McCormick wins National opener

By John Hopkins

MIRABEL, QC – Brett McCormick started off his bid for the 2011 Canadian Superbike Championship by Parts Canada in perfect style with a convincing victory in the season opener at Circuit ICAR in Mirabel, Que. on Sunday.

Riding the radX HD / BMW Motorrad Canada BMW S1000RR the Saskatoon racer started from pole and led all 20 laps around the 2.8km (1.68-mile) track. He completed the 56km (33.6-mile) race in 27 minutes, 58.357 seconds for an average speed of 120.117km/h (72.070 mph).

Andrew Nelson of Kars, Ont. finished second on the Nelson Racing / GymMax / Monette Sport BMW S1000RR, 10.800 secs. behind McCormick and defending national champion Jordan Szoke of Brantford, Ont. placed third riding the Competition Systems Kawasaki Race Team Kawasaki ZX-10R.

“I really don’t think it could have gone any better,” said the 19-year-old McCormick, who also won the Superbike race at Circuit ICAR in 2009. “I got a good start and wanted to put my head down and try and pull away as quickly as I could. We came here with a pretty solid base set up so we didn’t have a lot of work to do to get the bike working around here.”

After finishing second in the 2009 Canadian Superbike Championship McCormick competed in the United States last season, but is back in Canada for another shot at the national title.

“It’s great to be back and I’m happy to be here,” said McCormick, who set the race’s fastest lap at 1:22.855 on his third tour. “This is a great way to return to Canada, with a big win.”

Szoke looked poised to take a run at McCormick but began experiencing handling problems just past quarter-distance and slipped back into the clutches of a group consisting of Nelson, Michael Ferreira (radX HD / BMW Motorrad Canada BMW S1000RR), Francis Martin (Couturier Racing BMW S1000RR) and Alex Welsh (Z1 CycleTech Suzuki GSX-R600).

Nelson got around the seven-time Canadian Superbike champ on lap 16 and went on to claim his second podium finish at Circuit ICAR. He was third in the Superbike race in 2009.

“The tires were amazing and the bike was superb,” said Nelson, last year’s Canadian Superbike Championship runner-up. “I think we have a good package to take a run at the championship this year.”

Martin also got by Szoke but fell on the final lap, allowing Szoke to reclaim the final spot on the podium.

“The way my race went I’m lucky to be here,” said Szoke, who won at Circuit ICAR last season to start a perfect run of seven race victories. “We had limited time with the set-up because of the bad weather here and we went the wrong way. The front end was working beautifully the rear went away.”

Although rain limited dry track time for most of the weekend the Superbike race was held in ideal conditions.

Uxbridge, Ont.’s Welsh got around Ferreira on the final lap to claim fourth place from the Mississauga, Ont. racer.

"It was tough," said the former Pro Rookie of the Year. "I couldn't get much drive out of the corners and they were able to break away from me a little on the straights, so I tried to make up ground in the slower stuff. I thought they might slow each other up battling with each other but that didn't really happen and it made things tough for me."

Martin remounted after his fall to salvage sixth spot. He did have the consolation of being named the winner of the KICKER Kick-Ass Pass of the Race Award for his move on Szoke to take third place.

"It was just a low side, I probably hit a little bump," said the Sherbrooke, Que. former two-time Canadian Superbike Champion. "Maybe I wanted to get Andrew a bit too badly.

"The bike was great and I think when we get a little more track time with it we're going to be able to have some very good races."

Jean-Francois Cyr of Mascouche, Que. ran a lonely race to seventh on the CyRacing Suzuki GSX-R1000 and Jodi Christie took eighth on his Jodi Christie Racing Honda CBR600RR. The Keene, Ont. racer spent much of the race battling with Woodbridge, Ont.'s Frank Trombino on the Suzuki Canada / Hindle / Sturgess Cycle Suzuki GSX-R600 before Trombino crashed unjurt on lap 17.

Sylvain Dery of St-Colomban, Que. on his Alary Yamaha / DL Performance Yamaha YZF-R6 and the Honda CBR1000RR of Sherbrooke, Que.'s Sebastien Tremblay completed the top 10.

Race Results
1.Brett McCormick, Saskatoon, Sask. (BMW S1000RR) 20
2. Andrew Nelson, Kars, Ont. (BMW S1000RR) 20
3. Jordan Szoke, Brantford, Ont. (Kawasaki ZX-10R) 20
4. Alex Welsh, Uxbridge, Ont. (Suzuki GSX-R600) 20
5. Michael Ferreira, Mississauga, Ont. (BMW S1000RR) 20
6. Francis Martin, Sherbrooke, Que. (BMW S1000RR) 20
7. Jean-Francois Cyr, Mascouche, Que. (Suzuki GSX-R1000) 20
8. Jodi Christie, Keene, Ont. (Honda CBR600RR) 20
9. Sylvain Dery, St-Colomban, Que. (Yamaha YZF-R6) 20
10. Sebastien Tremblay, Sherbrooke, Que. (Honda CBR1000RR) 20
11. Franklyn Dominguez, Hudson, Que. (Kawasaki ZX-10R) 20
12. Marie-Josee Boucher, Montreal, Que. (Honda CBR600RR) 19
13. Steve Walker, Carleton Place, Ont. (BMW S1000RR) 19
14. Rob Busby, Brantford, Ont. (BMW S1000RR) 19
15. Ross Millson, Hamilton, Ont. (Kawasaki ZX-10R) 19
16. Sean Huffman, Kemptville, Ont. (Suzuki GSX-R1000) 19
17. Billy Shields, Unionville, Ont. (Yamaha YZF-R1) 19
Did Not Finish
Frank Trombino, Woodbridge, Ont. (Suzuki GSX-R600) 17
Time of Race: 27:58.357
Average Speed: 120.117 km/h
Fastest Lap: 1:22.855 by Brett McCormick on lap 3

Point Standings
1.Brett McCormick, 56
2. Andrew Nelson, 44
3. Jordan Szoke, 40
4. Alex Welsh, 32
5. Michael Ferreira, 30
6. Francis Martin, 27
7. Jean-Francois Cyr, 25
8. Jodi Christie, 23
9. Sylvain Dery, 21
10. Sebastien Tremblay, 19
11. Franklyn Dominguez, 17
12. Marie Josee-Boucher, 15
13. Steve Walker, 13
14. Rob Busby, 12
15. Ross Millson, 10
16. Sean Huffman, 8
17. Billy Shields, 6