Szoke secures Edmonton Superbike sweep
EDMONTON, Alta. – Brantford, Ont.’s Jordan Szoke took another big step toward a 10th Canadian Superbike title by winning the fourth round of the Mopar Canadian Superbike Championship at Edmonton’s Castrol Raceway on Sunday, July 12 and completing a sweep of the Parts Canada-presented weekend doubleheader.
Riding the Mopar Express Lane / BMW Motorrad BMW S1000RR, Szoke took the lead on lap 3 of the 16-lap race at Canada’s newest national Superbike venue when Jodi Christie fell in turn 3. The championship leader went on to take his fourth straight win of the season by 6.997 secs. from the GE Capital / Sturgess Cycle Kawasaki ZX-10R ridden by Belfountain, Ont.’s Kenny Riedmann.
Trevor Daley of Mississauga, Ont. completed the podium aboard his Parts Canada / Suzuki Canada Suzuki GSX-R1000.
Szoke completed the 16 laps around Castrol Raceway’s 2.7km (1.69-mile) 14-turn road course in 22 minutes, 0.127 seconds for an average speed of 117.807km/h (70.684 mph).
The win was the 36-year-old Szoke’s all-time leading 49th career Canadian Superbike triumph and gives him a solid 77-point lead over Christie, 219-142, with three races remaining in the 2015 season.
“I don’t pay a lot of attention to the record book; I just try and win every time out,” said Szoke after receiving his first place trophy from Grand Marshall and original Superbike champion George Morin for the second day in a row. “Our big goal this year has been to win the championship back.”
On another hot and humid day at Castrol Raceway Christie was the early leader on his Accelerated Technologies / Honda Canada Honda CBR1000RR with Szoke and Riedmann giving chase. But entering the sweeping turn 4 left-hander on the third lap Christie lost the front end of his bike and slid off into the gravel.
Szoke took over the lead with Riedmann close behind, but on lap 5 the BMW rider turned the fastest lap of the race, a 1:18.273, and managed to open up a gap of four seconds to the Kawasaki. From there Szoke controlled the pace on the way to his fourth straight win of the 2015 season.
“I knew Jodi would go hard from the start,” Szoke said. “I think he must have found something overnight because he was showing some good pace. After he went down I knew Kenny would be there so I just put my head down and tried to get a gap.”
Christie rejoined the race two laps down after a stop in the pits to remove gravel from his bike’s bellypan and finished 17th, picking up a critical six points toward the championship.
“I knew I was going into the turn a little hot and I just tried to get on the brakes, but it was too late,” explained the 22-year-old defending Mopar Canadian Superbike champ. “I just went over a bump and that was it.”
Riedmann followed up his first career Superbike podium finish on Saturday, when he placed third, by claiming the runner-up spot behind Szoke and moving into third place in the Mopar Canadian Superbike Championship standings with 140 points, just two behind Christie.
“Jordan rode a great race,” Riedmann admitted. “I tried to keep pace with him but I started making mistakes and decided it would be better to get the finish.”
Daley shook off an early challenge from Edmonton’s Justin Knapik to pull away to a clear third place finish, his best result of the 2015 campaign.
“It was pretty dicey early in the race but I knew just to stay calm,” said the 2014 Mopar Canadian Superbike Championship runner-up. “We had an electronics problem that slowed us down yesterday but we got that sorted out and we had a great set-up for the bike today.”
The final five laps of the race featured a thrilling battle for fourth spot between the Kawasaki ZX-10Rs of Knapik, Mike Zottmann and Sebastien Tremblay. Knapik held on to grab the spot aboard his Echo Cycle / Dunlop-backed Ninja, with Zottmann on the Vortex / Bow Cycle bike passing Tremblay’s Laval Moto / MotoNation-sponsored Kawasaki on the final lap for fifth.
