After years of hard work, determination and grit, Ben Young has won the National Canadian Superbike championship. Despite a hard day with a big crash in Superpole, Young secured the championship with a solid 3rd place finish in the first of two races at Canadian Tire Motorsports Park, Bowmanville.
During the first part of qualifying on Friday, Young had topped the time sheets aboard his BMW S1000RR. Unfortunately, inconsistent weather resulted in the Top 10 Superpole session being pushed to Saturday morning. During the Superpole, riders were given the option to use a special super soft qualifying Dunlop tire, which Young took advantage of. He took Pole Position with a 1:21:598 – fairly impressive given the cloudy and windy weather, but then disaster struck. Coming under the bridge just before turn 2, Young lost grip in the front before he’d even started braking for the corner. This sent both him and the bike straight into the hay bails at the entry of turn 2, and quickly officials red flagged the race. Fans looked on with baited breath as Ben took a few minutes before he finally stirred, and sat up. Battered and bruised, he went to medical, while the team assessed bike damage and made a plan to get it ready enough for dyno. With a 15 minute deadline to repair the extensive damage, Willie Vass, Scott Young and Scott Cartier pulled off the impossible, and with 11 seconds to go, got the bike to dyno to secure the Pole Position, and the additional championship points.
With the championship in mind, the team decided to use a harder compound tire for the race. This would give Young longevity, however he would sacrifice in the first half of the race. It proved to be a smart decision and they reaped the rewards. It was a close race, with under two second between the top 10 riders at one point – something typically unheard of during Superbike races. Young fell back to 5th after the start, again playing the long game. His patience paid off, as he watched those in front, learning their weak spots and waiting for the tire to truly get to its full potential. He flitted up and down a few places, and by the penultimate lap, fought his way into his final position of 3rd place. This finish was enough to secure Young his first national championship.
“I can hardly put into words how stoked I am. We’ve had such a strong season with the BMW and the team working so well, but the crash was definitely a downer this morning. I was so pleased to put it on the podium and win the championship, not just for me but for the team and all the fans. Really looking forward to the final race of the season tomorrow [Sunday], as there is no pressure.”
Ben Young would like to thank the best team in the paddock – Willie Vass, Scott Cartier, Scott Young and Steve Weir, who had to fly to California for MotoAmerica, but was with us all the way! Huge thanks to mum, and all the family, friends and sponsors for their continued support through every up and down.
Young’s partners for his 2019 CSBK Championship season include; Scot-build Developments, BMW Motorrad Canada, Van Dolders Home Team, Barrie Trim & Mouldings, ACF-50, Joe Rocket, Arai Helmets, Hindle Exhaust, Woodcraft, Bickle Racing, DP Brakes, Motion Pro, K-Tech Suspension, Liqui-Moly, Weireverywhereracing, Vass Performance Cycle.
The 26-year-old pilot of the #86 BMW S1000RR is also a proud “Laps for Muscular Dystrophy” (Laps4MD) rider who’s pledged to donate $1 for every lap he lead this season. These donations go to Muscular Dystrophy Canada to help make a difference in the lives of over 50,000 Canadians affected by a neuromuscular disorder.
To keep up-to-date on Ben Young throughout the year visit; www.BenYoungRacing.com, www.facebook.com/BenYoungRacing and on Twitter and Instagram: @benyoung_86.
More, from a press release issued by BMW Motorrad Motorsport:
BMW road racer Peter Hickman wins every race at the Ulster Grand Prix – First BMW title of the season: Ben Young is champion in Canada.
Peter Hickman dominates the Ulster Grand Prix and sets a new lap record on the BMW S 1000 RR.
Ben Young wins the title in the Canadian Superbike Championship; first victory for Samuel Trepanier.
Ilya Mikhalchik bags a brace of wins in the International German Championship.
The 2019 BMW Motorrad Race Trophy is in full swing. This season, a total of 26 championship classes in 21 racing series all around the world count towards the Race Trophy ranking. Week after week BMW riders and teams do battle for victories, titles and Race Trophy points in these championships. ‘BMW Motorrad Motorsport News’ allows us to regularly summarise all the action for you in a compact and informative manner. This way, you are always up to speed.
Ulster Grand Prix: Record winning run for Peter Hickman.
One man was unbeatable at this year’s Ulster Grand Prix in Northern Ireland: BMW road racer Peter Hickman (GBR). He won all four races in the 1,000cc class on the Smiths Racing team’s BMW S 1000 RR, and was also victorious in the three 600cc Supersport races he rode in. Seven wins from seven races is a new record at the prestigious event. Hickman also set a new record in terms of sheer speed. During his victory in the first Superbike race on Thursday, he and the RR set a new lap record for the Dundrod Circuit, with an average speed of 136.415 mph (219.539 km/h). He then went on to win the Superstock race and the two Superbike races in the 1,000cc class on Saturday.
