Bailey best in inaugural Honda Challenge race

From Professional Motorsports Productions

SHANNONVILLE, ON -- Fourteen-year-old Aubrey Bailey of Parry Sound, ON scored a dramatic win in the first ever race for the brand new Honda CBR125R Challenge series at Shannonville Motorsport Park on Sunday.

This event marked the non-Championship debut of the new spec series, prior to the full National points-and-payout counter at the opening Parts Canada Superbike event at Calabogie, ON, May 25.

Bailey started from the first row in his first career road race, but then dropped as far back as fourth before mounting a late race charge.

“I didn’t know what to expect,” explained the victor. “I didn’t think it would be that close, and I didn’t know that I would win.”

With just over two laps to go, Bailey took the lead in the downhill, double apex turn 4, pushing past race long leader Raphael Archambault of Ste-Colon ban, QC. At that point less than a second separated the top five machines but Bailey sprinted to the finish, taking the victory by a margin of 2.3 seconds.

Second belonged to race-long frontrunner Jeremie Hade Precourt, the Granby, QC-based racer coming out on top of a four rider fight for runner-up honours. Lee Kuhn Jr. of Hamilton netted third, while Newmarket, ON’s Jordan Cardozo placed fourth just ahead of the frustrated Archambault.

Archambault had the consolation of leading the most laps, while victor Bailey netted the fastest lap of the race, a new class race record at 1:10.3.

The Honda CBR125R Challenge was created to showcase Honda’s newest, smallest street sport bike entry as well as feature up and coming Canadian road race talent. The machinery must be stock with only a few minor permitted modifications. The maximum allowable horsepower is 14 as measure on the official series Dynojet Dyno, while minimum weight is set at 240 pounds, wet, post-race.

The series opens at the new Calabogie facility near Ottawa at the end of May, before rounds in Calgary, Mosport, Nova Scotia and the series finale back at Shannonville on Labour Day Weekend.