McCormick takes Mosport pole

By John Hopkins

BOWMANVILLE, ON – Saskatoon’s Brett McCormick claimed his third Inside Motorcycles Pole Position Award of the season and extended his lead in the Parts Canada Superbike Championship at Mosport International Raceway on Friday.
       
The 17-year-old took his Team Suzuki / Blackfoot / Picotte Racing Suzuki GSX-R1000 around the 3.9km (2.459-mile) track in one minute, 21.374 seconds in Pirelli SuperPole qualifying to annex the top starting spot for this weekend’s fourth and fifth rounds of the Superbike series.

The first of the two 20-lap races is set to go at 3:00 p.m. Saturday with the second scheduled for 3:15 p.m. Sunday.

McCormick’s performance was worth $500 from Inside Motorcycles magazine and four points toward the Parts Canada Superbike Championship, giving him 161 on the season and extending his advantage to 12 points over his nearest rival, Jordan Szoke, who qualified second on Friday aboard the Canadian Kawasaki Motors Kawasaki ZX-10R with a time of 1:21.482.

“It was a pretty good lap but I was a little bit off,” admitted McCormick. “I didn’t put a great lap together. I played it safe a bit. But we’re on pole and every point counts. We’ll see what we can do tomorrow.”

McCormick broke the four-year-old track record in pre-qualifying on Friday morning with a time of 1:21.061. That topped the previous standard of 1:21.160 set by his team manager and mentor Pascal Picotte.

Szoke was fourth quickest in the morning with a time of 1:22.244 and the three-time defending Parts Canada Superbike champion was one of only three racers to improve on his time in the top 10 Pirelli SuperPole shootout, which was held in cool conditions and under threatening skies.

“I had a good lap going but I hit neutral on the backstraight and I was searching for a gear all the way through turn eight,” said the 30-year-old from Brantford, ON. “When I found a gear it was fourth, and I needed third. It was my fault. I could have had a [one minute] 20.”

Kevin Lacombe of Granby, QC set the third fastest time with a 1:22.151 on the Team Toyota Yamaha / OTSFF Yamaha YZF-R1 and Cochrane, AB’s Clint McBain completes the front row for this weekend’s races after recording a 1:22.650 aboard the Suzuki Dealers / Acceleration Racing Suzuki GSX-R1000.
       
“I had a pretty good lap but I was pushing the front a little too much and I made a few mistakes,” said Lacombe, who moved up to sixth in the championship standings with the two points he earned.

McBain will be going for his third Mosport Superbike win this weekend.

“I’m a little disappointed but I think we have a good bike for the race,” said last year’s Parts Canada Superbike Championship runner-up.

Alex Welsh of Uxbridge, ON leads the second row of the Superbike grid after turning a time of 1:23.121 on his Canadian Kawasaki Motors Kawasaki ZX-10R.

"I think I could have done a bit better," the 21-year-old said. "I would have liked a bit more but I'll take it. It's really hard to put a fast lap together here on your first lap."

Matt McBride of Mississauga, ON was an impressive sixth quickest at 1:23.381 aboard the Riders Choice Suzuki GSX-R1000 in his first appearance since the Calabogie Motorsports Park season opener and Kars, ON’s Andrew Nelson came back from a practice crash on Thursday to qualify seventh on the Nelson Racing Yamaha YZF-R1 at 1:23.778. After using his 2009 R1 in prequalifying Nelson reverted to his rebuilt, older bike for the SuperPole shootout.

The top 10 starters are rounded out by Steve Crevier of Maple Ridge, BC on the Deeley Racing Powered By Buell / Buell 1125R, Roxton Pond, QC’s Karl Daigle riding the A. Perusse Kawasaki / Kawasaki ZX-6R and two-time Canadian Superbike champion Michael Taylor of Toronto on the Parkway Honda Powerhouse / ProStar Motorsports Honda CBR1000RR.

Daigle raised eyebrows by putting his 600cc Kawasaki into the top 10 of Superbike, while the 43-year-old Taylor is making his first start of the season.

