Riedmann Sets Opening Day Superbike Pace at Shannonville
In the first day of 2016 Mopar CSBK National motorcycle racing action at Shannonville Motorsport Park, ON, Kenny Riedmann of Belfountain, ON, set the pace in the Feature Pro Superbike class. Aboard a brand new Sturgess Cycle-Liqui Moly backed Kawasaki ZX-10R Ninja, Riedmann wound up on top of the time sheets with a lap at 1:04.662 around the ten turn, 2.45 kilometer-long “Pro” version of the 40-year-old S.M.P. facility.
The Champion in the Liqui Moly Pro Sport Bike support division the past two CSBK seasons, Riedmann joined the Superbike class in 2015 and challenged eventual Champ Jordan Szoke of Lynden, ON. at the front of the field. Reigning Champ Szoke was second quickest aboard the Express Lane-Motovan backed BMW S1000RR, turning a lap at 1:04.747.
“I’m happy with that pace, we were working on the race set-up in the afternoon,” explained Riedmann, who implied there would be more to come in tomorrow afternoon’s Dalton Timmis Insurance Pole shoot-out.
“We put in a lot of laps, and I’m really happy with where we are so far with the new bike. I only had a couple of moments, the bike is really comfortable, easy to handle for a superbike on a bumpy track. We’ll see how much more there is to come, and get an idea of the race pace tomorrow.”
In one of the first days of Canadian track activity available with warm and sunny conditions, veteran front-runner Matt McBride of Mississauga, ON placed third overall on a Rider’s Choice BMW S100RR at 1:04.761. Meanwhile Ben Young of Collingwood, ON, made a very strong debut in the Superbike category, taking his just-completed Tim Horton’s Scot-Build BMW S1000RR to fourth overall with a lap at 1:05.720.
Fifth belonged to One Speed-Rockstar’s Trevor Daley with a lap at 1:06.570 aboard his ex-Alex Welsh Yamaha YZF-R1M. Yamaha YZF-R1S mounted Kevin Lacombe of Granby, QC, was back in National action for the first time in three years, taking his Motosport St-Cesaire backed entry to sixth best with a lap at 1:06.680.
Rounding out the top ten were seventh placed Samuel Trepanier of St-Isidore-de-Leprairie, QC, the BMW rider one of a very strong group of Rookie Pros contending for the Brooklin Cycle Racing yearly award; eighth best Sebastien Tremblay of Mirabel, QC, on a new Kawasaki ZX-10R Ninja; Beaconsfield, QC. Pro Michael Leon in ninth aboard the Royal Distributing BMW and tenth overall Bodhi Edie of Warman, SK, in his debut aboard the Trip-Dub Racing-Z1 Cycle Tech Yamaha YZF-R1M.
Edie, age 20, last competed on the tour in 2013, when he scored an impressive privateer Superbike win at Canadian Tire Motorsport Park, ON. With many star racers returning to action, the 25 rider strong field is perhaps the deepest entry in the past decade of CSBK.
Riedmann’s impressive day continued in Liqui Moly Pro Sport Bike, when he set the fastest time at 1:06.625 aboard the Sturgess Kawasaki ZX-6R. Second quickest in the “600cc class” was rookie Pro Alex Coelho of Brossard, QC on a Kawasaki ZX-6R, followed by Louis Raffa of St-Eustache, QC, on a Honda and Mississauga, ON’s Brent Strong on a Yamaha. 2015 co-Pro Rookie of the Year Tommy Casas of Peterborough, ON, was fifth on his Yamaha.
Late in Friday’s practice program, a make-up National was held for the Kawasaki Ninja 300 spec class, their event two week’s ago at S.M.P. interrupted by bad weather. Jared Walker of Oakville, ON, took the win, getting the jump on first round victor Eric Quintin of Ile Perrot, QC, in the early part of the eight lap final. Walker was second in the opening Kawasaki Ninja 300 spec event.
“My aim before the race was to get the jump on the start from Eric, and that almost worked,” smiled Walker on the podium. “Then I got my head down, and we picked up the pace. There is more to come in the other two rounds this weekend.”
Third belonged to Brandon Pemberton of Windsor, N.S., also third in the opener two weeks earlier. Adolfo Silva of Toronto netted fourth, while fifth belonged to Stanley Moran of Gatineau, QC.
In practice for the opening round of the Magneti Marelli Amateur Superbike series, Jean-Marc Bilger of Montreal, QC, was quickest aboard his BMW with a lap at 1:10.04. Honda CBR600RR pilot Chris Brent of Ottawa, ON, was second with a lap at 1:10.33, third going to Montreal’s Vincent Levillain aboard a Yamaha YZF-R6.
The afternoon session for Shoei Premium Helmets Amateur Sport Bike finished with Jean-Francois Aubin of St-Jerome, QC, fastest with a tour of 1:10.84. Brent was next best at 1:10.85, with third belonging to Michael van Ek of Ajax, ON, riding a Triumph 675S Daytona triple.
Saturday’s opening National round Schedule includes Qualifying for all classes in the afternoon, as well as round three for the Kawasaki Ninja 300 spec Championship and a Sidecar round for the three wheelers.