By John Hopkins / Photo by Bob Szoke
BOWMANVILLE, ON – A fourth place finish was enough to give Maple Ridge, BC’s Steve Crevier the Harley-Davidson XR1200 Cup title at Mosport International Raceway on Saturday. The rider of the MotoSport Plus of Kingston-based entry has an unassailable 68-point lead over Cochrane, AB’s Cody Matechuk, who finished seventh on Saturday on his Privateers Harley-Davidson XR1200 with only Sunday's race remaining in the season.
Michael Barnes of Boca Raton, FL led a Ruthless Racing / Deeley Harley-Davidson Canada sweep of the podium, edging Calgary’s John Ross MacRae by 0.350 secs. with North Vancouver rider Darren James just another three-tenths of a second back.
Crevier came into the race needing only to finish ahead of Matechuk to lock up an 11th Canadian national road racing crown. After qualifying fifth he spent most of the racing mixing it up in a four-rider lead pack with the Ruthless team of Barnes, MacRae and pole qualifier James. With two laps to go Crevier dropped off from the lead train to secure the championship.
"I decided at the end of the race it was getting risky," Crevier admitted. "I thought it was time to back it up and get my championship. Tomorrow [in the second race of the doubleheader] I want to get into trouble, not stay out of trouble.
"I have to thank [crew chief] Pete Snell for talking me into racing in this series and working hard for me."
Making his first appearance of the year in the series, Barnes led the most laps in the 14-lap race.
"I had a blast, it was a really, really enjoyable race," said Barnes, who won an electric motorcycle race here at Mosport last summer.
Second place for MacRae was his best finish of the year, and he received the Performance Under Gear Performer of the Race Award for his effort.
With third place in the race James closed to within five points of Samuel Proulx for third place in the final XR1200 Cup point standings heading into Sunday's finale. After sticking with the lead battle early on the Magog, QC racer finished fifth on his Sherbrooke Harley-Davidson-backed bike.
A poor start left James sixth at the end of the opening lap but he got himself onto the back of the lead train and passed Crevier two laps from the end.
"I destroyed this motor yesterday so I have to give a big shout out to the team," James said. "They worked until four in the morning for me and I wish I could give them a better finish."
James also hinted that the lighter Barnes and MacRae had an advantage over he and Crevier on the long Mosport backstraight.
"'Barney and JR are a couple of buck 25'ers [125 pounders] and they could walk past us on the straightaway," he said.
Behind Proulx in fifth, Chris Harmon of Bracebridge, ON on the Vision Harley-Davidson entry edged Matechuk, guest rider Oliver Jervis of Victoria, and the Harley-Davidson de L'Outaouais entry of Ottawa's Elie Daccache in another dramatic fight for sixth.
Race Results
1. Michael Barnes, Boca Raton, FL, 14 laps in 22:30.389
2. John Ross MacRae, Calgary, AB, +0.350 secs.
3. Darren James, North Vancouver, BC +0.648
4. Steve Crevier, Maple Ridge, BC, +1.907
5. Samuel Proulx, Magog, QC, +16.398
6. Chris Harmon, Bracebridge, ON, +25.084
7. Cody Matechuk, Cochrane, AB, +25.189
8. Oliver Jervis, Victoria, BC, +25.674**
9. Elie Daccache, Ottawa, ON, +25.882
10. Olivier Spilborghs, White Rock, BC, +59.522
11. Lee Kuhn Jr., Hamilton, ON, +59.573
12. Steve Hoffarth, Orangeville, ON, +1:30.303
13. Tim Clarkson, Bowmanville, ON, +1 Lap
14. Dan Thomson, Carleton Place, ON, +1 Lap
* -- All riders aboard Harley-Davidson XR1200 motorcycles
** -- Not eligible for series points
Point Standings
1. Steve Crevier, 295*
2. Cody Matechuk, 227
3. Samuel Proulx, 205
4. Darren James, 200
5. Chris Harmon, 174
5. John Ross MacRae, 174
7. Elie Daccache, 154
8. Lee Kuhn Jr., 132
9. Olivier Spilborghs, 131
10. Steve Hoffarth, 118
11. Dan Thomson, 106
12. Gump Harrison, 62
13. Michael Barnes, 53
14. Tim Clarkson, 49
* -- Clinched Championship
