Sport Bike pole goes to Szoke

By John Hopkins

SHUBENACADIE, NS -- Jordan Szoke edged closer to a record tying fifth straight Pro Sport Bike title in the Parts Canada Superbike Championship at Atlantic Motorsport Park on Friday by claiming pole position for this weekend's final two races of the season.

The Brantford, ON racer took his Waznie Racing / BMC Ciclo Werks / DeWildt Honda Powerhouse Honda CBR600RR around the 2.56km (1.6-mile) track in 1:08.180 (135.172 km/h) to maintain a perfect qualifying record this season.

He is also trying to complete a perfect seven-for-seven win season in Pro Sport Bike.

Jodi Christie of Keene, ON set the second best time of 1:08.593 on the Jodi Christie Racing / Durham Honda Powerhouse Honda CBR600RR despite a big highside that brought out the red flag with just a couple of minutes remaining in the session.

Kleinburg, ON's Frank Trombino completed a Honda sweep of the top three positions with a 1:08.778 riding the ProStar Motorsports / Sturgess Cycle CBR600RR.

Szoke led most of the way through the 25-minute session, which was also red flagged early on due to fluid on the track through turns one and two. He set his best time with six minutes remaining, but felt he could have gone even quicker had Christie's crash not brought out another red.

"It's unfortunate about the red because I was on a wicked lap," said Szoke, who is trying to equal Don Munroe's mark for national Pro Sport Bike titles. "Before that last lap we'd made a couple of adjustments and it felt really good.

"I think today with the 600, between the rain overnight and the oil from the start of the session the track was not the greatest for setting a lap record."

The AMP lap record in the Pro Sport Bike class is a 1:06.905 turned by Brett McCormick last year.

The pole position allowed Szoke to extend his lead in the Pro Sport Bike standings to 54 points over Christie, 270-216, with 50 points available for a race win.

Christie said he had no warning before his highside in turn 10, from which he escaped unscathed.

"It was a new tire," he explained. "That felt like a fast lap. We're close on the set-up, but we've been struggling a bit with rear grip. That might have had something to do with the crash."

Trombino was pleased to get onto the front row for this weekend's races as the team has been focussing most of its attention on the CBR1000RR Superbike.

"I think we put in our best effort, and hopefully my lap times will keep me close enough to the front in the race," he said. "You've got to be careful here because when you start trying too hard you start going backwards instead of forward."

Alex Welsh of Uxbridge, ON completes the front row for the final two races of the season after turning a lap of 1:08.873 on the Competition Systems Kawasaki Race Team Kawasaki ZX-6R. This is Welsh's first appearance in the Pro Sport Bike class this season.

The third row will be made up of Ste-Adele, QC's Jean-Francois Cyr (CyRacing Suzuki GSX-R600), Todd Scott of Bedford, NS (Honda CBR600RR) and top rookie Cody Matechuk of Cochrane, AB (Acceleration Racing Suzuki GSX-R600).

Cyr recorded a 1:09.177 while Scott managed a 1:09.900 before running out of fuel. HJC Pro Rookie of the Year points leader Matechuk turned a 1:10.574.

Dave Estok was close behind Matechuk with a 1:10.576 on the Deeley Harley-Davidson Canada / Ruthless Racing Buell 1125R despite having his session end early with a crash.

Pro Sport Bike Qualifying Times
1. Jordan Szoke, Brantford, ON (Honda CBR600RR) 1:08.180
2. Jodi Christie, Keene, ON (Honda CBR600RR) 1:08.593
3. Frank Trombino, Kleinburg, ON (Honda CBR600RR) 1:08.778
4. Alex Welsh, Uxbridge, ON (Kawasaki ZX-6R) 1:08.873
5. Jean-Francois Cyr, Ste-Adele, QC (Suzuki GSX-R600) 1:09.177
6. Todd Scott, Bedford, NS (Honda CBR600RR) 1:09.900
7. Cody Matechuk, Cochrane, AB (Suzuki GSX-R600) 1:10.574
8. Dave Estok, New Smyrna Beach, FL (Buell 1125R) 1:10.576
9. Andrew Dunlap, Truro, NS (Kawasaki ZX-6R) 1:11.202
10. James Collins, Kaladar, ON (Yamaha YZF-R6) 1:11.203
11. Billy Shields, Unionville, ON (Yamaha YZF-R6) 1:11.794
12. Scott Rupert, Gadshill, ON (Suzuki GSX-R600) 1:12.403
13. Matthew Leahey, Halifax, NS (Honda CBR600RR) 1:12.918
14. Kenny Riedmann, Belfountain, ON (Triumph 675 Daytona) No Time