Canadain Superbikes - Szoke V McCormick

[MadKaw]

It's Szoke Versus McCormick In This Coming Weekend's Canadian Superbike Finale At Shannonville

Aug 31, 2009, ©Copyright 2009, Roadracing World Publishing, Inc.

From a press release issued by Parts Canada Superbike Championship

SASKATOON RACER FEELING CONFIDENT

STIRLING, Ont. (August 31) – If there is pressure associated with being in a
tight title fight, motorcycle racer Brett McCormick is showing none of it.

The 18-year-old from Saskatoon comes into this weekend’s final round
of the Parts Canada Superbike Championship at Shannonville Motorsport Park
with a shot at claiming his first professional national crown.

He trails series leader and three-time defending champion Jordan
Szoke by 14 points, 296-282 with 56 points available this weekend, including
50 for first place in Sunday’s feature race.

“I don’t mind being in second place at all,” said McCormick, who
races for the Team Suzuki / Blackfoot / Picotte Racing factory team. “I get
paid to win races. Every round I go out and just try to win. I don’t feel
any added pressure. I’d rather be in this position that protecting a lead.
He [Szoke] has a lot more to think about.”

McCormick has plenty of reasons to feel optimistic. In a season that
has seen the momentum shift between himself and Szoke with every round, the
westerner is coming off a dominant performance at the most recent Parts
Canada Superbike round at Nova Scotia’s Atlantic Motorsport Park in early
August.

He started from pole position despite nearly crashing on his
qualifying lap and then led almost all the way to claim his third win of the
year. And almost exactly one year ago McCormick scored his first ever
national Superbike win at Shannonville.

“I love Shannonville and I’ve always done well there,” he
acknowledged. “My win last year gives me a little extra confidence boost.
We’re coming off a dominant weekend at Halifax and I have no doubt we can
carry that success over to this weekend. We’ve had really good success the
last few rounds.”

The season long battle between Szoke and McCormick has been one of
the most fascinating confrontations in the 30-year history of the Canadian
Superbike series. After a stellar amateur career McCormick made his
professional debut as a 15-year-old in 2007, riding as Szoke’s team-mate in
the Canadian Kawasaki Motors factory team.

While Szoke won the national title in 2007 and 2008, giving him
three in a row, McCormick ran away with the HJC Pro Rookie of the Year title
in 2007. Injuries, however, slowed his progress last year and during the off-
season he made the switch to the Suzuki team managed by Canadian racing
legend Pascal Picotte.

The new partnership bore fruit almost instantly, with McCormick
finishing a close second to Szoke in the 2009 Parts Canada Superbike series
opener at Calabogie Motorsports Park, near Ottawa.

In the next round, at Circuit ICAR, just north of Montreal,
McCormick was in dominant form and claimed an impressive victory. Two weeks
later at Calgary’s Race City Motorsport Park the Saskatchewan racer won
again after pulling off a surprise pass of Szoke just a few corners from the
finish.

The tide turned back in Szoke’s favor at Mosport International
Raceway, near Bowmanville, Ont., in July as the Kawasaki rider swept both
ends of a doubleheader and reclaimed the series lead. However, McCormick’s
win at AMP has ensured the title will come down to the final race of the
season at Shannonville.

McCormick admits he has learned a great deal from Picotte, himself a
two-time Canadian Superbike champion, and his experienced crew this season.
In addition to his performance on the track, the 18-year-old says he has
made big improvements in his ability to set-up his motorcycle and work with
the crew.

“This year has been awesome for that,” he said. “The whole team has
encouraged me to pay more attention to the little stuff and made me focus
myself a little bit more. I think I’ve been improving with every race.”

The almost month-long gap between the Nova Scotia race and this
weekend’s finale is the longest break in the schedule this year, and
McCormick is anxious to get back on the track and try to maintain his
momentum.

“It seems like we’ve had the whole season off,” he said. “I’m super-
pumped and anxious to get back out there. Ideally I’d be out racing every
weekend. But the time off has not been a bad thing. The break was nice. It’s
pretty draining racing all the time and it’s nice to get home.”

McCormick has been spending his down time keeping fit with
bicycling, working out in the gym and riding his motocross bike.

And while he can still walk the streets of Saskatoon fairly
anonymously, he has seen his media profile in his hometown go up with his
success this season.

“The way this year has gone I’m getting way more press back home,”
he explained. “Before this there wasn’t really anything at all. No one here
really knows what the sport is; we’re kind of isolated from it. It’s been
pretty tough but it’s getting better.”

McCormick also found some time to celebrate his 18th birthday on
August 20, although he insists it was a very low key affair.

“I did absolutely nothing,” he said. “I think I slept in late and
maybe went out with friends, but that was it. I don’t think I’ve celebrated
my birthday since I was six.”

Perhaps on Sunday afternoon at Shannonville McCormick will have
something else to celebrate.

[MadKaw]

Round 7: Shannonville Motorsport Park - Schedule Of Events
August 31, 2009
Round Seven - 2009 Parts Canada Superbike Championship
Shannonville Motorsport Park – Shannonville, ON
September 3-6, 2009
SCHEDULE OF EVENTS

Thursday, September 3, 2009

3 PM – 7 PM Registration & Technical Inspection Open

Friday, September 4, 2009

7:00 AM Registration & Technical Inspection Opens (closed at 4 PM)
8:15 AM Mandatory Rider’s Meeting

NOTE: All sessions have time/duration listed, and will run as per the Digital Clock In the
Pit Lane; Sessions will be shortened and revised as necessary and announced.

