SZOKE wins 4th consecutive Canadian Superbike Championship

[Damon Z1000]

Red and White at the pub Friday night, Eh?

I'll bring the cold pancakes if someone brings the maple syrup.

Scotch and Canadian Ginger Ale sounds good

[MadKaw]

Red and White at the pub Friday night, Eh?

I'll bring the cold pancakes if someone brings the maple syrup.

Scotch and Canadian Ginger Ale sounds good

But I just read your on the wagon....

[Damon Z1000]

Yeah, but this will be a celebration.
I can have Diet Canadian Dry Ginger Ale and only a little bit of scotch.
Wholemeal flour pancakes are yummy didn't you know

[dilligaf]

[Jamr]

Great video. I'm amazed that tire didn't blow you could hear the cords slap'n off the swingarm.

[MadKaw]

Two Championships 4 Years in a Row

101 Jordan Szoke 2009 Canadian Trials Champion sets another new record weeks before he heads to Italy as Captain of Team Canada at the Trials de Nations.



SHANNONVILLE, Ont. (September 6) – Brantford, Ont.’s Jordan Szoke claimed his record fourth straight Parts Canada Superbike Championship and his sixth career national crown with a second place finish in the season finale at Shannonville Motorsport Park on Sunday.

Riding his Canadian Kawasaki Motors Kawasaki ZX-10R Szoke finished 6.121 seconds behind race winner Brett McCormick, but that was enough to give him the title by five points over the Saskatoon racer, 341-336.

“I had to ride hard today,” the 30-year-old Szoke said. “I don’t know if I had anything for Brett. This is a lot of weight off my shoulders. Brett’s definitely given me the hardest run of my career. It’s been a super year, a really exciting year for me.”

McCormick needed a win to deny Szoke his sixth Superbike title and despite receiving a five-second penalty for a jump start the 18-year-old rider of the Team Suzuki / Blackfoot / Picotte Racing Suzuki GSX-R1000 dominated at Shannonville. He took the lead on lap three of the 20-lap race and pulled clear for his fourth victory in seven races this year.

“It sucks to come up a little bit short,” said McCormick, who had shattered the track record in qualifying on Saturday. “But Jordan knows how to win. You don’t win four in a row without knowing something. A couple of mistakes from us earlier in the year cost us the championship.”

Szoke grabbed the lead from the start of the race but on lap two both Kevin Lacombe on the Team Toyota Yamaha / OTSFF Yamaha YZF-R1 and McCormick got by. McCormick took the lead from Lacombe on the following lap and Szoke got around the Yamaha rider a lap later.

“I got a good start but then Brett and Kevin came by me and it took me a few laps to collect myself,” said Szoke, who won three races this year. “But I got a great pace going and got really comfortable.”

Lacombe initially stayed close to Szoke but started to drop back at half distance as he struggled with handling issues. He came under pressure from the Suzuki Dealers / Acceleration Racing Suzuki GSX-R1000 of Clint McBain in the closing laps but hung on for third place.

“I was giving it everything I had; I don’t think I’ve ever pushed that hard in a Superbike race at Shannonville,” the Granby, Que. racer said. “I started pushing the front really hard and the rear was spinning like it was on ice.”

McBain got by Lacombe in turn three two laps from the end but was passed back almost immediately by the Yamaha rider. McBain planned to repeat the move on the final lap but the Cochrane, Alta. racer was thwarted by a waved yellow flag in the corner.

McBain claimed third in the final Superbike standings with 236 points.

Kars, Ont.’s Andrew Nelson placed fifth on the Nelson Racing Yamaha YZF-R1 to secure fourth in the final point standings and Steve Crevier of Maple Ridge, B.C. was sixth aboard his Deeley Racing Powered By Buell /Buell 1125R.

Crevier was battling with the second Canadian Kawasaki Motors entry of Alex Welsh on the final lap when the two collided exiting the hairpin and Welsh crashed.

Crevier was later placed on probation for two races by Parts Canada Superbike Championship officials for his role in the incident. Welsh was unhurt in the fall.

After qualifying on the front row Mississauga, Ont.’s Matt McBride raced to seventh on Sunday aboard the Riders Choice Suzuki GSX-R1000.

