Mont-Tremblant: Round seven preview

MONT-TREMBLANT, QC Pascal Picotte sits on the brink of clinching his second straight Parts Canada Superbike Championship title at Le Circuit Mont-Tremblant this weekend, but another Granby, QC racer has also started making headlines.

With his victory in the previous round of the series at Atlantic Motorsport Park in Shubenacadie, NS two weeks ago Kevin Lacombe vaulted from fifth to second in the series standings and ended Picotte's four-race winning streak.

With only one race remaining after this weekend's seventh round of the series, Picotte is all but assured of the Parts Canada Superbike title. The Team Yamaha / Picotte Performance Yamaha rider has 287 points to Lacombe's 216. A rider can earn a maximum of 56 points at each series round.

But Lacombe is a rider on the move. In addition to scoring the win at AMP the Lacombe Racing / Brooklin Cycle Yamaha rider also qualified on pole.

Lacombe is now four points clear of Brantford, ON's Jordan Szoke in the series standings. Riding the Honda Canada / Fast Company Honda, Szoke has finished second in the past two Parts Canada Superbike series races.

There is also a tight battle for fourth in series points with two races left on the schedule. Calgary's Clint McBain holds a one-point edge over DXS Diablo Suzuki rider Steve Crevier of Maple Ridge, BC, 169-168. McBain's Coors Light Racing / Blackfoot Suzuki teammate, Australian Craig Connell is next in points with 163.

Another threat for victory this weekend will be Canadian Kawasaki factory rider Francis Martin of Rock Forest, QC. Martin finished a season high fourth at AMP two weeks ago and Tom Kipp gave Kawasaki the win at last year's Mont-Tremblant event.

Action this weekend will also feature the penultimate rounds of the Hindle Exhaust Pro 600 Sport Bike Championship and the International Motorcycle SUPERSHOW Amateur 600 Sport Bike series.

Picotte also holds a commanding lead in the Pro 600 Sport Bike standings following his fourth win of the year at AMP on his Yamaha. The defending class champion now has 296 points to Crevier's 228 and the 212 of McBain.

In the Amateur 600 Sport Bike title chase, Mississauga, ON's Rudy Raposo opened up a 33-point lead over fellow Yamaha rider Darren James of North Vancouver, 171-138 after claiming his first victory of the year at AMP.

Action this weekend opens with practice on Friday. Qualifying for all three national classes will take place Saturday afternoon with races on Sunday.

This weekend's event will be televised on TSN on Oct. 10 at 1:00 p.m. EDT and on Quebec's RDS on Oct. 23 at 2:00 p.m EDT. The action will also appear in one-hour format this fall on TORONTO1 and A-Channel stations in Winnipeg, Calgary and Edmonton. -30- For more series information, visit www.cdnsuperbike.com

2003 Mont-Tremblant Winners

Parts Canada Superbike: Tom Kipp, Chardon, OH (Kawasaki) Hindle Exhaust Pro 600 Sport Bike: Tom Kipp, Chardon, OH (Kawasaki) International Motorcycle SUPERSHOW Amateur 600 Sport Bike: Jeremy Leduc, Keremeos, BC (Yamaha)

Mont-Tremblant Fast Facts

--Pascal Picotte continues his quest to gain sole possession of third place on the all-time national Superbike wins list at Mont-Tremblant this weekend. The Granby, QC native currently sits in a tie with Rueben McMurter, Michel Mercier and Don Munroe on 12 victories. Steve Crevier leads with 22 career successes and Jordan Szoke is second on 14.

--What a difference a year makes. When Tom Kipp won the Superbike feature at Mont-Tremblant last season he became the sixth different race winner in seven events. When Kevin Lacombe won the previous round of this year's title chase at Atlantic Motorsport Park he was only the third different victor in six races.

--Should Picotte go on to win his second straight Parts Canada Superbike series title, he will become only the third rider in the 25-year history of the national championship to win back-to-back crowns. Mercier was the first in 1986-87, while Crevier won three in a row between 1991-'93 and also claimed back-to-back crowns in 2000-01.

2004 Point Standings Parts Canada Superbike: 1. Pascal Picotte (Yamaha) 287; 2. Kevin Lacombe (Yamaha) 216; 3. Jordan Szoke (Honda) 212; 4. Clint McBain (Suzuki) 169; 5. Steve Crevier (Suzuki) 168 Hindle Exhaust Pro 600 Sport Bike: 1. Pascal Picotte (Yamaha) 296; 2. Steve Crevier (Suzuki) 228; 3. Clint McBain (Suzuki) 212 International Motorcycle SUPERSHOW Amateur 600 Sport Bike: 1. Rudy Raposo (Yamaha) 171; 2. Darren James (Yamaha) 138; 3. Dominic Lavoie (Kawasaki) 109

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