Szoke takes Sport Bike win at ICAR

By John Hopkins

MIRABEL, QC – Jordan Szoke (Waznie Racing / Ciclo Werks BMC / DeWildt Honda) got his bid for a fifth straight Pro Sport Bike championship off to an excellent start with a narrow victory over Jodi Christie (Jodi Christie Racing / Durham Honda) in the season opener at Circuit ICAR on Sunday.
       
Szoke crossed the line 0.503 secs. ahead of Christie in a Honda CBR600RR 1-2 in the eight-lap race, which was shortened from the originally scheduled 14 due to an accident on lap 9.
       
Ste-Adele, QC’s Jean-Francois Cyr completed the podium on his Suzuki GSX-R600.

In a preview of the Superbike race later in the day, Christie got the holeshot from polesitter Szoke and led at the end of the first lap before a red flag brought the action to a halt.

The Keene, ON teenager duplicated his heroics on the restart but before the end of the opening lap Szoke was in front and these two pulled clear of Cyr and the rest of the field.

Christie never got a chance to work any last lap magic, as another red flag on lap 9 put an end to the race, leaving Szoke with the win.

"I was a little surprised he [Christie] was able to keep the pace," admitted the 31-year-old Szoke. "I couldn't get away enough and I had one little moment out there."

Szoke had opted to race with Pirelli's SC1 tire rather than the new SC3.

"I wanted to put in a couple of hot laps at the start, but then we got the red and that allowed the tire to cool a bit," Szoke said. "We should have gone with the [SC]3. Tire choice was a bit of a gamble, but it paid off today."

Christie said he felt comfortable in second place and thought there were a couple of places where he might have been able to pull a move on Szoke.

"I think our tire choice was a good one and I had a good pace going," said Christie, who used the SC3 rear. "I was just trying to stay as close as I could and wait for the end."

Cyr was never able to make an impression on the leaders but was able to stay well clear of a four-bike scramble for fourth spot.

"The bike is there, it makes me look good," Cyr admitted. "I got the bike about a week and a half ago and I'm still not really comfortable on it. It's not to the point where I can fight for a win. That will come."

Kenny Riedmann (Compulsion Racing / Pro 6 Cycle) led the battle for fourth for the first half of the race on his Triumph 675 Daytona before Frank Trombino (ProStar Motorsports / Sturgess Cycle) was able to get by and pull clear to finish fourth on his Honda CBR600RR.

Riedmann's fellow rookie Pro Cody Matechuk (Acceleration Racing) also got by on his Suzuki GSX-R600 and finished fifth.

"It was a good battle, lots of fun," the Cochrane, AB rider said. "I was getting my confidence back after a crash yesterday and I was pushing a little harder today."

Riedmann was left to hold off the Buell 1125R of Dave Estok (Ruthless Racing / Deeley Harley-Davidson Canada) for sixth.

The red flag on lap 2 was the result of two separate incidents involving Louie Raffa in turn 3 and Genevieve Lesieur in turn 13. Lesieur was able to take the restart and Raffa was on the Superbike grid later in the day.

The second red flag came about when Alain Campagna crashed and Billy Shields was caught up in the incident. Shields was not seriously hurt, while Campagna was taken to hospital with possible rib injuries.

Race Results
1. Jordan Szoke, Brantford, ON, 8 laps, Honda CBR600RR 
2. Jodi Christie, Keene, ON, +0.503, Honda CBR600RR    
3. Jean-Francois Cyr, Ste. Adele, QC, +11.31, Suzuki GSX-R600  
4. Frank Trombino, Kleinburg, ON, +15.198, Honda CBR600RR      
5. Cody Matechuk, Cochrane, AB, +16.428, Suzuki GSX-R600       
6. Kenny Riedmann, Belfountain, ON, +18.46, Triumph Daytona 675
7. Dave Estok, New Smyrna Beach, FL, +18.643, Buell 1125R      
8. Darren James, North Vancouver, BC, +27.616, Buell 1125R     
9. James Collins, Kaladar, ON, +35.719, Yamaha YZF-R6  
10. Scott Rupert, Gadshill, ON, +40.593, Suzuki GSX-R600       
11. Marie-Josee Boucher, Montreal, QC, +41.778, Honda CBR600RR 
12. Sebastien Tremblay, Sherbrooke, QC, +42.113, Honda CBR600RR (5 sec. Jump Start Penalty)
13. Alain Campagna, Mascouche, QC, +40.985, Yamaha YZF-R6      
14. Billy Shields, Unionville, ON, +41.305, Yamaha YZF-R6
Fastest Lap: 1:25.529 by Jodi Christie on lap 2
Did Not Finish 
Genevieve Lesieur, Quebec City, QC, Suzuki GSX-R600    
Did Not Start
Robert Busby, Brantford, ON, Kawasaki ZX-6R    
Louie Raffa, Ste-Marthe, QC, Yamaha YZF-R6

Point Standings
1. Jordan Szoke, 56
2. Jodi Christie, 45
3. Jean-Francois Cyr, 39
4. Frank Trombino, 32
5. Cody Matechuk, 29
6. Kenny Riedmann, 28
7. Dave Estok, 25
8. Darren James, 23
9. James Collins, 21
10. Scott Rupert, 19
11. Marie-Josee Boucher, 17
12. Sebastien Tremblay, 15
13. Alain Campagna, 13
14. Billy Shields, 12