From a press release issued by series organizers:

SUPERBIKES IN MONTREAL

TORONTO, ON An invitational event for competitors in the Parts Canada Superbike Championship has been announced for Montreal’s Circuit Gilles-Villeneuve Aug. 27-29.

The race, which will not count for points toward the 2004 series championship will be held in conjunction with the Molson Indy Montreal Champ Car World Series event, making it the most high profile fixture for Canada’s Superbike competitors.

The 12-lap race around the famous 2.709-mile road course will take place on the Sunday morning of the race weekend as the last event before the Champ Car feature. In a first for Canadian motorcycle racing it will be televised live on Quebec’s Reseau des Sports (RDS).

The idea of adding Superbikes to the Champ Car schedule was conceived by Alan Labrosse, President of the Molson Indy Montreal and a former Canadian racing star on both two wheels and four. Motorcycle races ran at the track in 1981, ’82 and ’87. In 1981 and ’82 the races were support events to the Canadian Grand Prix Formula 1 World Championship car race.

The 1987 event counted toward the Canadian National Superbike Championship and was won by Michel Mercier on a Suzuki.

“It’s a natural,” said Labrosse, who competed in the motorcycle races at the circuit in 1981 and ’82, and in a car support race in ’87. “It is an opportunity for the series to take part in one of the biggest Canadian motorsport events and in one of the motorcycle industry’s biggest markets.

“People who own motorcycles are looking for destinations. Now they don’t have to go to Daytona or Loudon. We will have our own ‘Festival of Motorsports’ right here in Montreal. We want to give people a total motorsport experience.”

The event will be open to the top 25 riders in the 2004 Parts Canada Superbike Championship point standings following the most recent event at Mosport International Raceway July 18. Selected “promoter’s option” riders may also be included to complete the grid. All standard series rules will be in effect.

A purse of $12,000 has been provided by Parts Canada for the race.

“This is a fabulous opportunity for our series and motorcycle racing in Canada,” said Colin Fraser of Professional Motorsports Productions, organizer of the Parts Canada Superbike Championship. “To race in front of such a large crowd and enjoy the benefit of live television coverage is a unique privilege.”

Although he won’t be competing in the race, Canadian Superbike ace Miguel Duhamel will attend the Montreal event as a VIP and help promote the giveaway of a Honda CBR600RR sport bike. Five contestants will have keys for the grand prize motorcycle, one of which will start the Honda. Additionally, all five will enjoy an exhilarating ride with Duhamel, a star rider for the American Honda team in the U.S., around the Circuit Gilles-Villeneuve.

The Montreal Molson Indy is expected to attract a three-day crowd of over 150,000 spectators and the race track situated on Ile Notre-Dame is easily accessible by public transit from Montreal.