MIRABEL, Que. (May 30) Veteran Jordan Szoke (Waznie Racing / BMC Ciclo Werks / DeWildt Honda) held off young upstart Jodi Christie (Jodi Christie Racing / Durham Honda) to win the opening round of the Parts Canada Superbike Championship at Circuit ICAR near Montreal on Sunday. The 31-year-old Szoke led all 18 laps of the race around the 2.8km (1.74-mile) circuit on his Honda CBR1000RR but couldn’t shake 17-year-old Christie and his Honda CBR600RR. Despite a couple of late challenges by Christie, Szoke was able to hang on to win by 0.668 secs. Kevin Lacombe (Lacombe Racing Suzuki) completed the podium on his Suzuki GSX-R1000. “I get older and I keep getting these younger and younger guys chasing me,” said Szoke, who scored a perfect 56 points from the weekend by starting from pole position, leading the most laps and taking the win. “It’s a long race and I thought I might be able to break away, but Jodi stuck right there.” The win was Szoke’s 30th career national Superbike triumph, the most in series history. He is trying to win his record seventh Canadian Superbike crown and fifth straight Parts Canada Superbike title. “This takes a lot of weight off us,” the Brantford, Ont. rider said. “It’s a real good start for the championship, because Kevin and the rest of the guys are only going to get faster as the year goes on.” Christie grabbed the holeshot off the start but Szoke was into the lead before the end of the first lap. But the Keene, Ont. racer never fell more than a second behind in his pursuit of the leader. “I was trying really hard and I thought I could make a move on the last lap but I messed up the chicane,” said Christie, who won last year’s HJC Pro Rookie of the Year award. “I knew it was doable and I tried hard to stick behind him. I have to be satisfied with my weekend.” Lacombe was seventh at the end of the first lap and wasn’t able to work his way up to third until lap 10. By then Szoke and Christie were eight seconds ahead, and the Granby, Que. rider eventually finished 14.717 secs. behind the winner. “For sure I could have run with those guys [Szoke and Christie] the whole race,” Lacombe said. “With the set up I had I was able to brake really deep and that’s where I made my passes.” Frank Trombino (ProStar Motorsports / Sturgess Cycle) emerged from an exciting battle to take fourth on his Honda CBR1000RR. The Kleinburg, Ont. racer was as far back as seventh at half distance but worked his way forward, finally passing Francis Martin (Rush HD / BMW Motorrad Canada) four laps from the end. Mississauga, Ont.’s Michael Ferreira (Rush HD / BMW Motorrad Canada) also got by his team-mate to take fifth on his BMW S1000RR, with Sherbrooke, Que. ace Martin settling for sixth on another BMW S1000RR. Alex Welsh of Uxbridge, Ont. (Competition Systems Kawasaki Race Team) on a Kawasaki ZX-10R just held off the BMW S1000RR of Andrew Nelson (Orion Motorsports / BMW Motorrad Canada) for seventh. Kars, Ont.’s Nelson had qualified second for the race but ended the first lap in fourth and was unable to threaten the frontrunners. In another close call at the line top rookie Cody Matechuk of Cochrane, Alta. (Acceleration Racing) finished ninth on his Suzuki GSX-R600 ahead of the GSX-R600 of Ste-Adele, Que.’s Jean-Francois Cyr (CyRacing). Cyr made an impressive recovery after crashing on lap 2 and dropping to the back of the field. In other action at Circuit ICAR, Szoke also got his bid for a fifth straight Pro Sport Bike championship off to an excellent start with another narrow victory over Christie in the season opener. Szoke crossed the line 