Szoke sweeps in Calgary action

By John Hopkins

CALGARY, AB – Jordan Szoke completed a perfect weekend at Calgary’s Race City Motorsport Park with victory in Sunday’s third round of the Parts Canada Superbike Championship, presented by Rocky Mountain Honda Powerhouse.
       
The Brantford, ON racer took the lead on the opening lap and was unchallenged the rest of the way to score his second victory in two days on the Waznie Racing / BMC Cicloe Werks / DeWildt Honda Powerhouse Honda CBR1000RR, and his third straight to open the 2010 season.
       
Francis Martin of Sherbrooke, QC finished second on his radX HD / BMW Motorrad Canada BMW S1000RR, 6.667 secs. behind Szoke, and Cochrane, AB’s Cody Matechuk completed the podium on his Acceleration Racing Suzuki GSX-R1000.
       
Szoke completed the 22-lap race around the 3.2km (2.0-mile) Race City track in 28 minutes, 10.925 seconds for an average speed of 149.882 km/h (93.677 mph), slightly slower than Saturday's race pace.
       
“It was a tough day, these guys aren’t making things easy for me,” said Szoke after his 32nd career Canadian Superbike victory and his 10th win at Race City. “I wanted the bike to be a little bit better at the beginning of the race than it was yesterday and it was excellent.”
       
Szoke opened up a 54-point lead in his bid for a fifth straight Parts Canada Superbike title. The 31-year-old now has 164 points to the 110 of Martin, with Matechuk moving into third with 90.
       
St-Cesaire, QC’s Kevin Lacombe came into the race second in the standings after a runner-up finish in Saturday’s race on his Lacombe Racing Suzuki GSX-R1000, but crashed out of Sunday’s event on lap six, just after moving into third spot.
       
Martin grabbed the lead off the start but Szoke was able to outbrake him into the Bus Stop Chicane on the opening lap.

"I thought I had a great start but I guess Francis had a better one," said Szoke. "I got a good drive out of the Chicane, and he left the door open a little heading into the Bus Stop. I thought if I could get by I could get a bit of a gap so I put my head down.

"We changed some little things from yesterday to make it handle better with a full tank of fuel. It was better earlier on so I concentrated on getting away at the beginning."

The BMW rider stayed close for a few laps before starting to lose ground.The gap was two seconds after eight laps but grew to just over three seconds on lap 12 after Martin caught traffic in the Carousel.
       
The second place finish was a step up on the podium for the two-time Canadian Superbike champion, who placed third in Saturday’s race.
       
“It was a very good weekend,” Martin said. “I didn’t have anything for Jordan today. The lapped traffic didn’t help me but it wouldn’t have made a difference. I hit a false neutral exiting the Bus Stop one lap, and that was it.”
       
As on Saturday Matechuk made a spectacular charge up from 10th on the starting grid to score his first career national Superbike podium. The 16-year-old moved into fourth on lap seven and then reeled in the Orion Motorsports / BMW Motorrad Canada BMW S1000RR of Kars, ON’s Andrew Nelson. These two engaged in a thrilling battle, with Matechuk edging Nelson by just 0.236 secs. at the line.
       
“It was a really good battle,” said Matechuk, who is in his rookie Pro season. “I just kept up the pace lap by lap and was able to slowly catch Andrew. Then after I passed him he picked up the pace. It was a very good race. I had to work for that one.”

Nelson said his bike's performance started to drop off around half distance.

"I needed to pass Cody into turn one on that last lap to have a shot," Nelson explained. "I could see he was braking quite early there and I got him once there earlier. But I didn't get the drive coming onto the front straight and I didn't really have a shot.

"But overall our race pace was better than yesterday and I think it's only going to get better from here."

Behind Nelson in fourth, Mississauga, ON’s Michael Ferreira passed Alex Welsh of Uxbridge, ON on the final lap to take fifth on the second radX HD / BMW Motorrad Canada entry, equaling his best career Superbike finish.

