(TORONTO, ON) For the second year in a row road racing champion Jordan Szoke of Brantford, Ont. has been selected Motorcycle Racer of the Year in the Inside Track Readers’ Choice Awards.
The 31-year-old won his fourth straight titles in the Parts Canada Superbike Championship and Yoshimura Pro Sport Bike Championship in 2009. The Superbike crown was the sixth of his career, tying Szoke with Steve Crevier for the most national championships in the 30-year history of the series.
Szoke was presented with his award on the Canadian Tire Stage of the Canadian Motorsports Expo at Toronto’s International Centre on Saturday evening. Inside Track Readers’ Choice Awards were presented in 13 categories.
Amateur Motocross champion Dean Wilson was selected as Up and Coming Motorcycle Racer of the Year in the poll, which was conducted through Inside Track Motorsport News.
“It’s always nice to be recognized by the fans,” Szoke said. “Canadian motorsports enthusiasts are some of the most knowledgeable in the world and I thank the readers of Inside Track for selecting me as Motorcycle Racer of the Year.”
Szoke was also chosen Motorcycle Racer of the Year in 2006. He has now tied motocross star Jean Sebastien Roy for the most Readers’ Choice Awards in that category since the awards were created in 2002.
“We had an unbelievable year in 2009,” Szoke added. “Winning two national championships for the fourth year in a row is really hard to believe and tying Steve Crevier for the most Superbike titles is an achievement I’m particularly proud of.”
In addition to his road racing accomplishments, Szoke also won the Canadian Motorcycle Association’s national Trials title and represented Canada at the Trials des Nations in Italy last October.
Canadian Motocross champion Colton Facciotti of Aldergrove, B.C. was the runner-up in Motorcycle Racer of the Year voting.
The 17-year-old Wilson is the third straight motocross competitor to claim the Up and Coming Motorcycle Racer of the Year Award. The Scottish born rider claimed a pair of class victories in the famed Loretta Lynn’s Amateur Motocross Nationals in the United States last August and was the winner of the American Motorcyclist Association’s Horizon Award.
Last October Wilson starred for Canada in the Motocross of Nations in Italy. He was recently signed to the crack Monster Energy/Pro Circuit Kawasaki team for the 2010 U.S. racing season.
“Both Jordan and Dean should be exceedingly proud of their accomplishments in 2009,” said John Hopkins, editor of Inside Motorcycles, a sister publication to Inside Track. “Jordan added to his legacy as one of the greatest competitors in our sport’s history with his performance this year and Dean has marked himself out as a true star of the future in the motocross ranks.”
The Canadian Motorsports Expo continues through Sunday at Toronto’s International Centre. Activities on the final day will include a stage appearance by Yvon, Miguel and Mario Duhamel between 11:00 a.m. and 12:00 noon.
ABOUT THE CME: The Canadian Motorsports Expo is a three-day celebration of Canadian racing that runs through Sunday at the International Centre (6900 Airport Road in Mississauga). The show is powered by Inside Track Motorsport News and supported by companies like Lucas Oil Canada, NASCAR Canada, Mosport International Raceway and Canadian Tire.
For more information about the Canadian Motorsports Expo, visit www.canadianmotorsportsexpo.com.