McCormick leads at Shannonville

From Professional Motorsports Productions

SHANNONVILLE, ON – Brett McCormick kept the pressure on Parts Canada Superbike Championship points leader Jordan Szoke by setting the fastest time in practice for this weekend’s final round at Shannonville Motorsport Park on Friday.

Riding the Team Suzuki / Blackfoot / Picotte Racing Suzuki GSX-R1000 the 18-year-old from Saskatoon turned a lap at one minute, 4.518 seconds around the 2.45km (1.53-mile) Shannonville ‘Pro’ track.

Clint McBain of Cochrane, AB was second fastest on Friday aboard the Suzuki Dealers / Acceleration Racing Suzuki GSX-R1000 with a time of 1:04.989 while Szoke was third at 1:05.058 riding the Canadian Kawasaki Motors Kawasaki ZX-10R.

The 30-year-old Szoke, from Brantford, ON, comes into this weekend’s event leading McCormick by just 14 points in the Superbike standings.

McCormick was quickest in both the morning and afternoon practice sessions but recorded his best lap in the morning. He suffered a minor crash in the afternoon just after turning his fastest time when he clipped his shifter on a kerb and ran off the track.

“I was on my cool down lap and I was sitting up, not paying attention,” said McCormick, the winner of three races this season. “It was just a dumb mistake; a bit of a wake-up call.

“We’ll try a few little things here and there for tomorrow, try to make the bike a little easier for me to ride. But it’s always nice to go quickest.”

Szoke, who has also won three of this season’s six events so far, was one of the few racers to improve in the afternoon, dropping his time by almost half a second.

“We finally got the bike really consistent; it’s good for the race,” said Szoke, who is trying to clinch a record fourth straight Parts Canada Superbike title. “We tried some different things this morning. I’d like to carry more speed after I get off the brakes in the corners and I’d like to get through the ‘flip-flop’ cleaner.

“It was a little slicker this afternoon and I had a little moment where I tucked the front end. After that I took it a little easier. I want to keep the pressure on Brett but I don’t want to do anything stupid.”

McBain wasn’t able to get within a second of his morning time in the final Superbike practice session. His afternoon was cut short by a crash exiting the hairpin.

Kevin Lacombe of Granby, QC had the fourth fastest practice time of the day at 1:05.270 on the Team Toyota Yamaha / OTSFF Yamaha YZF-R1. Fifth overall was Kars, ON’s Andrew Nelson with a 1:05.443 on the Nelson Racing Yamaha YZF-R1. Both set their best times in the morning session.
       
In other action at Shannonville, McCormick was quickest in practice for the Yoshimura Pro Sport Bike class with a time of 1:05.048 on his Suzuki GSX-R600. Szoke was next up at 1:05.691 aboard his Kawasaki ZX-6R and Matt McBride of Mississauga, ON had the third best time of 1:06.113 riding the Riders Choice Suzuki GSX-R600.

Szoke is aiming for a fourth straight Pro Sport Bike title and leads McCormick by 16 points heading into qualifying on Saturday.

Points leader Cody Matechuk of Cochrane, AB paced practice for the Armour Bodies Amateur Sport Bike class with a time of 1:07.301 on his Suzuki Dealers / Acceleration Racing Suzuki GSX-R600.
       
His lone title rival, Longueuil, QC’s Sebastien Tremblay, was second aboard the A. Perusse Kawasaki / Kawasaki ZX-6R. Tremblay trails Matechuk by 44 points in the Amateur Sport Bike standings.

Rob Busby of Brantford, ON led the way in Suzuki SV650 Cup practice with a time of 1:10.854. That was almost three quarters of a second better than the next fastest time, a 1:11.563 by Philippe Masse of St- Dominique, QC.

Series points leader Raphael Archambault ended up with the 10th fastest time of the day after crashing early in the afternoon session. The St-Colomban, QC rider leads Busby by 42 points in the standings.

Karl Robitaille of Ste-Julie, QC was fastest in Honda CBR125R Challenge practice with a time of 1:07.131. Warman, SK’s Bodhi Edie was next quickest with a 1:07.159 and Hamilton, ON rider Steven Nickerson was third at 1:07.871. Nickerson leads Edie by 26 points heading into this weekend’s season finale.

Championship leader Vicki Schouten of Richmond, ON was fastest in practice for the Pro Honda Oils Women’s Cup with a time of 1:09.453 on her Kahuna Motorsports Kawasaki ZX-6R.

Action at Shannonville continues Saturday with qualifying, including the Pirelli SuperPole for the Inside Motorcycles Pole Position Award in the Parts Canada Superbike division. Races in all national classes will go Sunday.