Shannonville Motorsport Park Shannonville Ontario April 30-May 1 2005 R.A.C.E. Super Series Round 1 2005 Jordan wins the first race of the year, proving he is back in a winning mode by capturing both legs of the opening double header! The inaugural race weekend for the RACE regional Round #1 using the short (original) track layout of Shannonville Motorsport Park 7 turn layout was a great start for two time Parts Canada Superbike Champion Jordan Szoke. Aboard the Honda CBR1000RR prepared by Fast Company, Jordan was using this regional race to set the new bike up for the Parts Canada Superbike Championship national series due to start May 19-22 here at Shannonville, but using the longer ‘PRO’ track layout. This was Jordan’s first ride aboard the 2005 Honda CBR1000RR Superbike, and the tail section of the new bike was not even painted yet. In fact Scot Miller of Fast Company on had a few weeks to build the bike, as Honda only recently was able to provide the 2005 model to the team for construction. Scott worked some very long nights to get the new bike up to a race ready status, and there are still items to be sorted out. Jordan began the weekend by starting the Qualifying race in the rain on Saturday, from dead last on the grid, to finish a credible 3rd place in the rain, even though he elected to use his 2004 Honda CBR600RR due to the cold rain that was falling. He was reluctant to risk the new Superbike as this was a regional race not counting for his quest for his third Canadian Championship. The CBR600RR originally prepared by Fast Company and rode by Jordan in last year’s Hindle Pro Sportbike Championship was borrowed back from friend and supporter Mike Rush who bought the bike at the conclusion of the 2004 season. Mike has a collection of Jordan’s race bikes, and rides them himself as an amateur racer. This weekend was a double header, with races scheduled for Saturday and Sunday, but with the weather and some track delays, both Superbike races were held on Sunday. Jordan started from the front row in race 1, but did not get a good start, taking a few laps to snatch the lead from current RACE Super Series Champion Frank Trombino in the fast right hand turn two to hold it for a win by just over second. In the second race, Jordan got a slightly better start, but was third taking a few laps to grab the lead from Frank and Matt McBride, to pull away slightly just as rain began to fall. The rain did not dampen the track very much, but Jordan did back the speed down a touch to be conservative, only to be harassed by Frank. Jordan held the lead as a red flag was shown two three laps later due to a track incident, finishing the race on lap 6 of 10. This gave Jordan the second race victory. All Jordan could say is ‘I’m back’, after only winning only one race last year and finishing second in the Parts Canada Superbike Championship for 2004. Jordan has a philosophy that second place is the first loser, and he is aggressively looking to win the Championship this year. If this first race any indication of the Fast Company prepared bike coupled with Jordan’s talent, it certainly looks and feels like a Championship!
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