Shannonville Motorsport Park
June 17th. – 18th.
Shannonville Ontario
R.A.C.E. SuperSeries Round 3 Report
Stormy Finish at Round 3
Whether it was good planning or just good luck, Round 3 of the R.A.C.E. SuperSeries was uninterrupted for Sunday’s finals. A shortened morning practice schedule worked out perfectly when the skies opened up during the day’s lunch break, drowning the track, once again with a torrential downpour. As quickly as it started, it also ended with sunshine quickly drying the wet track, making way for an exciting afternoon of finals racing.
In Pro Superbike action, reigning champion Royal Distributing sponsored Michael Leon jumped into the early lead, with Elie Daccache and Kingston’s “Jammin’” Jeff Williams in hot pursuit. Before the race was 2 laps old, Williams made a late braking pass to put himself solidly into second place. Throughout the 10 lap final, Williams made huge gains, closing the gap on Leon’s BMW S1000RR but to no avail. Despite owning the fastest lap of the race, Williams had to settle for second with Daccache well back in third. Pedro Sousa had a good outing with a fourth place finish while first year Pro rider Michael Hood took fifth.
Elie Daccache got a good jump into the lead in Pro 600 Sportbike action with Belleville’s Mike Raniowski hot on his heels. Daccache, the current Pro 600 champion, maintained the lead throughout the race in somewhat tenuous conditions with the “Take Mike for Granite” sponsored Raniowski in a close second. Behind the lead duo Richard Fearing was waging his own battle with Kingston’s Chris Fehr. When the checkered fell it was Daccache with the win and Raniowski a close second. Fearing took the final step of the podium just ahead of Fehr. In fifth was Ottawa’s Grant Smith who opted out early.
Frank Bragagnolo was first across the finish line in the Am Superbike contest after a race long battle with eventual second place finisher Dave Natale. Vivian Matthews took the final step of the podium with Eddie Zahra in fourth. Lucio Forte took fifth.
In Am 600 Sportbike action, Max Kathron rode brilliantly for the race win despite the best efforts of Hastings rider Leo Foley. Foley had the early lead but lost it to a hard charging Kathron and despite owning the fastest lap of the race, was unable to make up the difference, settling for a second place finish. Jose Azevedo took the final step of the podium with Nicole Pilkington a close fourth. Andy Dickinson finished in fifth.
Michael Leon and Jeff Williams resumed hostilities in the Open Sprint race with Leon once again winning a very close race. In third was Pedro Sousa just ahead of Dave Natale and Michael Hood. Honorable mention has to go to Mike Raniowski however, after a corner 2 miscue shuttled him to the vey last place of a freight train of charging motorcycles. Raniowski recovered, put his head down and fought all the way up to a hard-earned sixth place finish.
In Mopar Express Lane Lightweight Production racing, Tyler Moore led from start to finish with young Connor Campbell in second. Final step of the podium went to Huntsville’s Dwayne Bucholtz.
Newcomer Spencer Gill took his first win of the season in Novice 600 racing with Ottawa’s Kayla Hannaford a close second. Larry Gagnon finished in third.
Hans Van Sluewen continues to dominate the Lightweight Superbike class with another win after a lengthy contest with Bobcaygeon’s Joshua Thomas in second. In third was Giancarlo DeLuca who enjoyed another great outing.
In Masters Middleweight action it was Grant Smith with the win and despite holding the fastest lap of the fast Mike Raniowski had to settle for second. Richard Fearing finished in third just ahead of Steve “Doc” Walker with Kingston rider Chris Fehr in fifth.
Racing resumes again on July 29th and 30th. at Shannonville Motorsport Park.