Atlantic:

Welsh victorious on final weekend!

TORONTO, Ont. (August 10) -- Alex Welsh and the Competition Systems Kawasaki Race Team enjoyed a successful conclusion to their 2010 race season with a win and a runner-up finish in the Pro Sport Bike class at the final round of the Parts Canada Superbike Championship at Atlantic Motorsport Park last weekend.

In his first appearance aboard the Kawasaki ZX-6R Ninja this season Welsh picked up a solid win in Saturday's Pro Sport Bike race after leading all 18 laps around the tortuous 2.54km (1.6-mile) circuit near Halifax.

It was the first national Pro victory of the 22-year-old rider's career.

"I got a good start and I remembered to breathe a little," said the Uxbridge, Ont. rider. "Then I just eased my pace. This is a very physical track and I didn't want to wear myself out. The bike was very comfortable."

Welsh again burst into the lead in Sunday's race and led the first 10 laps before he was passed on the Roller Coaster section on the back of the circuit.

"The Competition Systems Ninja was great again today but I just didn't have it," Welsh admitted. "But it was a good race for me and it's good to be back on the podium."

Despite only competing in the final two rounds of the Pro Sport Bike Championship Welsh and the Competition Systems Kawasaki Race Team finished ninth in the standings with 97 points.

Welsh also rode the Ninja ZX-6R in the pair of Parts Canada Superbike races at AMP and enjoyed his best results of the year.

Despite starting from the second row of the grid the former HJC Pro Rookie of the Year winner got a lightning start to jump into second on the opening lap of Saturday's race. He dropped down to sixth as some of the more powerful 1000cc bikes got past his 600 Kawasaki, although a late race crash elevated him to fourth in the results, best among the 600cc riders.

Welsh wasn't able to get as good a start on Sunday and spent most of the race in a three-way battle for the final podium spot. In what turned out to be the best fight of the race -- and maybe the season -- Welsh worked his way up to third two laps from the end of the 22-lap race, only to run slightly wide exiting the final turn as he tried to defend his position.

"I felt really good at the end and I felt like I could have pushed harder," said a disappointed Welsh, who ended the season seventh in the Parts Canada Superbike Championship point standings. "I tried to take a defensive line through the last turn and on a 600 it's hard there. The only thing I could have done I think was push earlier to get away.

"The Competition Systems Ninja ZX-6R worked great all weekend, I think it's just rider strategy that cost us today. We got a set-up Saturday morning and we didn't touch it after that."

-source: Competition Systems Kawasaki Race Team