By John Hopkins / Photo by Bob Szoke
BOWMANVILLE, ON – Darren James of North Vancouver took his second straight Tactical Products Canada Pole Award in Harley-Davidson XR1200 Cup qualifying at Mosport International Raceway on Friday, and this time he's keeping the watch.
James turned a lap at 1:32.526 around the 3.957km circuit on his Ruthless Racing / Deeley Harley-Davidson Canada entry to pick up the $400 Luminox timepiece that goes with the fastest time. James gave the watch he picked up for claiming pole at Atlantic Motorsport Park two weeks ago to longtime crew member Dave Murray. This one he says he is keeping for himself.
"This one's going on my wrist," he laughed immediately after the qualifying session. "I hooked up [crew member] Thomas [Morin] with one when I won my first national championship, and Dave got the watch two weeks ago."
James' teammate John Ross MacRae of Calgary will start second for this weekend's pair of races after turning a lap at 1:32.624 on Friday and Magog, QC’s Samuel Proulx set the third fastest time of 1:32.718 aboard the Sherbrooke Harley-Davidson entry. Ruthless Racing guest rider Michael Barnes of Boca Raton, FL completes the front row of the XR1200 grid with a time of 1:32.905.
Points leader Steve Crevier of Maple Ridge, BC will start fifth on his MotoSport Plus of Kingston XR1200 with main title rival Cody Matechuk of Cochrane, AB alongside on the Privateers Harley-Davidson machine. Crevier was reportedly delayed by fixing an oil leak on his bike after the morning practice session. He leads Matechuk by 61 points in the class standings.
Stacey Nesbitt of St-Lazare, QC stretched her lead in the Honda CBR125R Challenge standings to six points by claiming pole for this weekend's doubleheader at Mosport with a time of 2:05.864 while rival Austin Shaw-O’Leary of Falmouth, NS could only manage fourth. Wellesley, ON’s Scott Lingelbach will start second and David MacKay of Stoney Creek, ON is third.
Class frontrunner Eric Green of Richmond, ON will start at the back of the 16-bike field after crashing in turn two early in the qualifying session.
XR1200 Qualifying Results
1. Darren James, North Vancouver, BC 1:32.526
2. John Ross MacRae, Calgary, AB, 1:32.624
3. Samuel Proulx, Magog, QC, 1:32.718
4. Michael Barnes, Boca Raton, FL, 1:32.905
5. Steve Crevier, Maple Ridge, BC, 1:33.076
6. Cody Matechuk, Cochrane, AB, 1:33.786
7. Chris Harmon, Bracebridge, ON, 1:34.564
8. Elie Daccache, Ottawa, ON, 1:34.841
9. Oliver Jervis, Victoria, BC, 1:35.166
10. Olivier Spilborghs, White Rock, BC, 1:35.328
11. Lee Kuhn Jr., Hamilton, ON, 1:36.178
12. Steve Hoffarth, Orangeville, ON, 1:37.186
13. Tim Clarkson, Bowmanville, ON, 1:40.143
14. Dan Thomson, Carleton Place, ON, 1:42.720
* -- All riders aboard Harley-Davidson XR1200 motorcycles
Honda CBR125R Qualifying Results
1. Stacey Nesbitt, St-Lazare, QC, 2:05.864
2. Scott Lingelbach, Wellesley, ON, 2:06.191
3. David MacKay, Stoney Creek, ON, 2:06.246
4. Austin Shaw-O'Leary, Falmouth, NS, 2:06.497
5. Karolina Pelc, Guelph, ON, 2:06.925
6. Brian Alexander, Peterborough, ON, 2:06.993
7. Leah Vignale, Kemptville, ON, 2:08.169
8. Lee Newbury, Greenfield Park, QC, 2:08.199
9. Seth Van Dongen, Belle River, ON, 2:08.500
10. Glen Mann, Woodbridge, ON, 2:10.809
11. Lauren Hill, Halifax, NS, 2:13.092
12. Uwe Wachtendorf, Toronto, ON, 2:16.246
13. Brian Lingelbach, Wellesley, ON, 2:17.136
14. Matt Chandler, Richmond Hill, ON, 2:18.589
15. Timothy Kennedy, Richmond Hill, ON, 2:32.862
16. Eric Green, Richmond, ON, No Time