“This is the race I was hoping to have yesterday,” admitted Knapik, the defending Edmonton Motorcycle Roadracing Association champion, who had finished a disappointing eighth on Saturday. “We were trying to get the bike to steer better into some of the corners and we picked up about six-tenths of a second. I’m pretty stoked because the guys on the team worked so hard this weekend.”
Zottmann lost momentum when he hurt his knee on the fourth lap. But after being passed by Tremblay the Calgary rider came back and snatched fifth spot back in turn 4.
“After Tremblay came by I told myself to suck it up and I got into my rhythm again,” Zottmann said. “I was losing ground to them [Knapik and Tremblay] on power but I was able to make up ground on the brakes.”
Tremblay’s second straight sixth-place leaves the Mirabel, Que. racer fourth in the Pro Superbike standings with 130 points.
For the second day in a row Shane Caravan of Edmonton was the top rookie Pro finisher, placing seventh on his Yamaha YZF-R1.
After battling with Caravan early in the race, Mission, B.C.’s Bez Cajee settled for eighth place riding the Modern Motorcycling / W.M.R.C. Suzuki GSX-R1000.
Another pair of rookies rounded out the top 10. Tomas Casas of Peterborough, Ont. worked his way up from 14th on the opening lap to finish ninth with his Parts Canada / Bow Cycle Yamaha YZF-R6, while St-Lazare, Que.’s Stacey Nesbitt was 10th with her Statoni Racing / OCM / Honda Canada Honda CBR600RR.
In other action at Castrol Raceway, Riedmann scored his second straight win in the Hindle Exhaust Pro Sport Bike class and closed to within two points of Christie, who finished second, in the point standings after four of seven rounds.
Riding his Triumph 675, the defending class champion led all the way and finished 2.739 secs. clear of Christie’s Honda CBR600RR.
Rookie Pro Casas finished a career high third aboard his Yamaha YZF-R6.
Mike Yurko of Strathmore, Alta. took fourth on the Redline Motorsports / Dunlop Yamaha YZF-R6 and Calgary’s Rob Darlington completed the top five riding his Yamaha YZF-R6.
Christie now leads the Pro Sport Bike standings with 185 points to Riedmann’s 183.
Samuel Trepanier of St-Isidore-de-Laprairie, Que. rode his BMW S1000RR to his second straight Magneti Marelli Amateur Superbike win. Trepanier led all 14 laps and finished 1.595 secs. clear of the Kawasaki ZX-10R of Oshawa, Ont.’s Derrick Whyte.
Alex Coelho of Brossard, Que. placed third with his Kawasaki ZX-6R and took over the class points lead with 153 points to the 151 of St-Lin Laurentides, Que.’s Stephane Chimot, who finished fourth on Sunday with his Honda CBR1000RR.
Trepanier is now third in points with 147 and Whyte a close fourth with 141 heading into the final three rounds of the season.
London, Ont.’s Philip Leckie ended Coelho’s perfect win record in the Bell Helmets Amateur Sport Bike class by taking the win in round 4 at Castrol Raceway. Riding his Suzuki GSX-R600 Leckie led all the way to beat Coelho by 1.230 secs. Martin Cote of Notre Dame de L’Ile Perrot, Que. completed the podium finishers on his Honda CBR600RR.
Coelho still holds a solid lead in the Amateur Sport Bike standings with 205 points to Leckie’s 169.
Allan Millican of Millet, Alta. and his Suzuki GSX-R600 team claimed the Ipone Professionalism and Presentation Award in the Amateur Sport Bike class, while Yamaha YZF-R6 rider Owen Baba of Edmonton received the Oxford Prize Pack.
St. Albert, Alta.’s Jason Kolmatycki won the EMRA Senior Open race on his Yamaha YZF-R1 and Edmonton’s Lucas Gledhill took the EMRA Novice Open event aboard a Ducati 1098.
The official Mopar Canadian Superbike Championship website, www.csbk.ca, will have full race video coverage of both of this weekend’s Mopar Pro Superbike races, as well as Sunday’s Hindle Pro Sport Bike round.
