McCormick leads Superbike at ICAR

From Professional Motorsports Productions

MIRABEL, QC – Saskatoon’s Brett McCormick set the pace on the opening day of action for the second round of the Parts Canada Superbike Championship, presented by Moto Journal, at Circuit ICAR on Thursday.

The 17-year-old turned a lap of one minute, 26.715 around the 2.8km (1.74-mile) track on his Team Suzuki / Blackfoot / Picotte Racing / Suzuki GSX-R1000.

Series points leader Jordan Szoke of Brantford, ON was second fastest with a time of 1:27.037 on the Canadian Kawasaki Motors / Kawasaki ZX-10R and his teammate Alex Welsh of Uxbridge, ON set the third best time at 1:29.066.

“I’m feeling comfortable on both bikes,” said McCormick, who also rode his Suzuki GSX-R600 briefly during the Superbike test session. “We rolled them off the truck and haven’t changed much. It’s still early in the weekend though.”

McCormick finished second to Szoke in the Parts Canada Superbike season opener at Calabogie Motorsports Park last month after leading the most laps of the race. On Saturday at Circuit ICAR he will try to claim his fourth straight Inside Motorcycles Pole Position Award during Pirelli SuperPole qualifying.

“The biggest thing right now is me getting used to the track,” McCormick added. “I just need to get my head wrapped around it, sleep on it and come back stronger tomorrow.”

Granby, QC’s Kevin Lacombe was fourth fastest with a time of 1:29.138 on the Team Toyota Yamaha / OTSFF / Yamaha YZF-R1, just ahead of Montreal racer Martin Grande’s 1:29.166 riding the Suzuki Sport Collette / Suzuki GSX-R600.

McCormick also led the way in testing for the Yoshimura Pro Sport Bike class with a time of 1:26.850 on his Suzuki GSX-R600. Points leader Szoke placed second at 1:28.572 on the factory Kawasaki ZX-6R and Lacombe was third with a 1:29.909 on his Yamaha YZF-R6.

Belleville, ON’s Efram Ellenbogen paced Armour Bodies Amateur Sport Bike with a fastest lap of 1:32.723 riding the BnE Racing / Yamaha YZF- R6. Longueuil, QC’s Sebastien Tremblay was next up with a 1:32.922 on the A. Perusse Kawasaki / Kawasaki ZX-6R and opening round winner Cody Matechuk of Cochrane, AB placed third at 1:34.531 on the Suzuki Dealers / Acceleration Racing / Suzuki GSX-R600.

Brantford, ON’s Rob Busby led Suzuki SV650 National Cup testing, Karl Robitaille, of Ste-Julie, QC paced the Honda CBR125R Challenge and Laval, QC racer Natalie Catherine Provost was fastest in Pro Honda Oils Women’s Cup.

There will be a full day of practice at Circuit ICAR on Friday with qualifying for all national classes on Saturday. Races are set to go Sunday afternoon.