaldale, Alta., 8, Yamaha YZF-R6
5. Steve Crevier, Maple Ridge, B.C., 8, Buell 1125R
6. Kevin Lacombe, Granby, Que., 8, Yamaha YZF-R6
7. Andrew Nelson, Kars, Ont., 8, Yamaha YZF-R6
8. Dave Estok, New Smyrna Beach, Fla., 8, Buell 1125R
9. Jodi Christie, Keene, Ont., 8, Honda CBR600RR
10. Darren James, North Vancouver, B.C., 8, Buell 1125R
11. Francis Martin, Sherbrooke, Que., 8, BMW HP2
12. Tony Kasper, Becker, Minn., 8, Yamaha YZF-R6
13. Rob Darlington, Calgary, Alta., 8, Yamaha YZF-R6
14. Matt Schmidt, Calgary, Alta., 8, Suzuki GSX-R600
15.  Michael Ferreira, Mississauga, Ont., 8, BMW HP2
16. Marie-Josee Boucher, Montreal, Que., 8, Honda CBR600RR
17. Matthew Elder, Calgary, Alta., 8, Suzuki GSX-R600
18. Chad Swain, Airdrie, Alta., 8, Kawasaki ZX-6R
19. Jesse Sherstan, Stony Plain, Alta., 8, Yamaha YZF-R6
20. Olivier Spilborghs, White Rock, B.C., 8, Suzuki     GSX-R600
21. David Sushynski, Red Deer, Alta., 8, Suzuki GSX-R600
Did Not Finish
James Collins, Kaladar, Ont., 5, Yamaha YZF-R6
Andrew McKeachie, Salt Spring Island, B.C., 0, Suzuki GSX-R600
Did Not Start
John Crump, Bragg Creek, Alta., Suzuki GSX-R600
Rupert Collins, Calgary, Alta., Ducati 749
Time of Race: 10:25.843
Margin of Victory: 0.085 secs.
Fastest Lap: 1:17.324 by Jordan Szoke on lap 3

Point Standings
1. Jordan Szoke, 155
2. Brett McCormick, 146
3. Kevin Lacombe, 99
4. Alex Welsh, 98
5. Andrew Nelson, 95
6. Steve Crevier, 84
7. Royce McLean, 82
8. Jodi Christie, 55
9. Dave Estok, 46
10. Francis Martin, 44
11. Darren James, 44
12. Tony Kasper, 34
13. Martin Grande, 32
14. Michael Ferreira, 28
15. Marie-Josee Boucher, 25
16. Karl Daigle, 24
17. Jean-Francois Cyr, 21
18. Matt McBride, 19
19. Rob Darlington, 13
20. Matt Schmidt, 12
21. Brian Blaauwendraat, 10
22. Louie Raffa, 8
23. Elie Daccache, 7
24. Rob Busby, 6
25. Matthew Elder, 6
26. Dan Henri, 4
27. Todd Scott, 4
28. Chad Swain, 4
29. James Collins, 2
30. Alain Campagna, 2
31. Jesse Sherstan, 2
32. Zenon Nelson, 1
33. Olivier Spilborghs, 1