The Mopar Canadian Superbike Championship resumes July 31-August 2 at Atlantic Motorsport Park in Shubenacadie, N.S. Ticket information is available at www.atlanticmotorsportpark.com or www.atlanticmotorsportpark.com or by calling (902) 758-2237.
EDMONTON, Alta. (July 12) – Results of Sunday’s fourth round of the Mopar Canadian Superbike Championship at Castrol Raceway, showing finishing position, rider name, hometown, type of motorcycle and laps completed:
1. Jordan Szoke, Brantford, Ont., BMW S1000RR, 16 (117.807km/h)
2. Kenny Riedmann, Belfountain, Ont., Kawasaki ZX-10R, 16
3. Trevor Daley, Mississauga, Ont., Suzuki GSX-R1000, 16
4. Justin Knapik, Edmonton, Alta., Kawasaki ZX-10R, 16
5. Mike Zottmann, Calgary, Alta., Kawasaki ZX-10R, 16
6. Sebastien Tremblay, Mirabel, Que., Kawasaki ZX-10R, 16
7. Shane Caravan, Edmonton, Alta., Yamaha YZF-R1, 16
8. Bez Cajee, Mission, B.C., Suzuki GSX-R1000, 16
9. Tomas Casas, Peterborough, Ont., Yamaha YZF-R6, 16
10. Stacey Nesbitt, St-Lazare, Que., Honda CBR600RR, 16
11. John Crump, Bragg Creek, Alta., Suzuki GSX-R1000, 15
12. Spero Benias, Vancouver, B.C., Suzuki GSX-R600, 15
13. Ken LaLonde, Maple Ridge, B.C., Suzuki GSX-R1000, 15
14. Reiner Griese, Wellington, Ont., BMW S1000RR, 15
15. Ernie McCafferty, Leduc County, Alta., Yamaha YZF-R1, 15
16. Colin Lolacher, Chestermere, Alta., BMW S1000RR, 14
17. Jodi Christie, Keene, Ont., Honda CBR1000RR, 14
Did Not Finish
Ian Wall, Edmonton, Alta., Suzuki GSX-R1000, 7
Michael Leon, Beaconsfield, Que., BMW S1000RR, 0
Ross Millson, Hamilton, Ont., Suzuki GSX-R1000, 0
Did Not Start
Louie Raffa, Ste-Marthe, Que., Honda CBR600RR
Darren James, North Vancouver, B.C., Yamaha YZF-R6
Time of Race: 22:00.127
Average Speed: 117.807km/h
Margin of Victory: 6.997 secs.
Fastest Lap: 1:18.273 by Jordan Szoke on lap 5
Lap Leaders: Jodi Christie, 1-2; Jordan Szoke, 3-16
Mopar Canadian Superbike Championship point standings after four of seven rounds, showing position, rider name and point total:
1.Jordan Szoke, 219
2. Jodi Christie, 142
3. Kenny Riedmann, 140
4. Sebastien Tremblay, 130
5. Trevor Daley, 102
6. Stacey Nesbitt, 69
7. Michael Leon, 67
8. Tomas Casas, 65
9. Justin Knapik, 55
10. Mike Zottmann, 54
11. Franklyn Dominguez, 48
12. Ross Millson, 46
13. Shane Caravan, 44
14. Bez Cajee, 40
15. Reiner Griese, 33
16. Sean Huffman, 31
17. John Crump, 30
18. Spero Benias, 27
19. Kristopher Garvie, 25
20. Jim Proulx, 23
20. Ken LaLonde, 23
22. Chris Murray-Audain, 21
23. Colin Lolacher, 14
23. Ernie McCafferty, 14
More, from a press release issued by Triumph Motorcycles (America):
TRIUMPH’S KENNY RIEDMANN WINS TWICE IN CSBK PRO SPORT BIKE AT CASTROL RACEWAY
Brandon Robinson and Jake Shoemaker finish inside the top 10 during AMA Pro Flat Tack
ATLANTA (July 13, 2015) – Kenny Riedmann rode his #1 plated Riedmann Management / GE Capital / Castrol / Triumph Daytona 675R to two CSBK Pro Sport Bike victories at Castrol Raceway in Nisku, Alberta, Canada, while AMA Pro Flat Track saw two Triumph Bonnevilles finish inside the top 10 at the Indy Mile in the GNC1 Main to cap an exciting race weekend.