"We made a pretty major change [from Saturday] and went with a stiffer spring," said Ferreira, who placed seventh in Saturday's race. "It made a world of difference. We also changed the offset in the front end just before the start. [Crew chief] Patrice [Goyette] suggested it and I had faith in him, and it was a good call."
       
Welsh settled for sixth on the Competition Systems Kawasaki Race Team Kawasaki ZX-10R after briefly running as high as fourth early in the race.

"I was really fighting with the handling," said a subdued Welsh. "I didn't have a good feeling with it the whole time. I don't know. I know we're more capable than what we're showing. We have some work to do and figure some stuff out."
       
Six-time Canadian Superbike champion Steve Crevier crossed the line seventh on the Mile Zero Motorsports / Rocket Leathers Suzuki GSX-R1000 but was penalized five seconds for a jump start, which elevated Calgary’s Dave Stokowski on the Blackfoot Motosports / Canadian Kawasaki Motors / Pro-Power Engines Kawasaki ZX-10R.
       
Jodi Christie of Keene, ON finished ninth on his Jodi Christie Racing / Durham Honda-backed Honda CBR600RR after running 12th early on, and Montreal's Franklyn Dominguez completed the top 10 aboard his Seamont Brokerage Kawasaki ZX-10R.

Race Results
1. Jordan Szoke, Brantford, ON, Honda CBR1000RR, 28:10.925 (149.882 km/h)       
2. Francis Martin, Sherbrooke, QC, BMW S1000RR, +6.667  
3. Cody Matechuk, Cochrane, AB, Suzuki GSX-R600, +15.216
4. Andrew Nelson, Kars, ON, BMW S1000RR, +15.452
5. Mike Ferreira, Mississauga, ON, BMW S1000RR, +24.381
6. Alex Welsh, Uxbridge, ON, Kawasaki ZX-10R, +25.270
7. Dave Stokowski, Calgary, AB, Kawasaki ZX-10R, +49.060
8. Steve Crevier, Maple Ridge, BC, Suzuki GSX-R1000, +50.350*
9. Jodi Christie, Keene, ON, Honda CBR600RR, +1:01.231
10. Franklyn Dominguez, Montreal, QC, Kawasaki ZX-10R, +1 lap
11. Scott Rupert, Gadshill, ON, Suzuki GSX-R1000, +1 Lap
12. Justin Knapik, Edmonton, AB, Kawasaki ZX-10R, +1 Lap
13. Greg White, Raleigh, NC, Kawasaki ZX-R6, +1 Lap
Did Not Finish
Mike Zottmann, Calgary, AB, Suzuki GSX-R1000
Kevin Lacombe, St-Cesaire, QC, Suzuki GSX-R1000 
Did Not Start
Sebastien Tremblay, Sherbrooke, QC, Honda CBR600RR
Peter Meier, Langdon, AB, Suzuki GSX-R1000
*Penalized five seconds for jump start

Time of Race: 28:10.925 (149.882 km/h)
Margin of Victory: 6.667 seconds
Fastest Lap: 1:16.052 by Jordan Szoke on lap 5
Lap Leaders: Jordan Szoke 1-22

Point Standings
1.Jordan Szoke, 164
2. Francis Martin, 110
3. Cody Matechuk, 90
4. Andrew Nelson, 88
5. Jodi Christie, 83
5. Mike Ferreira, 83
7. Kevin Lacombe, 82
8. Alex Welsh, 79
9. Steve Crevier, 46
10. Dave Stokowski, 42
11. Franklyn Dominguez, 34
12. Frank Trombino, 32
13. Scott Rupert, 29
14. Justin Knapik, 27
15. Mike Zottmann, 21
16. Jean-Francois Cyr, 19
17. Kenny Riedmann, 17
18. Marie-Josee Boucher, 15
19. Peter Meier, 13
19. Ross Millson, 13
19. Greg White, 13