From a press release issued by series organizers:

PICOTTE WINS POLE

CALGARY, AB Pascal Picotte of Granby, QC, winner of the Parts Canada Superbike Championship in 2003, shattered the old Superbike record in Friday’s qualifying session.Picotte rode his Team Yamaha / Picotte Performance Yamaha YZF-R1 around the 2.1-mile Race City circuit in 1:16.508, more than a full second quicker than the old mark of 1:17.608.

“This is just our second race weekend on the new R1 so it’s obviously looking really good for the rest of the season,” said Picotte, pointing out that his closest competition the Suzuki-mounted duo of Steve Crevier and Clint McBain are on machines with a full year of race development behind them.”Yamaha did a great job redesigning this R1.We definitely have more horsepower this year than last year.”

In claiming his second MPM Array Pole Award of the season Picotte also gave some of the credit for his sparkling performance to a detour his team made on the way west. His Picotte Performance team stopped in Brainerd, MN last week and tested his new equipment in a round of the U.S.-based AMA Superbike series.

Picotte will start from pole for both of this weekend’s Parts Canada Superbike feature races. The first race in the doubleheader will run Saturday afternoon, with the second scheduled for Sunday. The races are the second and third rounds of the eight-race national championship.

Both Crevier, from Maple Ridge, BC, and local hero McBain also timed-in under the previous record. However, in post-qualifying technical inspection, Crevier’s DXS Diablo Racing Suzuki GSX-R1000 was found to be three horsepower over the allowable limit, costing him 14 starting positions.

Crevier comes into this weekend’s action leading the Parts Canada Superbike standings after winning the opening round at Shannonville Motorsport Park in May.

Crevier’s penalty promoted Granby, QC’s Kevin Lacombe up to third spot on his Lacombe Racing Yamaha YZF-R1 and moved another Calgary rider, Chris Peris onto the front row in fourth spot aboard his Suzuki GSX-R750.

While McBain had to settle for a second place starting spot in the Parts Canada Superbike class, he will start first in the Hindle Performance Exhaust Pro 600 Sport Bike races this weekend. McBain led three other riders his teammate Craig Connell of Brisbane, Australia, Picotte and Kleinburg, ON’s Frank Trombino in bettering the 600 track record.McBain’s 1:18.823 was a significant advance on the old top time of 1:19.502 set last year by Robbie Baird.

The Pro 600 Sport Bike races will also run on Saturday and Sunday afternoon.

Dominic Lavoie of Levis, QC was the quickest rider in practice for the International Motorcycle SUPERSHOW Amateur 600 Sport Bike class, which will qualify Saturday.

This weekend’s events will be televised on TSN on July 24 and July 31 at 11:30 a.m. EDT and on Quebec’s RDS on Aug. 8 at 12:00 p.m. and Aug. 22 at 11:30 a.m. The action will also appear in one-hour format later this summer on Toronto1 and A-Channel stations in Winnipeg, Calgary and Edmonton.

Qualifying results for this weekend’s second and third rounds of the Parts Canada Superbike Championship at Race City Motorsport Park in Calgary, showing qualifying position, number, hometown and brand of motorcycle:

1. #1, Pascal Picotte, Granby, QC, Yamaha;
2. #9, Clint McBain, Calgary, AB, Suzuki;
3. #34, Kevin Lacombe, Granby, QC, Yamaha;
4. #3, Chris Peris, Calgary, AB, Suzuki;
5. #31, Frank Trombino, Kleinburg, ON, Yamaha;
6. #101, Jordan Szoke, Brantford, ON, Honda;
7. #7, Jeff Williams, Harrowsmith, ON, Suzuki;
8. #26, Andrew Nelson, Kars, ON, Honda;
9. #6, Craig Connell, Brisbane, Australia, Suzuki;
10. #16, Francis Martin, Rock Forest, QC, Kawasaki;
11. #17, Brian Nielsen, Edmonton, AB, Yamaha;
12. #36, Peter Holzinger, Banff, AB, Suzuki;
13. #13, Matthew McBride, Mississauga, ON, Kawasaki;
14. #74, Michael Leon, Beaconsfield, QC, Suzuki;
15. #46, Tim Easton, Calgary, AB, Yamaha;
16. #14, Steve Crevier, Maple Ridge, BC, Suzuki*;
17. #100, Dale Yamada, Calgary, AB, Kawasaki;
18. #47, Matt Binns, Uxbridge, ON, Ducati;
19. #114, Corey Sherman, Corbyville, ON, Suzuki;
20. #51, Yannick Morin, Repetigny, QC, Kawasaki;
21. #12, Bill Card, Wellesley, ON, Honda;
22. #42, Barry French, Brampton, ON, Yamaha;
23. #11, Mike Zottman, Calgary, AB, Suzuki;
24. #441, Francois Chartrand, Anjou, QC, Yamaha;
25. #57, Dave Hodge, Acton, ON, Triumph

* — penalized 14 positions for exceeding class horsepower limit