From a press release issued by the Parts Canada Superbike Championship:

TROMBINO TOPS IN TESTING

SHANNONVILLE, ON – Frank Trombino set the pace as the Parts Canada Superbike Championship conducted a preseason test at Shannonville Motorsport Park Thursday.

The Kleinburg, ON rider toured the 1.53-mile Shannonville ‘Pro’ Track in 1:08.282 aboard his Brooklin Cycle Yamaha YZF-R6. Orion Motorsport Honda riders Michael Taylor of Toronto and Kevin Lacombe from Granby, QC were second and third quickest, respectively. Taylor set a time of 1:08.442 while Lacombe recorded a 1:09.384.

Trombino is making his return to the Brooklin Yamaha team after riding for Honda last season. He won back-to-back International Motorcycle SUPERSHOW Open Sport Bike national titles with the team in 2000 and 2001.

Trombino will ride Yamaha’s YZF-R1 in the Parts Canada Superbike feature class this summer and race a new YZF-R6 in the Hindle Pro 600 Sport Bike national support class.

“The team’s fantastic,” Trombino said. “I feel like we’re picking up from where we left off in 2001. I was very comfortable right off the start.”

Trombino and Brooklin Yamaha teammate Darryn Wilbur of Maple, ON enjoyed some track time earlier this spring in Jennings, FL, where they both took part in regional racing events.

Taylor has moved back to the Honda camp after running Yamahas last season. He will ride a CBR954RR in the Superbike division and the brand new CBR600RR in Pro 600 Sport Bike competition. He was the pacesetter for much of the day.

“The 954 is similar to the bike I rode a couple of years ago,” said Taylor, who raced a Honda CBR929RR in 2001. “It’s got more power and torque. We just don’t have it handling yet. The 600 is a dream.”

Lacombe is a heavy favorite for the 2003 Parts Canada Superbike title after winning the final race last season. He will again race the Honda RC51, which has been modified to reflect the new Superbike rules that limit horsepower and restrict modifications.

He will also race a CBR600RR in the Hindle Pro 600 Sport Bike class.

“I have the best of everything. Now I just have to go out and do the job,” Lacombe said.

Yamaha riders Jean-Francois Cyr of Laval, QC, Wilbur and Benoit Pilon of St-Jerome, QC had the fourth through sixth fastest times, respectively.

Australian Robbie Baird, making his first appearance in Canada, was seventh fastest for the Orion Motorsports Honda squad.

The teams from Canadian Kawasaki Motors, Coors Light Racing/Blackfoot Suzuki and Diablo Suzuki did not take part in the Shannonville test as they continued preseason preparations in the U.S. Diablo’s Steve Crevier and Coors Light Racing/Blackfoot Suzuki rider Clint McBain were both at Shannonville to perform television duties.

The Parts Canada Superbike season opens on Shannonville’s ‘Pro Track’ May 16-18.