Szoke scores sixth Superbike title

By John Hopkins
Photo by Rob O'Brien

SHANNONVILLE, ON – Brantford, ON’s Jordan Szoke claimed his record fourth straight Parts Canada Superbike Championship and his sixth career national crown with a second place finish in the season finale at Shannonville Motorsport Park on Sunday.

Riding his Canadian Kawasaki Motors Kawasaki ZX-10R Szoke finished 6.121 seconds behind race winner Brett McCormick, but that was enough to give him the title by five points over the Saskatoon racer, 341-336.

“I had to ride hard today,” the 30-year-old Szoke said. “I don’t know if I had anything for Brett. This is a lot of weight off my shoulders. Brett’s definitely given me the hardest run of my career. It’s been a super year, a really exciting year for me.”

McCormick needed a win to deny Szoke his sixth Superbike title and despite receiving a five-second penalty for a jump start the 18-year-old rider of the Team Suzuki / Blackfoot / Picotte Racing Suzuki GSX-R1000 dominated at Shannonville. He took the lead on lap three of the 20-lap race and pulled clear for his fourth victory in seven races this year.

“It sucks to come up a little bit short,” said McCormick, who had shattered the track record in qualifying on Saturday. “But Jordan knows how to win. You don’t win four in a row without knowing something. A couple of mistakes from us earlier in the year cost us the championship.”

Szoke grabbed the lead from the start of the race but on lap two both Kevin Lacombe on the Team Toyota Yamaha / OTSFF Yamaha YZF-R1 and McCormick got by. McCormick took the lead from Lacombe on the following lap and Szoke got around the Yamaha rider a lap later.

“I got a good start but then Brett and Kevin came by me and it took me a few laps to collect myself,” said Szoke, who won three races this year. “But I got a great pace going and got really comfortable.”

Lacombe initially stayed close to Szoke but started to drop back at half distance as he struggled with handling issues. He came under pressure from the Suzuki Dealers / Acceleration Racing Suzuki GSX-R1000 of Clint McBain in the closing laps but hung on for third place.

“I was giving it everything I had; I don’t think I’ve ever pushed that hard in a Superbike race at Shannonville,” the Granby, QC racer said. “I started pushing the front really hard and the rear was spinning like it was on ice.”

McBain got by Lacombe in turn three two laps from the end but was passed back almost immediately by the Yamaha rider. McBain planned to repeat the move on the final lap but the Cochrane, AB racer was thwarted by a waved yellow flag in the corner for a crash involving Franklyn Dominguez.

Nevertheless, it was a gutsy effort from McBain, who was still feeling the effects of a bady bruised backside sustained in a practice crash on Friday. He claimed third in the final Superbike standings with 236 points.

Kars, ON’s Andrew Nelson placed fifth on the Nelson Racing Yamaha YZF-R1 to secure fourth in the final point standings. Still struggling with his fitness after a Mosport practice crash, Nelson made a good start from the second row to run fourth in the first half of the race but was passed by McBain just before half-distance.

Steve Crevier of Maple Ridge, BC was sixth aboard his Deeley Racing Powered By Buell / Buell 1125R. Crevier was battling with the second Canadian Kawasaki Motors entry of Alex Welsh on the final lap when the two collided exiting the hairpin and Welsh crashed.
       
Crevier was later placed on probation for two races by Parts Canada Superbike Championship officials for his role in the incident. Welsh was unhurt in the fall.
       
After qualifying on the front row Mississauga, ON’s Matt McBride raced to seventh on Sunday aboard the Riders Choice Suzuki GSX-R1000. The unlucky McBride had seen his engine blow on the series dyno in post quaifying inspection on Saturday so he was forced to revert to a back-up powerplant.

Keene, ON’s Jodi Christie finished eighth on the Honda Powerhouse Dealers of Ontario / Roz-Gar Racing Honda CBR600RR and locked up the HJC Pro Rookie of the Year title.

Christie passed Karl Daigle of Roxton Pond, QC on the A. Perusse Kawasaki / Chaine Performace Kawasaki ZX-6R and the second of the Deeley Racing Powered By Buell entries, ridden by New Smyrna Beach, FL’s Dave Estok, in the second half of the race.

Daigle finished ninth and Estok completed the top 10 on his Buell 1125R.

Race Results
1. Brett McCormick, Saskatoon, Sask., Suzuki GSX-R1000, 20 laps*
2. Jordan Szoke, Brantford, Ont., Kawasaki ZX-10R, +6.121
3. Kevin Lacombe, Granby, Que., Yamaha YZF-R1, +14.861
4. Clint McBain, Cochrane, Alta., Suzuki GSX-R1000, +15.055
5. Andrew Nelson, Kars, Ont., Yamaha YZF-R1, +21.867
6. Steve Crevier, Maple Ridge, B.C., Buell 1125R, +26.389
7. Matt McBride, Mississauga, Ont., Suzuki GSX-R1000, +29.969
8. Jodi Christie, Keene, Ont., Honda CBR600RR, +32.452
9. Karl Daigle, Roxton Pond, Que., Kawasaki ZX-6R, +34.094
10. Dave Estok, New Smyrna Beach, Fla., Buell 1125R, +34.697
11. Erick Beausejour, Val D'Or, Que., Suzuki GSX-R1000, +45.794
12. Marie-Josee Boucher, Montreal, Que., Honda CBR600RR, +50.101
13. Sean Huffman, Kemptville, Ont., Suzuki GSX-R1000, +1:03.772
14. Ross Millson, Hamilton, Ont., Suzuki GSX-R1000, 19 laps
15. Alain Campagna, Mascouche, Que., Yamaha YZF-R6, 19
Did Not Finish
Alex Welsh, Uxbridge, Ont., Kawasaki ZX-6R, 19
Franklyn Dominguez, Montreal, Que., Kawasaki ZX-10R, 18
Darren James, North Vancouver, B.C., Buell 1125R, 5
Martin Grande, Montreal, Que., Suzuki GSX-R600, 1
Did Not Start
Elie Daccache, Ottawa, Ont., Kawasaki ZX-6R
Larry Orde, Peterborough, Ont., Yamaha YZF-R1
Louie Raffa, Ste-Marthe, Que., Yamaha YZF-R6
Olivier Spillborghs, White Rock, B.C., Buell 1125
Tony Kasper, Becker, Minn., Yamaha YZF-R6
* -- includes five-second penalty for jump start Margin of Victory: 6.121 secs.
Fastest Lap: 1:04.191 by Brett McCormick on lap 5

Final Point Standings
1. Jordan Szoke 341
2. Brett McCormick 336
3. Clint McBain 236
4. Andrew Nelson 200
5. Steve Crevier 188
6. Kevin Lacombe 158
7. Alex Welsh 145
8. Matt McBride 105
9. Erick Beausejour 99
10. Karl Daigle 99
11. Jodi Christie 95
12. Royce McLean 79
13. Ross Millson 74
14. Marie-Josee Boucher 64
15. Sean Huffman 52
16. Frank Trombino 51
17. Scott Rupert 50
18. Michael Taylor 44
19. Martin Grande 40
20. Dave Stokowski 39
21. Brian Blaauwendraat 33
22. Chris Murray-Audain 32
23. Peter Holzinger 23
24. Jean-Francois Cyr 21
25. Franklyn Dominguez 21
26. Dave Estok 19
27. Mike Zottmann 17
28. Martin Ricard 16
29. Alain Campagna 16
30. Mitch Rathje 13
31. Elie Daccache 8
32. Brad Gavey 8
33. Terry Steeves 5
34. Larry Orde 3
35. Dean Plater 2