PRACTICE SESSIONS

9:00 AM 1. Yoshimura Pro Sport Bike – 35 min
9:45 AM 2. Armour Bodies Am Sport Bike – Odd Numbers – 20 min
10:10 AM 3. Armour Bodies Am Sport Bike – Even Numbers – 20 min
10:40 AM 4. Parts Canada Superbike Feature – 40 min
11:25 AM 5. Suzuki SV 650 Cup – 20 min
11:50 AM 6. Pro Honda Oils Women’s Cup – 20 min
12:15 AM 7. Honda CBR 125R Challenge – 20 min (Nelson Circuit)

12:35 PM LUNCH BREAK

PRACTICE SESSIONS

1:30 PM 1. Yoshimura Pro Sport Bike – 35 min
2:15 PM 2. Armour Bodies Am Sport Bike – Odd Numbers – 20 min
2:45 PM 3. Armour Bodies Am Sport Bike – Even Numbers – 20 min
3:10 PM 4. Parts Canada Superbike Feature – 40 min
3:55 PM 5. Suzuki SV 650 Cup – 20 min
4:20 PM 6. Pro Honda Oils Women’s Cup – 20 min
4:40 PM 7. Honda CBR 125R Challenge – 20 min (Nelson Circuit)

Track Closed: 5:00 PM


Saturday, September 5, 2009

7:00 AM Registration & Technical Inspection Opens (closed at 4 PM)
8:15 AM Mandatory Rider’s Meeting

NOTE: All sessions have time/duration listed, and will run as per the Digital Clock In the
Pit Lane; Sessions will be shortened and revised as necessary and announced.

PRACTICE SESSIONS

9:00 AM 1. Yoshimura Pro Sport Bike – 35 min
9:45 AM 2. Armour Bodies Am Sport Bike – Group One or ODD #’s – 20 min
10:15 AM 3. Armour Bodies Am Sport Bike – Group Two or EVEN #’s – 20 min
10:45 AM 4. Parts Canada Superbike Feature – 40 min
- Official Pre – Qualifying – lock in top ten for Afternoon SUPERPOLE
11:30 AM 5. Suzuki SV 650 Cup – 20 min
11:55 AM 6. Pro Honda Oils Women’s Cup – 15 min
12:15 PM 7. Honda CBR 125R Challenge – 15 min (Nelson Circuit)

12:35 LUNCH BREAK
Riders Meeting – Top Ten Q for Superbike Pre- SUPERPOLE

TIMED QUALIFYING SESSIONS by AMB Yamaha Timing System

1:15 PM 1. Yoshimura Pro Sport Bike – 30 min
1:45 PM 2. Honda CBR 125R Challenge – 20 min (Nelson Circuit)
2:15 PM 3. Parts Canada Superbike Feature – Top Ten – 10 Min Warm-Up
2:30 PM 4. Parts Canada Superbike Pirelli SUPERPOLE – Top 10 Lock In
“Inside Motorcycles” Magazine Award for Fastest Qualifier
3:00 PM 5. Armour Bodies Am Sport Bike – Group One or Odd #’s – 20 min
3:30 PM 6. Armour Bodies Am Sport Bike – Group Two or Even #’s – 20 min
4:00 PM 7. Suzuki SV 650 Cup – 20 min
4:30 PM 8. Pro Honda Oils Women’s Cup – 20 min

Track Closed 5:00 pm


Sunday, September 6, 2009

7:00 AM Registration & Technical Inspection Opens (closed at 4 PM)
8:15 AM Mandatory Rider’s Meeting

NOTE: All sessions have time/duration listed, and will run as per the Digital Clock In the
Pit Lane; Sessions will be shortened and revised as necessary and announced.

PRACTICE SESSIONS

9:00 AM 1. Pro Honda Oils Women’s Cup – 15 min
9:25 AM 2. Yoshimura Pro Sport Bike – 20 min
9:55 AM 3. Armour Bodies Am Sport Bike (qualified riders only) –15 min
10:20 AM 4. Parts Canada Superbike Feature – 25 min
10:55 AM 5. Suzuki SV 650 Cup – 15 min
11:20 AM 6. Honda CBR 125R Challenge – 15 min (Nelson Circuit)
11:45 AM 7. Pro Honda Oils Women’s Cup Final – 8 laps
(Trophy Presentation Following Event)

12:15 LUNCH BREAK

12:45 PM Opening Ceremonies, National Anthems
Pro Sport Bike Roll Out

1:00 PM FINALS

1. Yoshimura Pro Sport Bike ( 18 laps )
( Trophy Presentation Following Event )

2. Honda CBR 125R Challenge ( 8 laps ) (Nelson Circuit)
( Trophy Presentation Following Event )

3. Armour Bodies Am sport Bike ( 14 laps )
( Trophy Presentation Following Event )

2:45 PM

4. Roll Out for Parts Canada Superbike Feature ( 20 laps)
( Trophy Presentation Following Event )

5. Suzuki SV 650 Cup ( 14 laps )
( Trophy Presentation Following Event )

6. Pro Honda Oils Women’s Cup ( 12 laps )
( Trophy Presentation Following Event )

[robracer]

Go you good thing!
Szoke that is

[Gosling1]

Its a shame this isn't on Fox or OneHD !!