Jordan Szoke (above, middle) clinched the 2013 Mopar Canadian Superbike Championship in style by winning the final round of the season at Le Circuit Mont-Tremblant on Sunday.
The Brantford, Ont. racer took the lead on the opening lap and led the rest of the way on his Waznie Racing / BMW Motorrad Canada / Parts Canada BMW S1000RR. He finished the 16-lap race 6.183 secs. clear of Alex Welsh on the AW7R / Kenwood Electronics Canada / Parts Canada Suzuki GSX-R1000 (above, left).
Jodi Christie completed the podium aboard the Jodi Christie Racing / Honda Canada / Accelerated Technologies Honda CBR1000RR (above, right).
Szoke completed the 68.16km (40.896-mile) distance in 26 minutes, 51.253 seconds for an average speed of 152.289km/h (91.373 mph).
The title was Szoke’s second in a row and his ninth Canadian national Superbike crown. He finished the season with 307 points to the 252 of Welsh and Christie’s 208.
“To win one of these championships means so much to a rider,” said the 34-year-old Szoke. “I never imagined I would be able to win nine. I hope it never stops. These guys [Welsh and Christie] gave me a good fight this year. They keep getting better and better and I keep getting older.”;
Szoke had claimed pole position for Sunday’s race in Magneti Marelli SuperPole qualifying on Saturday but Bodhi Edie of Warman, Sask. swept into the lead from his position on the outside of the front row off the start. Welsh then grabbed the lead halfway around the opening lap but Szoke dove down the inside of the Suzuki rider entering the Namerow Hairpin to lead at the end of the opening lap.
The BMW rider stretched his advantage from there, leading by three seconds after six laps and by almost six seconds after 12 laps. He turned the fastest lap of the race, a 1:39.711 on his fifth tour.
“I thought I had got a great start but Alex really got the jump on me,” Szoke admitted after his fifth Superbike national win at Le Circuit. “We had an amazing set-up this weekend and I just felt like we had the jump on everybody.”;
Welsh came into the weekend as the only rider with a shot at taking the Mopar Canadian Superbike Championship title from Szoke. But the Uxbridge, Ont. racer suffered a fall in practice on Friday and could only qualify fifth fastest on Saturday.
“We were just a little bit behind all weekend,” said Welsh, who finished on the podium in every Mopar Canadian Superbike Championship event this year. “My team gave me the best bike of the weekend today but it was a lot of work out there. Jordan was tough as always.”;
Christie ran third all the way. He was challenged by the Edie Racing / Charles Antle / Ffun Motorsports BMW S1000RR of Edie until the Saskatchewan racer fell unhurt in turn eight on lap seven. Christie then survived a late push from Frank Trombino to claim his second straight third place finish at Le Circuit.
Christie’s Jodi Christie / Honda Canada / Accelerated Technologies crew picked up the Inside Motorcycles Team of the Year Award.
Kleinburg, Ont.’s Trombino settled for fourth aboard the Trombino Racing / Royal Plumbing / FDS Racing Aprilia RSV4 Factory despite pressure throughout the race from the OneSpeed Suzuki GSX-R1000 of Mississauga, Ont.’s Trevor Daley. Daley picked up the $500 Sunoco / Brooklin Cycle Racing Rookie of the Race Award for his fifth place finish.
Sebastien Tremblay of Longueuil, Que. took sixth on the MotoNation / ASM Motorsport BMW S1000RR, just ahead of the Robinson Racing / Gym-Max / Monette Sports BMW S1000RR of Tim Robinson. The Gatineau, Que. rider charged up from 11th early in the race to threaten Tremblay over the final four laps.
Behind Robinson, MJ Boucher took eighth on the Nelson Power / RBCI / Blue Streak Racing BMW S1000RR after a tense battle with the Genics Inc. Kawasaki ZX-10R of Kristopher Garvie and Frankly Dominguez aboard the Excel Honda / Holt / Seamont Honda CBR1000RR.
Garvie finished ninth and the Caledon, Ont. racer picked up the season-long Sunoco / BCR Pro Rookie of the Year Award. St-Lazare, Que.’s Dominguez completed the top 10.
In other action at Le Circuit, Christie completed a perfect season in the Hindle Exhaust Pro Sport Bike class with his sixth win from six races on Sunday. Riding his Honda CBR600RR the Keene, Ont. racer edged the Team Archambault / Town & Country / Acme Slate Suzuki GSX-R600 of Terrebonne, Que.’s Raphael Archambault by just 0.568 secs.
Garvie placed third aboard the Honda Canada / Genics Inc. Honda CBR600RR.
Christie had clinched his third straight Pro Sport Bike title at Canadian Tire Motorsport Park two weeks ago.
Steve Crevier of Maple Ridge, B.C. wrapped up his third straight Harley-Davidson Canada XR1200 Cup title with a third place finish on his MotoSport Plus-backed entry.
Photo by Bob Szoke / Courtesy of Frontline CSBK Inc.