0.503 secs. ahead of Christie in a Honda CBR600RR 1-2 in the eight-lap race, which was shortened from the originally scheduled 14 due to an accident on lap 9. Ste-Adele, Que.’s Cyr completed the podium on his Suzuki GSX-R600. St-Colomban, Que.’s Raphael Archambault led all 14 laps to win the Amateur Sport Bike race on his Honda CBR600RR. Archambault finished 4.873 secs. ahead of Jeremie Hade Precourt of Granby, Que. on a Suzuki GSX-R600. Third place went to Philippe Masse of St-Dominique, Que.on a Kawasaki ZX-6R. Ryan Appenrodt of Quesnel, B.C. claimed his second straight victory in the Honda CBR125R Challenge at Circuit ICAR on Sunday. In a race very similar to Saturday’s season opener, Appenrodt finished 0.316 secs. ahead of Loic Viscasillas of Laval, Que., with Sarnia, Ont.’s Will Hornblower completing the podium in the 10-lap race, just 0.735 secs. behind the winner. Robert Busby of Brantford, Ont. won the opening round of the Sport Twins championship, riding his Buell XB12R to a 10.684-sec. victory over the Suzuki SV650 of Mississauga, Ont.’s Brent Strong. White Rock, B.C. racer Olivier Spilborghs was third on a Buell XB9R. For the second straight year Natalie Catherine Provost of Laval, Que. claimed first place in the Pro Honda Oils Women’s Cup event on her Honda CBR600RR. Genevieve Lesieur of Quebec City took second aboard a Suzuki GSX-R600 and Montreal’s Vanessa Gareau Dominguez completed the podium in third on another Suzuki. The Parts Canada Superbike Championship resumes with a doubleheader weekend at Race City Motorsports Park in Calgary June 25-27. Highlights from this weekend’s event at Circuit ICAR can be seen on TSN HD and TSN on July 20, July 27 and Aug. 3, starting at 1:00pm Eastern. Check your local listings for rebroadcast information. MIRABEL, Que. Results of Sunday’s opening round of the Parts Canada Superbike Championship at Circuit ICAR showing finishing position, rider name, hometown, type of motorcycle and laps completed: 1. Jordan Szoke, Brantford, Ont., Honda CBR1000RR, 18 laps 2. Jodi Christie, Keene, Ont., Honda CBR600RR, 18 3. Kevin Lacombe, St-Cesaire, Que., Suzuki GSX-R1000, 18 4. Frank Trombino, Kleinburg, Ont., Honda CBR1000RR, 18 5. Mike Ferreira, Mississauga, Ont., BMW S1000RR, 18 6. Francis Martin, Sherbrooke, Que., BMW S1000RR, 18 7. Alex Welsh, Uxbridge, Ont., Kawasaki ZX-10R, 18 8. Andrew Nelson, Kars, Ont., BMW S1000RR, 18 9. Cody Matechuk, Cochrane, Alta., Suzuki GSX-R600, 18 10. Jean-Francois Cyr, Ste-Adele, Que., Suzuki GSX-R600, 18 11. Kenny Riedmann, Belfountain, Ont., Triumph Daytona 675, 18 12. Marie-Josee Boucher, Montreal, Que., Honda CBR600RR, 18 13. Ross Millson, Hamilton, Ont., Suzuki GSX-R1000, 18 14. Scott Rupert, Gadshill, Ont., Suzuki GSX-R1000, 17 Did Not Finish Louie Raffa, Ste-Marthe, Que., Yamaha YZF-R6, 13 Franklyn Dominguez, Montreal, Que., Kawasaki ZX-10R, 2 Sean Huffman, Kemptville, Ont., Suzuki GSX-R1000, 1 Did Not Start Alain Campagna, Mascouche, Que., Yamaha YZF-R6 Martin Ricard, Montreal, Que., Kawasaki ZX-10R Sebastien Tremblay, Sherbrooke, Que., Honda CBR600RR Margin of Victory: 0.668 secs. Fastest Lap: 1:25.289 by Jordan Szoke on lap 8 Parts Canada Superbike Championship point standings after 1 of 7 rounds showing position, rider name and point total: 1.Jordan Szoke, 56; 2. Jodi Christie, 43; 3. Kevin Lacombe, 37; 4. Frank Trombino, 32; 5. Francis Martin, 29; 6. Mike Ferreira, 29; 7. Andrew Nelson, 26; 8. Alex Welsh, 25; 9. Cody Matechuk, 21; 10. Jean-Francois Cyr, 19; 11. Kenny Riedmann, 17; 12. Marie-Josee Boucher, 15; 13. Ross Millson, 13; 14. Scott Rupert, 12