Szoke still hot

From Professional Motorsports Productions

MONT-TREMBLANT, QC – Parts Canada Superbike Championship points leader Jordan Szoke continued his hot streak on the opening day of action at Le Circuit Mont-Tremblant on Friday.

The Brantford, ON rider led a Canadian Kawasaki factory 1-2 in practice for Sunday’s second round of the series, recording a fastest lap of one minute, 40.135 seconds for an average speed of 153.3 km/h on his Kawasaki ZX-10R.

His teammate Tom Kipp of Chardon, OH set the second best time of 1:40.656 on another ZX-10R. Defending Parts Canada Superbike champion Francis Martin of Rock Forest, QC completed the top three at 1:41.252 on the Team Suzuki / Blackfoot Suzuki GSX-R1000.

“I’m feeling really comfortable,” said Szoke, a two-time Canadian Superbike champion. “It’s an easy pace for us to do.”

Szoke won the opening round of the national series at Shannonville Motorsport Park on May 21 and led the most laps to take an early points lead in the series. He comes into this weekend’s event with 54 points to the 42 of Kevin Lacombe and Martin’s 38.

Lacombe, from Granby, QC, ended Friday with the fifth best practice time of 1:42.146 on his Picotte Performance / Yamaha / Toyota Yamaha YZF-R1, just ahead of his teammate Pascal Picotte of St-Cecile Milton, QC, who recorded a 1:42.547.

Martin’s teammate Clint McBain of Calgary was fourth fastest at 1:41.493 aboard his Suzuki GSX-R1000.

The Superbike competitors will get one more practice Saturday morning before qualifying for the Vicious-I Pole Position Award in the afternoon.

Szoke’s best time came despite a wild ride on his fast lap, when he got caught going too quickly into the Namerow Hairpin that leads onto the front straight.

“I guess I got a better drive than usual coming out from under the bridge,” he said. “I used the same brake marker but I didn’t get slowed down enough, and I endo’d over the hill at Namerow.”

In other action at Le Circuit on Friday, Kipp was fastest in practice for the Hindle Exhaust Pro 600 Sport Bike national support class with a time of 1:42.896 (149.2 km/h) on his Canadian Kawasaki Motors Kawasaki ZX-6RR. Szoke, who skipped the afternoon session, was quickest in the morning and second fastest overall at 1:43.025. McBain placed third for the day at 1:43.294 riding the Team Suzuki / Blackfoot Suzuki GSX-R600.

Opening round winner Karl Daigle of Roxton Pond, QC led practice for the International Motorcycle SUPERSHOW Amateur 600 Sport Bike class with a time of 1:48.136 on his Honda CBR600RR. Hamilton’s Ross Millson placed second at 1:48.866 on a Suzuki GSX-R600 and Saskatoon rider Brett McCormick was third with a 1:49.086 aboard a Yamaha YZF-R6.

Mascouche, QC’s Jean-Francois Cyr paced Canadian Thunder practice on his BMW R1200S at 1:50.996 and Martin Grande of Montreal led the Suzuki SV650 Cup competitors with a 1:56.333.

Qualifying for all five national classes will take place on Saturday afternoon. Feature races will go Sunday.