Poor Ross Millson suffered cruel luck when the engine blew in his RMP Motorsport Suzuki GSX-R1000 in the morning prequalifying session while he was knocking on the door of the top 10. The Hamilton, ON racer was hoping to obtain a replacement motor to take up his 12th spot on the starting grid.

A weekend SuperTicket is $60 at the gate and each ticket includes parking, paddock admission, and entrance to Saturday Night Stock Car racing at Mosport Speedway. Call 1-800-866-1072 or visit online at www.mosport.com.

Superbike Qualifying Results
(Top 10 order established in Pirelli SuperPole)
1. Brett McCormick, Saskatoon, Sask., Suzuki GSX-R1000, 1:21.374
2. Jordan Szoke, Brantford, Ont., Kawasaki ZX-10R, 1:21.482
3. Kevin Lacombe, Granby, Que., Yamaha YZF-R1, 1:22.151
4. Clint McBain, Cochrane, Alta., Suzuki GSX-R1000, 1:22.650
5. Alex Welsh, Uxbridge, Ont., Kawasaki ZX-10R, 1:23.121
6. Matt McBride, Mississauga, Ont., Suzuki GSX-R1000, 1:23.381
7. Andrew Nelson, Kars, Ont., Yamaha YZF-R1, 1:23.778
8. Steve Crevier, Maple Ridge, B.C., Buell 1125R, 1:23.951
9. Karl Daigle, Roxton Pond, Que., Kawasaki ZX-6R, 1:24.547
10. Michael Taylor, Toronto, Ont., Honda CBR1000RR, 1:24.781
11. Dave Estok, New Smyrna Beach, Fla., Buell 1125R, 1:24.420
12. Ross Millson, Hamilton, Ont., Suzuki GSX-R1000, 1:24.589
13. Scott Rupert, Gads Hill, Ont., Suzuki GSX-R600, 1:24.651
14. Chris Murray-Audain, Toronto, Ont., Kawasaki ZX-10R, 1:24.802
15. Jodi Christie, Keene, Ont., Honda CBR600RR, 1:24.955
16. Erick Beausejour, Val D’Or, Que., Suzuki GSX-R1000, 1:25.027
17. Frank Trombino, Kleinburg, Ont., Suzuki GSX-R750, 1:25.085
18. Darren James, North Vancouver, B.C., Buell 1125R, 1:25.610
19. Royce McLean, Coaldale, Alta., Yamaha YZF-R6, 1:26.027
20. Marie-Josee Boucher, Montreal, Que., Honda CBR1000RR, 1:26.220
21. Terry Steeves, Halifax, N.S., Kawasaki ZX-10R, 1:26.330
22. Franklyn Dominguez, Montreal, Que., Kawasaki ZX-10R, 1:26.421
23. Martin Ricard, Montreal, Que., Kawasaki ZX-10R, 1:26.445
24. Sean Huffman, Kemptville, Ont., Suzuki GSX-R1000, 1:26.700
25. Larry Orde, Peterborough, Ont., Yamaha YZF-R1, 1:26.991
26. Andrew Dunlap, Truro, N.S., Kawasaki ZX-10R, 1:27.540
27. Martin Grande, Montreal, Que., Suzuki GSX-R600, 1:27.964
28. Elie Daccache, Ottawa, Ont., Kawasaki ZX-6R, 1:28.233
29. Sean Heydorn, Stouffville, Ont., Honda CBR600RR, 1:28.344
30. Dave Stokowski, Calgary, Alta., Kawasaki ZX-10R, 1:29.580
31. Dean Plater, Ottawa, Ont., Yamaha YZF-R1, 1:29.611
32. Alain Campagna, Mascouche, Que., Yamaha YZF-R6, 1:29.739
33. Jean Paquet, Chambly, Que., Honda CBR600RR, 1:30.517
34. Louie Raffa, St-Marthe, Que., Yamaha YZF-R6, 1:31.628
35. Pat Barnes, Scarborough, Ont., Suzuki GSX-R1000, 1:33.472
36. Tony Kasper, Becker, Minn., Yamaha YZF-R6, No Time
37. Brian Blaauwendraat, Truro, N.S., Honda CBR600RR, No Time