Millson sets wet pace at Calabogie Day One
CALABOGIE, Ont. (June 12, 2015) – Ross Millson set the pace during a rain soaked day of action in practice for the opening round of the 2015 Mopar Canadian Superbike Championship presented by MV Agusta at Calabogie MotorSports Park on Friday.
Riding his rebuilt Motovan RMP Racing Suzuki GSX-R1000, the veteran Pro from Hamilton, Ont. turned a lap at 2:19.616 (130.21 km/h) around the 5.05km (3.05-mile) 20-turn track during the morning Superbike session, when conditions were not as sodden as in the afternoon. Millson, a former race school teacher at the daunting circuit, elected not to practice in the second session, saving his Dunlop treaded rain tires.
“It has been a challenge, we were working into the wee hours last night,” explained the tired Millson, who is re-starting his road racing career after sporadic appearances in recent years. “I had an issue with my good bike testing on Thursday, so we took the engine out of the backup bike and put it into the race bike. I really have to thank Blaine Groves and Bentley Thistlethwaite for all their help, I couldn’t do it without them.
“The bike was working well in the rain, the traction control was exceptional, and we found a really good balance. We could go a little quicker, but there was no point in really pushing it. The rain worked out for us today, but we don’t want these conditions for the fans on race day. With the ‘B’ engine we might be playing tortoise and the hare, but not by choice!”
Second fastest, also in the opening Pro Superbike session, was the GE Finance Sturgess Kawasaki ZX-10R Ninja of Kenny Riedmann of Belfountain, Ont. with a lap at 2:25.778. In his debut in the feature class and first appearance at Calabogie, Riedmann was also riding a 190 horsepower superbike in the rain for the first time.
“We loaded in two different maps and three traction control settings, and went out to see how it flies in the rain,” commented Riedmann. “We tried all the combinations, even turned things off, and we went pretty fast. I’m really happy with the performance, the bike is really stable, good pace and no real issues. I love this bike.”
Third quickest with a time set in the wetter afternoon session was Jodi Christie, the reigning Mopar Pro Superbike Canadian National Champion, with a lap at 2:30.066. Keene, Ont.’s Christie was aboard a brand new Honda Canada Accelerated Technologies Honda CBR1000RR.
Fourth quickest, turning the most laps of the combined Pro sessions, was rookie Pro Reiner Griese of Wellington, Ont. riding a BMW S1000RR. In his first outing in the Feature category and at Calabogie, former auto racer Griese set a lap at 2:30.343 in the morning.
In other action at Calabogie, Christie was fastest in Hindle Exhaust Pro Sport Bike action, setting the best time at 2:29.668 on his Shoei Joe Rocket Honda CBR600RR. Second quickest was Caleb Noiles of Upper Cloverdale, N.B. aboard the Capstan Hauling RB Currry Auto Transport Honda CBR600RR with a lap of 2:39.472. Class champion Riedmann opted not to practice on his Castrol Triumph 675 Daytona triple.
Phillip Leckie of London, Ont. was fastest in Magneti Marelli Amateur Superbike activity with a lap at 2:31.13 in the morning aboard the Sirus Consolidated Kawasaki ZX-10R Ninja. In Bell Helmets Amateur Sport Bike practice, Martin Cote of Notre Dame de I’lle Perrot, Que. was the fastest with a lap at 2:36.736 in the morning session with his Pete’s Superbike Honda CBR600RR.
The strong VRRA Vintage class field was headed by Patrick Gagnon of St-Basil-Le-Grand, Que. on a Honda RS125 two-stroke racer, lapping at 2:51.162.
Action at Calabogie MotorSports Park continues Saturday with qualifying for all four National classes, as well as the invitation VRRA Vintage Period Four event. Main focus of Saturday afternoon is the Magneti Marelli backed SuperPole competition to set the Sunday Mopar Superbike grid. Feature races for all five classes will run on Sunday, rain or shine.
For ticket information call toll free (866) 669-TRAK (8725) or Calabogie’s Ottawa office at (613) 727-6252, email [email protected], or visit www.calabogiemotorsports.com or the official Mopar Canadian Superbike Championship website at www.csbk.ca.
The official Mopar Canadian Superbike Championship website, www.csbk.ca, will have full race video coverage of Sunday’s Hindle Exhaust Pro Sport Bike and Mopar Pro Superbike feature opening National events.