McCORMICK FASTEST AT AMP SHUBENACADIE, N.S. (August 5) Canadian Superbike Championship by Parts Canada points leader Brett McCormick carried his momentum into this weekend’s fifth round at Atlantic Motorsport Park in Shubenacadie, N.S. on Friday. The 19-year-old from Saskatoon took his radX / BMW Motorrad Canada BMW S1000RR to the fastest time in practice for Sunday’s race with a time of one minute, 7.067 seconds around the 2.56 km (1.6-mile) circuit for an average speed of 137.415 km/h (85.884 mph). Andrew Nelson of Kars, Ont. was second quickest with a time of 1:08.289 on the Nelson Racing / GymMax / Monette Sports BMW S1000RR and Brantford, Ont.’s Jordan Szoke had the third fastest time of 1:08.316 riding the Competition Systems Kawasaki Race Team Kawasaki ZX-10R. “The morning was tough; it was chilly and I had to shake out the cobwebs,” said McCormick, who turned a 1:07.646 in the day’s first 40-minute practice session before improving in the afternoon. “In the afternoon I felt a little better. The track’s pretty green. I didn’t have any moments but it wasn’t ideal conditions.” McCormick is unbeaten through the first four events in the seven-race 2011 Canadian Superbike Championship by Parts Canada season and comes into this weekend with a 46-point lead over Szoke. A race win is worth 50 points. “We’ll probably try a different shock tomorrow,” added McCormick, who won the Superbike event at AMP in 2009. “I’d like to make the bike a little more stable, more consistent.” McCormick holds the AMP lap record at 1:06.031, which he set in 2009. He will have a shot to top that in Pirelli SuperPole qualifying on Saturday. “If we don’t get any rain tonight and we’re able to put some more rubber down maybe we can chase the record,” he said. “But the track is a bit bumpier in a few spots since I was last here in 2009.” Nelson finished second in both Superbike races during the Canadian Superbike Championship doubleheader at AMP in 2010 and comes into this weekend third in the series standings. “I think I can do those times over a lot of laps,” he said. “The bike is comfortable to ride; I might be able to gain a couple of tenths. But I’m not too worried.” Szoke is looking for his third straight Superbike win at AMP after sweeping last year’s doubleheader on his way to a perfect season and his fifth straight Canadian national crown. “We really just need some more track time,” he explained. “We weren’t here last weekend [for an Atlantic Roadracing League regional event] and we went the wrong way with the set up this afternoon. I’m confident we’ll be a lot better tomorrow. “The bike is pretty good everywhere but we need to find a little bit more corner speed. We’re losing time on the second half of the track, where you need to carry corner speed.” Keene, Ont.’s Jodi Christie had the fourth fastest time of 1:08.447 on his Jodi Christie Racing / Cameron Cycle / Blue Streak Racing Honda CBR600RR and Frank Trombino of Woodbridge, Ont. rounded out the top five in practice on Friday with a 1:09.498 riding the Suzuki Canada / Hindle / Sturgess Cycle Suzuki GSX-R600. In other action at AMP, points leader Christie was quickest in practice for the Pirelli Pro Sport Bike class with a time of 1:09.074. Frank Trombino turned the second fastest time, a 1:09.139 and Uxbridge, Ont.’s Alex Welsh was third fastest with a 1:09.461 riding the Z1 CycleTech / Kenwood Suzuki GSX-R600. Series leader Steve Crevier of Maple Ridge, B.C. set the pace in the Harley-Davidson XR1200 Cup with a time of 1:13.336 on his MotoSport Plus of Kingston-backed entry. North Vancouver’s Darren James placed second with a lap at 1:13.821 on his Deeley Harley-Davidson Canada / Ruthless Racing machine and Samuel Proulx of Magog, Que. had the third fastest time of 1:14.513 on the Sherbrooke Harley-Davidson XR1200. Kristopher Garvie of Caledon, Ont. was the pacesetter in the K&N Performance Filters Amateur Superbike class with a time of 1:11.540 on his Tracksport Technologies / Kahuna Powersports Kawasaki ZX-6R. Thornton, Ont.’s Amzy Nawaz placed second for the day at 1:12.218 riding the Velocity Sportsgear Kawasaki ZX-6R and series leader Jody Greening of Burlington, Ont. was third with a 1:12.889 aboard his BFE / ProStar / Sturgess Cycle Honda CBR600RR. Nawaz was quickest in practice for the Inside Motorcycles Amateur Sport Bike class with a time of 1:12.190. Greening was second quickest with a 1:12.336 and points leader Garvie placed third at 1:12.418. Leah Vignale of Kemptville, Ont. qualified on pole for this weekend’s pair of Honda CBR125R Challenge races with a time of 1:30.182 on Friday, just edging local ace Austin Shaw-O’Leary of Falmouth, N.S., who turned a 1:30.187. Shaw-O’Leary nevertheless extended his lead in the CBR125R Challenge point standings as he gained a point on St-Lazare, Que.’s Stacey Nesbitt, who qualified third with a time of 1:31.372. Action at Atlantic Motorsport Park continues on Saturday with qualifying for the Kawasaki S4-R Lubricants Pole Awards in Pro Superbike and Sport Bike, along with Amateur Superbike and Sport Bike. In the Harley-Davidson XR1200 Cup racers will battle for the Tactical Products Canada Pole Award. Saturday will also see the first of two races this weekend for the Honda CBR125R Challenge. Races in all six national classes will go Sunday. For ticket information call 902-499-3610 or go to www.atlanticroadracing.com.