Kolmatycki wins Superbike opener

From the EMRA

EDMONTON, AB -- Round one of the six-round EMRA Championship series started on the last weekend of May at Stratotech Park just outside of Edmonton.

The feature race, Expert Superbike, promised to be a good one. Dave Sushysnki got an excellent start and led the field, followed closely by Jason Kolmatycki and Adam Robarts.

For the first few laps Kolmatycki appeared to be comfortable with Sushynski leading the way. Robarts however appeared to be anxious to get to the front, looking at every corner for a way past. His plan came to an end halfway through the race when he crashed at the exit of turn eight, getting on the gas just a little too early.

A lap later Kolmatycki made a pass that stuck and maintained about a two-bike gap over Sushynski to the end. Chris Stratichuk inherited third after Robarts' crash.

Expert Open Sportbike was the first opportunity for fans to see how last year's Intermediate Champion, Robarts, was going to do against the Experts. When the light went out Adam got a lightning start and was in the top five through turn one. By lap two he was in third and looking for a way by Fred Jolivet. Two laps later he was in the lead on his CBR600 and pulling away from eventual second place man Kolmatycki.

In what was probably the most exciting race of the day, Expert 600, Sushynski, the EMRA’s number one plate holder for 2009, battled hard with BC's Robarts, the lead changing several times over the laps and Robarts setting a new lap record for the class.

On the last lap, two corners from the finish, Robarts was riding defensively trying not to let Sushynski get up the inside of him in turn eight but he rode a little too close to the inside, got into the dirty part of the track and low sided when he braked for the corner, sliding harmlessly into the gravel but out of the race.

After this crash and a jump start penalty to another rider, Stratichuk found himself finishing in second place and a surprised Brent Penner took third spot on the podium.

The Wildrose Aprilia Cup series made it's debut at Stratotech. This is a spec class for Aprilia’s RS125 that was brought into Canada late last year as a closed course bike only. The first race was easily won by 14-year-old Honda CBR125 National rider Bodhi Edie from Saskatchewan.

In the Senior Open race last year's class winner Kolmatycki led the way on his R1 and Jolivet looked for a way by with his GSX-R1000 but never found it.

In the Super Motard race Jason Dunbar picked up where he left off last season, and left Doug Clavier, Don Galloway and the others trailing behind.

In the Expert Middleweight Twins race, Aaron Cluff on his SV650 took the win over Chris Lawrence on another SV. In the SV Cup it was Trina Hennig taking the victory over a distant Rob Sihota.

Ian Wall scored the win over Edie in the Formula GP class on his TZ250. Wall also took the Formula Thunder victory.

Andrew Ma took his first 600 Supersport victory on his Honda after a race long battle with Juan Messer on his R6.

In the Expert Lightweight race it was again Dunbar taking the win. Tawheed Sadiq took the top spot on the podium in Intermediate Lightweight, in the Sportsman class Edie rode his RS125 to an easy victory and Intermediate Superbike was won by Degraff.