Keene, Ont.’s Jodi Christie finished eighth on the Honda Powerhouse Dealers of Ontario / Roz-Gar Racing Honda CBR600RR and locked up the HJC Pro Rookie of the Year title.

The top 10 was rounded out by Karl Daigle of Roxton Pond, Que. on the A. Perusse Kawasaki / Chaine Performace Kawasaki ZX-6R and the second of the Deeley Racing Powered By Buell entries, ridden by New Smyrna Beach, Fla.’s Dave Estok.

In other action at Shannonville, Szoke also clinched his fourth straight Yoshimura Pro Sport Bike Championship with a runner-up finish to McCormick in the 15-lap race.

In a race very similar to the Superbike event later in the day, McCormick took the lead on lap three on his Suzuki GSX-R600 and eased clear to a 5.993-sec. victory over the Kawasaki ZX-6R of Szoke.

Welsh completed the podium finishers on another Kawasaki ZX-6R after leading the opening two laps of the race.

Szoke finished the season with 345 points to the 340 of McCormick. Lacombe was third in the final standings with 238 points after a fourth place finish on Sunday.

Cody Matechuk of Cochrane, Alta. locked up the Armour Bodies Amateur Sport Bike Championship with a second place finish at Shannonville on his Suzuki Dealers / Acceleration Racing Suzuki GSX-R600.

The race was won by his nearest title challenger, Sebastien Tremblay of Longueuil, Que. on the A. Perusse Kawasaki / Kawasaki ZX-6R, who finished 7.955 secs. clear of Matechuk. Tremblay picked up the Tirox Won Bigtime Award for having the largest winning advantage of the day.

Matechuk finished the season 41 points clear of Tremblay in the standings.

Raphael Archambault of St-Colomban, Que. clinched the Suzuki SV650 Cup title by just a single point after a 12th place finish at Shannonville on Sunday.

His nearest threat, Brantford, Ont.’s Rob Busby won the race and led the most laps to claim maximum points for the weekend but still ended up with 294 points to the 295 of Archambault.

Steven Nickerson of Hamilton, Ont. took home the Honda CBR125R Challenge title thanks to a runner-up finish in the season finale. His main rival, Bodhi Edie of Warman, Sask. won the race but ended the season 15 points behind in second place.

Action from Shannonville can be seen in two one-hour programs on TSN HD and TSN. The first episode premiers on Tuesday, September 29 at 1:00 p.m. and will be repeated on Saturday, October 3 at 3:30 a.m. The second show premiers Tuesday, October 6 at 1:00 pm. and repeats Saturday, October 10 at 4:00 a.m. All times are EDT.

The races will be also be shown in Quebec on RDS. Please check local listings for dates and times.



SHANNONVILLE, Ont. (September 6) – Results of Sunday’s seventh and final round of the Parts Canada Superbike Championship at Shannonville Motorsport Park, showing finishing position, rider name, hometown, type of motorcycle and laps completed:

1. Brett McCormick, Saskatoon, Sask., Suzuki GSX-R1000, 20*
2. Jordan Szoke, Brantford, Ont., Kawasaki ZX-10R, 20
3. Kevin Lacombe, Granby, Que., Yamaha YZF-R1, 20
4. Clint McBain, Cochrane, Alta., Suzuki GSX-R1000, 20
5. Andrew Nelson, Kars, Ont., Yamaha YZF-R1, 20
6. Steve Crevier, Maple Ridge, B.C., Buell 1125R, 20
7. Matt McBride, Mississauga, Ont., Suzuki GSX-R1000, 20
8. Jodi Christie, Keene, Ont., Honda CBR600RR, 20
9. Karl Daigle, Roxton Pond, Que., Kawasaki ZX-6R, 20
10. Dave Estok, New Smyrna Beach, Fla., Buell 1125R, 20
11. Erick Beausejour, Val D'Or, Que., Suzuki GSX-R1000, 20
12. Marie-Josee Boucher, Montreal, Que., Honda CBR600RR, 20
13. Sean Huffman, Kemptville, Ont., Suzuki GSX-R1000, 20
14. Ross Millson, Hamilton, Ont., Suzuki GSX-R1000, 19
15. Alain Campagna, Mascouche, Que., Yamaha YZF-R6, 19

