National Series Adds Thunder

From the Parts Canada Superbike Championship



TORONTO, ON – Three of the most famous names in motorcycle history will join the Parts Canada Superbike Championship on a regular basis beginning next year.



BMW Motorrad Canada, Deeley Harley-Davidson Canada, through its Buell brand and Ducati North America have reached an agreement with Professional Motorsport Productions to add the Thunder class to the national road racing series in 2005 and 2006.



The Thunder series will run at all events on the Parts Canada Superbike tour in 2005 except for the rounds at Calgary’s Race City Motorsport Park and the Montreal Molson Indy Superbike Invitational. The two-year agreement provides for the addition of a race in Calgary in 2006.



Thunder joins the Hindle Exhaust Pro 600 Sport Bike Championship and International Motorcycle SUPERSHOW Amateur 600 Sport Bike Championship as a national support category to the feature Parts Canada Superbike Championship chase.



The Thunder division will run to national series standards and feature guaranteed prize money of $3,000 per round. The organizing sponsor group is also looking into arranging a title sponsor to provide a year-end point fund.



Thunder is designed for air-cooled twin-cylinder production-based sport motorcycles. The series ran with selected national and regional events in 2004 under the organization of RACE Event Inc. with backing from Buell.



The new national class will run Pro and Amateur divisions.



“The Thunder class will be an exciting addition to the Parts Canada national tour,” said series producer Colin Fraser of PMP. “All the sponsors and supporters of our series are looking forward to helping Thunder develop. Thunder will add a new element to the program, with a close-running field of bikes that look and sound different from our existing Sport Bikes.”



Minimum weight for Thunder machines will be 395 lbs. and the series will have a maximum horsepower of 95 hp. Weight and horsepower will be measured immediately after each race on the official series scales and Dynojet Dyno, respectively.



“All three manufacturers are excited to see Thunder go to the national level,” said Chris Duff, events and promotions co-ordinator for BMW Motorrad Canada. “We are looking to showcase our motorcycles in the ultimate sport bike environment and show the sport bike buying public that our models are dynamic, energetic and fast.”

2005 Thunder Schedule

Round 1 May 20-22 Shannonville Motorsport Park (Pro Track) Shannonville, ON

Round 2 July 15-17 Mosport International Raceway Bowmanville, ON

Round 3 Aug. 5-7 Atlantic Motorsport Park Shubenacadie, NS

Round 4 Sept. 2-4 Shannonville Motorsport Park (Long Track) Shannonville, ON

Round 5 Sept. 9-11 Le Circuit Mont-Tremblant Mont-Tremblant, QC