Lacombe leads testing at AMP

From Professional Motorsports Productions

SHUBENACADIE, NS – Kevin Lacombe of Granby, QC was fastest in pre-event testing for this weekend’s Parts Canada Superbike Championship doubleheader at Atlantic Motorsport Park on Thursday.

The rider of the Team Toyota Yamaha / Fast Company Racing Yamaha YZF-R1 set a time of one minute, 7.933 seconds around the 2.56km (1.6-mile) road course early in the afternoon’s one-hour session. He missed the final 20 minutes of the session when his fuel pump was accidentally disconnected and he stopped on the track.

“I managed to put in a few good laps at the beginning of the session,” said Lacombe, who was also fastest in the morning Superbike test session. “We still have tomorrow morning to work on the set-up. It’s going to be close, but I know we’re right there and if we can improve just a little from today we’ll be all right.”

Clint McBain of Cochrane, AB was second fastest on the Acceleration Racing Suzuki GSX-R1000 with a time of 1:08.571 and Mississauga, ON’s Matt McBride set the third fastest time of 1:08.693 on his Team Suzuki / Blackfoot / Picotte Racing Suzuki GSX-R1000.

The 25-year-old Lacombe comes into this weekend’s races 38 points behind Jordan Szoke in the Parts Canada Superbike standings. A race win is worth 50 points, plus there are a total of eight bonus points available in qualifying and the two races.

Szoke was fourth fastest on Thursday aboard the Canadian Kawasaki Motors Kawasaki ZX-10R with a time of 1:08.805. The Brantford, ON rider is trying to clinch a third straight Parts Canada Superbike title, and a fifth career national championship.

Pirelli SuperPole qualifying for the $500 Inside Motorcycles Pole Position Award will be held Friday afternoon. The single-bike qualifying session will set the starting grid for both of this weekend’s Superbike races.

Lacombe has been one of the hottest riders at AMP recently, with three Superbike victories at the track in the past four years.

“I have to win qualifying and the races from here, or at least finish in front of Jordan,” said Lacombe. “It will be tough, but I have the best team, we work well together and we’re having fun, and that’s important. We need a little luck, but we have a lot of time to make it happen.”

In other action at AMP, Kars, ON’s Andrew Nelson (Nelson Racing Yamaha YZF-R6) was fastest in testing for the Yoshimura Pro 600 Sport Bike class with a time of 1:08.376.

Lacombe (Yamaha YZF-R6) was second at 1:08.694 and Brett McCormick of Saskatoon (Canadian Kawasaki Motors Kawasaki ZX-6R) was third at a 1:09.174.

Nelson was also quickest in testing for the Canadian Thunder class with a 1:09.695 aboard his NCR-Ducati 848. Teammate and championship leader Valter Bartolini of Bologna, Italy was second quickest with a 1:11.389 and Erick Beausejour of Val D’Or, QC was third at 1:12.051 riding the KTM Canada KTM Super Duke R 990.

Bowmanville, ON’s A.J. Simiana led the Canadian Sport Twins class with a time of 1:13.636 on his Ducati S2R/Sport Classic. Points leader Jim Proulx of Ottawa was second with a 1:14.806 on his Buell XB12R.

Championship leader Jodi Christie of Keene, ON led testing for the Armour Bodies Amateur 600 Sport Bike class with a time of 1:11.578 on his Yamaha YZF-R6.

Cody Matechuk of Cochrane, AB was fastest in the Suzuki SV650 National Cup class with a time of 1:13.209. Points leader John Jarvie of Burlington, ON had the next best time, a 1:15.081.

In the Honda CBR125R Challenge, championship leader Raphael Archambault of St-Colomban, QC was fastest in testing with a time of 1:30.695.

Action at Atlantic Motorsport Park resumes Friday with qualifying sessions for all national classes. Practice begins at 9:00 a.m. Feature races will run Saturday and Sunday.