Did Not Finish
Alex Welsh, Uxbridge, Ont., Kawasaki ZX-6R, 19
Franklyn Dominguez, Montreal, Que., Kawasaki ZX-10R, 18
Darren James, North Vancouver, B.C., Buell 1125R, 5
Martin Grande, Montreal, Que., Suzuki GSX-R600, 1

Did Not Start
Elie Daccache, Ottawa, Ont., Kawasaki ZX-6R
Larry Orde, Peterborough, Ont., Yamaha YZF-R1
Louie Raffa, Ste-Marthe, Que., Yamaha YZF-R6
Olivier Spillborghs, White Rock, B.C., Buell 1125
Tony Kasper, Becker, Minn., Yamaha YZF-R6

* -- includes five-second penalty for jump start
Margin of Victory: 6.121 secs.
Fastest Lap: 1:04.191 by Brett McCormick on lap 5

Final Parts Canada Superbike Championship point standings showing position, rider name and point total:

1. Jordan Szoke 341
2. Brett McCormick 336
3. Clint McBain 236
4. Andrew Nelson 200
5. Steve Crevier 188
6. Kevin Lacombe 158
7. Alex Welsh 145
8. Matt McBride 105
9. Erick Beausejour 99
10. Karl Daigle 99
11. Jodi Christie 95
12. Royce McLean 79
13. Ross Millson 74
14. Marie-Josee Boucher 64
15. Sean Huffman 52
16. Frank Trombino 51
17. Scott Rupert 50
18. Michael Taylor 44
19. Martin Grande 40
20. Dave Stokowski 39
21. Brian Blaauwendraat 33
22. Chris Murray-Audain 32
23. Peter Holzinger 23
24. Jean-Francois Cyr 21
25. Franklyn Dominguez 21
26. Dave Estok 19
27. Mike Zottmann 17
28. Martin Ricard 16
29. Alain Campagna 16
30. Mitch Rathje 13
31. Elie Daccache 8
32. Brad Gavey 8
33. Terry Steeves 5
34. Larry Orde 3
35. Dean Plater 2

[MadKaw]

Two more titles for Szoke! Outstanding rides from Welsh!

SHANNONVILLE, Ont. - Canadian Kawasaki Motors factory rider Jordan Szoke enjoyed a historic weekend in the final round of the Parts Canada Superbike Championship at Shannonville Motorsport Park.

With a second place finish in Sunday's Superbike feature on his Kawasaki Ninja ZX-10R the 30-year-old from Brantford, Ont. secured his fourth straight Parts Canada Superbike title and his sixth national crown. No one has ever won four Canadian Superbike championships in a row and only one other rider has six titles to his credit.

"When I think about winning four in a row it just makes me realize what an awesome career I've had," said Szoke, who won his first title for Kawasaki in 1998. "I just want to keep it going for a long time. This has been a super year, it's been really exciting for me. This is a lot of weight off my shoulders."

Szoke also clinched his fourth straight Yoshimura Pro Sport Bike crown riding the Ninja ZX-6R, becoming one of only two racers to take the title four consecutive years.

Szoke went into the weekend knowing a second place finish would be enough to lock up the Superbike championship. He was third overall in Friday practice as the team experimented with some different set-up ideas, and placed third again in Saturday's pre-qualifying after the Canadian Kawasaki Motors squad reverted to a more traditional package.

"We went with a set-up similar to what I would use in Calgary [Race City]," Szoke explained. "With this being a flat track, and the bumps, it seems to work and it's something I really like."

True to form, Szoke got the most out of the Pirelli SuperPole qualifying session, making an improvement of some three-quarters of a second to secure the number two spot on the grid for Sunday's race with a time of 1:04.172 around the 2.45km (1.53-mile) ‘Pro' Track to compare with a 1:04.943 in the morning.

"I knew I did the job but I also knew I left a lot on the table," said Szoke, who pointed out the continuing development of the Ninja ZX-10R package as he eclipsed his own lap record of 2007. "I have a different pressure than normal, since I really just need to be on the front row and finish second. Into corner two I tried to take it easy and I braked so early - I had no corner speed. There were a few other things like that. I was actually surprised with my time."

