Veteran racer Kevin Lacombe, a front runner in the Parts Canada Superbike Championship for the last five years, has also fallen victim to the current cash crunch in racing. The Yamaha pull-out from Canadian racing left the Granby, QC rider with two options, retire or create his own team and go racing on his dime.

Far from retiring, Kevin has decided to prepare a 2009 Suzuki GSX-R1000 in his own garage, with parts from Yoshimura, and a motor from Paul Fournier, the famous engine builder from Granby and ex-Picotte Racing.

Kevin Lacombe riding hard aboard his Yamaha R1 from 2009 Photo: Philippe Champoux/Moto123.com

Kevin is pumped about this coming Season. “I am preparing the best machine I can, with the Fournier engine and suspensions from Mike Fitzgerald at Öhlins USA”. There is less money in Canadian racing this year, and Lacombe expects to do well. “My goal is to win Superbike races and the Championship. We hope to have the bike ready in time for two days of practice before the season opener at ICAR on May 28 to 30, and I expect to be running at the front from the start of the season”.

With only two “factory” teams from Kawasaki and BMW, and several quick privateers, like multiple Canadian Champion Jordan Szoke and Lacombe, the 2010 Superbike Championship appears to be wide open.