“It’s been an awesome week and the team have been phenomenal. The bikes have been faultless, and I can’t thank them enough for what they do for me,” said Hickman. “They’ve built some awesome bikes and although I try to win every race, to have actually achieved that is something I never really thought I’d do. It’s just been a superb week and to create history like we have is testament to everyone at Smiths Racing.”
Davey Todd (GBR) from the Penz13.com team also claimed a podium finish. He finished runner-up behind Peter Hickman on his RR in the Superstock race on Saturday. Todd also took two fifth places and a fourth in the Superbike races. Lee Johnston (GBR / Ashcourt Racing) left Northern Ireland with three fourth places to his name. Michael Sweeney (GBR / MJR Racing) also had three top-ten results, with one ninth and two seventh places. The same was true of Brian McCormack (GBR / On-1 Racing), who finished tenth twice and eighth once. Despite being injured, Michael Dunlop (GBR / MD Racing / Tyco BMW) did appear in Saturday’s Superstock race, in which he finished eighth. The races in the 1000cc class were classified as part of the BMW Road Race Challenge for the BMW Motorrad Race Trophy.
Canadian Superbike Championship: BMW racer Ben Young is champion in Canada.
The BMW Motorrad Motorsport family can celebrate its first title of the 2019 season as Ben Young (CAN / Ben Young Racing) was crowned champion for the first time in the Canadian Superbike Championship (CSBK) at the weekend. Canadian Tire Motorsport Park (CAN) hosted the final two races of the season, and Young was already confirmed as champion by the end of Saturday’s opening race. Third place was enough to secure the title. Victory in race one went to fellow BMW racer Samuel Trepanier (CAN / Blysk Racing) – his maiden CSBK win. Trepanier then came home second in race two, with champion Young finishing fourth.
“It is an incredible feeling. I can’t put it into words,” said the newly-crowned champion. “I am blessed to receive so much support from both BMW and the team, as well as the fans. This title is for them.” A delighted Trepanier said after his maiden victory: “My team works so hard, so I would like to dedicate this first win – hopefully the first of many – to them.”
Also in action at Canadian Tire Motorsport Park was the new BMW S 1000 RR, which was making its CSBK debut. The new Superbike was ridden by former CSBK rider Alex Welsh (CAN), who finished sixth and fifth. Jeff Williams (CAN) was seventh and ninth.
International German Championship: Brace of wins for Ilya Mikhalchik at Most.
The International German Championship (IDM) was at Most, in the Czech Republic, for its sixth event of the season. The man of the weekend was Ilya Mikhalchik (UKR) from the alpha Racing-van-Zon-BMW team, who bagged a brace of victories. He won both races on his BMW S 1000 RR and also set the fastest lap both times. Race two produced a one-two for BMW racers when winner Mikhalchik was followed over the finish line by Pepijn Bijsterbosch (NED / Team Dutch Comfort Houses) in second place. Bijsterbosch narrowly missed out on the podium in race one, finishing fourth. Stefan Kerschbaumer (AUT) stood in for Jan Mohr (AUT) on the BCC Racing Team’s RR at Most. Kerschbaumer came home fifth in both races. Jan Bühn (GER / EGS Moto Racing) finished sixth to claim a top-ten finish in race one. Julian Puffe (GER / alpha Racing-van-Zon-BMW) failed to finish both races. Mikhalchik’s success sees him move to the top of the championship standings, with Puffe second and Bijsterbosch third.
Asia Road Racing Championship: Podium for the RR at Zhuhai.
The Asia Road Race Championship (ARRC) held its fifth event of the 2019 season at Zhuhai. Azlan Shah Kamaruzaman (MAS) claimed another podium finish on his BMW S 1000 RR, run by the Onexox TKKR SAG Team: He finished runner-up in the second of the two races, having failed to finish the opening race.
MotoAmerica: BMW racers in action at Sonoma.
The MotoAmerica AMA Road Racing Series (MA) was at Sonoma (USA) for round six of the season. Jake Gagne (USA / Scheibe Racing) finished fifth and sixth in the two Superbike races (MA SBK). Jeremy Coffey (USA / Superbike Underground) failed to finish the opening race, before coming home ninth in race two. In the Superstock race (MA STK), Travis Wyman (USA / Weir Everywhere Racing) crossed the finish line in fifth place.
BMW Motorrad BoxerCup: Fourth round of the season at Most.
The Czech city of Most also hosted round four of the season in the new BMW Motorrad BoxerCup promoted by Wilbers. The riders race on identical BoxerCup bikes in this series. Victory in race one went to Nate Kern (USA) from the Wunderlich Motorsport team. Harald Kitsch (GER) was runner-up, ahead of Marvin Jürgens (GER / Team Motorsport Burgdorf) in third place. Race two was won by Kern’s team-mate Chris Höfer (GER). Kern finished second, with Jürgens again third.