In Sunday's 20-lap race Szoke got a great start to lead the opening lap.

He was shuffled back to third on lap two but was back up to second on lap 4, enough to lock up the title.

"I got a good start but after I dropped to third it took me a few laps to collect myself," he admitted. "I got a great pace going and I was really comfortable.

"It was definitely a tough year for winning the championship. I don't think we made a mistake all year but it was tough."

Szoke clinched the title with five points to spare over his nearest rival.

Szoke went into the Pro Sport Bike season finale in a similar position to the Superbike championship, with a second place finish enough to clinch. He qualified second with a time of 1:04.860, about three-tenths shy of the pole.

Szoke's team-mate Alex Welsh stepped up to help out in the Pro Sport Bike race. Despite racing with a fractured pelvis sustained at the previous round of the series in Nova Scotia, the 21-year-old qualified fourth and got a great launch from the outside of the front row to take the lead on his Ninja ZX-6R.

The Uxbridge, Ont. racer stayed there for two laps before dropping back to third, right behind Szoke, and holding off a five-rider train behind him. While Szoke eased clear to a runner-up race finish and his fourth straight championship, Welsh completed the podium.

"I have the best team-mate in the world," enthused Szoke, who clinched the title by five points. "Alex was really battling for me back there."

Szoke took three victories on the Ninja ZX-6R to claim the Sport Bike crown.

"This Kawasaki's been great all year," he said. "I'm actually upset we didn't win more races, because it's such a great motorcycle."

Welsh's third place finish was his fourth podium in seven races this year (although he missed one round due to his injury) and he ended the year a solid fourth in the Pro Sport Bike standings.

"It was a little tough out there because I haven't been training too much with my injury," the former HJC Pro Rookie of the Year explained. "The pace wasn't easy by any means but I was comfortable."

Due to his condition Welsh elected to ride his Ninja ZX-6R in the Superbike race and did well to put the bike in Pirelli SuperPole, where he lined up seventh on the grid, behind six 1000cc machines.

From eighth after the first lap Welsh worked his way up to sixth late in the race, but crashed on the final lap in a collision with Steve Crevier heading onto the backstraight. Parts Canada Superbike Championship series officials reprimanded Crevier for causing what they believed was an "avoidable collision."

"I was committed to the corner," a disappointed Welsh explained. "I felt his bike on my shoulder, and every time I leaned in he would catch my front tire.

"I think I might have stayed behind Crevier too long, otherwise I could have got up to fifth. The back tire was spinning up and I had a couple of moments. That allowed Steve to catch up to me."

It was Welsh's first DNF of the Superbike season but he still took seventh in the final point standings.

Topping off a magnificent campaign for the Canadian Kawasaki Motors factory team, the squad claimed the Inside Motorcycles Team of the Year Award for the second straight season.

"I'm genuinely surprised," said team manager Jeff Comello on the podium. "We had some tough competition this year from Pascal's team and others which forced us to work harder than ever to achieve what we did. But our team never gave up and constantly ensured the bikes performed flawlessly day in and day out. In the end it's the details that can make all the difference."

[Steph]

I saw a post on Twitter that Jordan Szoke was not rehired by Kawasaki Canada and is left without a ride at this point. Unconfirmed though.

[Frank]

I saw a post on Twitter that Jordan Szoke was not rehired by Kawasaki Canada and is left without a ride at this point. Unconfirmed though.

Why does that not suprise me though

[Wattie]

that sucks dick. what have you gotta do do get a ride? win the champoinship 5 times?

[MadKaw]

Nooooooooo.!!!!!

Who are we gunna support now...?

The presuure is on Vermeulen...

[Steph]

Vemeulen and Roger Hayden.

[Glen]

I think we're the kiss of death....we get on the Szoke train and....Bam.....he's out of a job. Kawasaki Canada must've checked us out and thought "oh well that's it he'll never win again"

[Steph]

You may be on to something there!

[Frank]

Nooooooooo.!!!!!

Who are we gunna support now...?

The presuure is on Vermeulen...

Well there is also the Irish Road Racing Series, that's about the only other thing Kawasaki has won in the last decade !