McCormick tops in Sport Bike action

By John Hopkins

SHUBENACADIE, NS – On a day of shattered records at Atlantic Motorsport Park, Saskatoon's Brett McCormick also reset the track mark in the Yoshimura Pro Sport Bike class with a time of 1:06.905 (137.748 km/h) on his Team Suzuki / Blackfoot / Picotte Racing Suzuki GSX-R600 on Saturday.

That topped the old mark of 1:07.472 set by Kevin Lacombe last year.

The 17-year-old, who also claimed pole for the Parts Canada Superbike feature, was on top for most of the 30-minute session but uncorked a pair of sub-1:07 laps in the waning moments.

"We've been working on the front end, trying to give me more feel, and we've improved it a lot," McCormick said. "We might try to get it a little better for tomorrow, but now the important thing is getting it consistent. The focus now is to be able to do those times all race.

The pole was McCormick's second in the Pro Sport Bike class this year. He also qualified fastest in round two at Circuit ICAR.

"Even though it's my second pole it feels a little bit better than Mirabel, because Jordan [Szoke] didn't really like it there, but this is a track he's OK with," McCormick said. "And to beat him straight up is a good feeling."

Szoke, who has qualified fastest at the other three series stops, was also under the previous record in second on his Canadian Kawasaki Motors Kawasaki ZX-6R with a time of 1:07.292 and Lacombe placed third at 1:07.776 riding a Team Toyota Yamaha / OTSFF Yamaha YZF-R6.

McCormick’s pole position was worth four points and trimmed Szoke’s lead in the Pro Sport Bike standings by a single point to 26. Szoke now has 258 points to McCormick’s 232 heading into Sunday’s 18-lap race.

"Everything's good and we don't have to win," said the 30-year-old Szoke, who is trying for a fourth straight Yoshimura Pro Sport Bike crown. "The bike's really good and every time out it's a little better. We're faster than last year. We might make a few changes tonight. We'll look at a couple of things."

Lacombe had a fraught qualifying session. He only moved up to third spot in the order in the last five minutes and turned his best time on the last lap.

"We tried a lot," said the Granby, QC racer. "We just put on a new tire and I decided I was going to crash or have a good lap. We're struggling with the front suspension. I can't get the confidence to go hard into the corners."

Lacombe bumped fellow Yamaha rider Andrew Nelson back to fourth spot on the Nelson Racing R6. The Kars, ON was a winner in the class at AMP last year and turned a best lap of 1:08.308.

Local star Brian Blaauwendraat of Truro, NS qualified fifth on the Pro Cycle / Atlantic Honda Dealers Honda CBR600RR with a time of 1:08.547. He will be joined on the second row by Jodi Christie of Keene, ON on the Honda Powerhouse Dealers of Ontario / Roz-Gar Racing Honda CBR600RR and Maple Ridge, BC's Steve Crevier, who qualified seventh riding the Deeley Racing Powered By Buell / Buell 1125R.

Qualifying Results
1. Brett McCormick, Saskatoon, SK (Suzuki GSX-R600) 1:06.905
2. Jordan Szoke, Brantford, ON (Kawasaki ZX-6R) 1:07.292
3. Kevin Lacombe, Granby, QC (Yamaha YZF-R6) 1:07.776
4. Andrew Nelson, Kars, ON (Yamaha YZF-R6) 1:08.308
5. Brian Blaauwendraat, Truro, NS (Honda CBR600RR) 1:08.547
6. Jodi Christie, Keene, ON (Honda CBR600RR) 1:08.985
7. Steve Crevier, Maple Ridge, BC (Buell 1125R) 1:08.997
8. Royce McLean, Coaldale, AB (Yamaha YZF-R6) 1:09.669
9. Dave Estok, New Smyrna Beach, FL (Buell 1125R) 1:10.283
10. Martin Grande, Montreal, QC, (Suzuki GSX-R600) 1:10.749
11. Darren James, North Vancouver, BC (Buell 1125R) 1:10.926
12. Marie-Josee Boucher, Montreal, QC (Honda CBR600RR) 1:11.095
13. Matthew Leahey, Halifax, NS (Honda CBR600RR) 1:11.190
14. Michael Ferreira, Mississauga, ON (BMW HP2) 1:11.665
15. James Collins, Kaladar, ON (Yamaha YZF-R6) 1:11.773
16. Jeff O'Leary, Falmouth, NS (Kawasaki ZX-6R) 1:12.355
17. Alex Welsh, Uxbridge, ON (Kawasaki ZX-6R) No Time