Max Mercier, the 18-year-old son of former Canadian Champion Michel Mercier, died Sunday after crashing in a 600cc Amateur race and hitting a guardrail at Shannonville Motorsport Park, in Shannonville, Ontario, Canada. Details will follow as they become available. More, from an e-mail from Colin Fraser: RE: Maxime Mercier, 1987 – 2005 Maxime Mercier died Sunday evening, June 12, from head injuries sustained during Amateur Superbike race action in round two of the RACE Ontario Superseries at Shannonville Motorsport Park’s North Fabi track. Starting lap two of the second last event of the day, Mercier collided with another competitor entering turn one. This collision locked the front brake on his Sport Bike/DOT class Yamaha R6, sending him over the front of his machine. Mercier landed on the track, his bike veering left into the end of the pit lane guard rail. From there, observers believe that Mercier got tangled up with his machine, sustaining massive injuries. No other bikes were involved. Although he was transported to hospital in nearby Belleville with a pulse, he soon succumbed to his injuries without ever regaining consciousness. Mercier would have turned 18 on June 18, this Saturday. The Funeral is expected to take place in his home town of Thedford Mines, Quebec, with a memorial service in Belleville early next week, details to be announced. Mercier had considerable experience riding at Shannonville, his parents (Michel and Odette) the owners of the successful FAST Racing School based at the popular southern Ontario venue. Maxime planned to spend the summer in the Belleville area, working at his parent’s school. Maxime Mercier started racing with some Supermoto activity in 2003, before moving to the SV650 Cup Championship last season. This year, Maxime entered the main “rising star” class in Canada, Amateur 600 Production. A dirt track star in the ’70’s, Michel Mercier won three Canadian Superbike Championships (1986 and 1987 for Suzuki, 1990 for Yamaha) before concentrating on his FAST School business. Michel Mercier is credited with developing the early career of reigning Canadian Superbike Champ Pascal Picotte, and was deeply involved in his son’s racing activities. The entire Canadian racing community is in mourning for the popular Maxime.