CALABOGIE, Ont. (May 24) – Kawasaki’s Jordan Szoke beat 17-year old Brett McCormick (Suzuki) in both main events at the Ontario track, to kick off a season that promises tight battles between the veteran multi champion and the upcoming youngster.


In Superbike, a last-lap pass by Szoke, aboard his Canadian Kawasaki Motors / ZX-10R, on McCormick gave Szoke the win by 0.133 sec, after a race-long battle between the two. “What a great, fun race that was,” said Szoke. “We passed each other a whole bunch of times on that last lap. I had to ride hard but I guess all my conditioning paid off.”

McCormick Team Suzuki / Blackfoot / Picotte Motorsports / GSX-R1000 had started from pole and the 17-year-old led 14 of the 16 laps. “It’s disappointing to lead the whole race and then lose it on the last lap,” the runner-up finisher said. “I was managing the lead a little bit but the bike felt good.”

Kevin Lacombe took third on the Team Toyota Yamaha / OTSFF / YZF-R1, after getting the hole shot at the start, with Clint McBain (Suzuki) 0.036 sec. behind in fourth, and Frank Trombino (Suzuki) fifth.

In Pro Sport Bike, Szoke jumped the start from pole position, and pulled out an 8 sec lead at the flag, enough to give him a 3 sec win after adjusting for a 5 sec. penalty. “I figured out right away that I had to get a big lead,” Szoke said. “I just put my head down and pushed hard. But it was a comfortable pace for me and I didn’t have any moments.”

McCormick passed Lacombe on the final lap after a race-long duel, ahead of Alex Welsh (Kawasaki) and Andrew Nelson (Yamaha) in fifth, with Steve Crevier (Buell) in sixth.

Round 2 of the Parts Canada Superbike Championship takes place at Circuit ICAR near Montreal, June 12-14.

Watch this past weekend’s races on TSN and TSN HD on June 16 at 1:00 p.m. Eastern, and repeated Saturday, June 20 at 4:00 a.m. Eastern.





Photo Credit : Philippe Champoux