Top racer balloting begins

By John Hopkins

TORONTO, ON -- Here's a trip to the ballot box that Canadians don't have to feel grumpy about.

Voting has officially begun for this year's Castrol presents the Inside Track Motorsport News Readers' Choice Awards. Canadian motorsports enthusiasts are invited to choose award winners in 10 categories, including Motorcycle Racer of the Year and Up and Coming Motorcycle Racer of the Year.

In the Motorcycle Racer of the Year category, motocross star Jean Sebastien Roy of Acton Vale, QC is nominated for the third straight year after claiming his fourth consecutive CMRC national title last summer. Roy won the Racer of the Year award in 2003.

Also nominated for the second straight year is Granby, QC's Pascal Picotte, who claimed his second consecutive Parts Canada Superbike national title in 2004.

A pair of flat track racers are among the eight Motorcycle Racer of the Year nominees, CMA national champion Don Taylor of Welland, ON and CMRC victor Chris Evans from St. Catharines, ON. The nominees are rounded out by SuperMoto national champ Doug Beattie, CMA Hare Scrambles Pro titlist Chris Van Hove of Simcoe, ON, CMA Trials Expert National champion Sean Bird from Port Coquitlam, BC and multitime CMDRA Top Fuel Harley kingpin Ron Houniet.

Superbike racer Steve Crevier won the Motorcycle Racer of the Year award last year.

The Up and Coming Motorcycle Racer of the Year nominees include a pair of road racers, three motocross stars, a flat track ace, SuperMoto young gun and off-road rising star.

The road race nominees are Bill Card of Wellesley, ON, winner of last year's HJC Pro Rookie of the Year title in the Parts Canada Superbike Championship, and Levis, QC's Dominic Lavoie, who triumphed in a dramatic fight for the International Motorcycle SUPERSHOW Amateur 600 Sport Bike national crown.

Dusty Klatt of Campbell River, BC, winner of the CMRC 125 West motocross title is also on the list, along with fellow MX stars Dean Wilson, winner of last year's Gaerne Bronze Boot at the Western Canadian Amateur Nationals, and Adam Deakon, who won the Bronze Boot at the Walton TransCan Grand Nationals.

SuperMoto star Adam Jabouri is nominated after winning his second straight national Premier Mini title in 2004, Jesse Morgan of Trenton, ON receives a nod after taking the CMA Intermediate 600 National title and Tillsonburg, ON racer Scott Stuyt has been nominated for his title in the Novice A class of the Canadian Hare Scrambles series.

Motocrosser Tyler Medaglia was last year's choice for Up and Coming Motorcycle Road Racer of the Year.

Fans are also invited to selected a winner for Canadian Racer of the Year Participating at the Highest Levels of International Competition. U.S. Arenacross champion Darcy Lange of Courtenay, BC and AMA Superbike star Miguel Duhamel from Montreal have both been nominated in this prestigious category.

A full list of nominees and more details on the awards can be found in the May issue of Inside Track Motorsport News, which is now on sale across Canada.

Enthusiasts can vote online at www.insidetracknews.com and voting continues until June 3.

The Castrol presents the Inside Track Motorsport News Readers' Choice Awards are supported by Castrol Canada, the Canadian Motorsport Hall of Fame and PartSource.