Riedmann has returned to form after a shoulder injury at the opening round of the CSBK season as he clinched two Pro Sport Bike wins over the weekend. The stellar results brought him to within two points of the championship leader with two races remaining on the schedule.
“It’s great to be winning again,” said Kenny Riedmann. “It’s been a tough month since my get off at Calabogie. Now it’s time to get back to the championship.”
In AMA Pro Flat Track racing action, Brandon Robinson and Jake Shoemaker gave Triumph a season’s first as they both finished inside the top ten during the GNC1 Main. Robinson, racing the #44 Latus Motors Racing / Castrol / Triumph Bonneville, qualified for the Dash For Cash and finished in sixth during the Main. Robinson, on the #55 Bonneville Performance / Castrol / Triumph Bonenville, finished the Main in 10th. Robinson and Shoemaker currently sit sixth and 13th, respectively, in the season point standings.
“Overall, a great day and I was able to get some valuable points,” said Brandon Robinson. “I’m looking forward to the next race and hopefully putting it on the box in Rapid City.”
As a result of the weekend’s racing activities, VETMotorsports has earned a $425 bonus through Castrol’s VETMotorsports Performance Match Fund. The donation brings the season total earned for the organization to $5,325.
Atlantic Motorsports Park in Shubanacadie, Nova Scotia, is home to the next CSBK round on August 1-2. AMA Pro Flat actions moves to the Black Hills Half-Mile in Rapid City, S.D., on August 4. The entire AMA Pro Flat Tack event from the Indy Mile is available on-demand, free of charge for online streaming at www.FansChoice.TV.
About Triumph
Triumph Motorcycles is the British motorcycle marque that produces a wide range of sport, cruiser, adventure and touring motorcycles. From the storied Bonneville to the class-leading Speed Triple and Daytona 675R, Triumph offers a blend of design, character and performance that result in truly distinctive motorcycles. First established in 1902 and now located in Hinckley, Leicestershire, England, Triumph has always set the pace for category-winning machines. The company is solely owned by Bloor Holdings Ltd., and Triumph Motorcycles America, its North American operations, are based in Atlanta. To see the full range of Triumph motorcycles, visit www.TriumphMotorcycles.com.
About Castrol
Castrol, one of the world’s leading lubricant brands, has a proud heritage of innovation and fuelling the dreams of pioneers. Their passion for performance, combined with a philosophy of working in partnership with manufacturers, has enabled Castrol to develop oils that have been at the heart of numerous technological feats on land, air, sea and space for over 100 years. Today, the company’s vast portfolio of high performance lubricants, including Castrol EDGE, Castrol GTX MAGNATEC, Castrol GTX and Castrol Power RS, are available in almost 140 countries worldwide. For more information on Castrol’s premium lubricants, please visit www.Castrol.com.
About VETMotorsports
Founded in 2012, Veteran Empowerment Through Motorsports (VETMotorsports) is an award-winning, non-clinical outreach program that embeds qualifying warfighters with existing race teams to provide them with unique motorsports experiences. By placing veterans in hands-on, high-stress, team environments that mimic active duty, the organization gives them direction, empowerment and challenges that help them focus on ability and moving forward rather than disability and the past. To date VETMotorsports has helped more than 65 injured warfighters participate in 35 motorcycle and auto racing events across the United States. To learn more about VETMotorsports, participate in the program, or make a donation, visit www.VETMotorsports.org