Mosport: Series qualifying summary

McCORMICK TAKES MOSPORT POLE

BOWMANVILLE, Ont. (July 17) -- Saskatoon's Brett McCormick claimed his third Inside Motorcycles Pole Position Award of the season and extended his lead in the Parts Canada Superbike Championship at Mosport International Raceway on Friday.

The 17-year-old took his Team Suzuki / Blackfoot / Picotte Racing Suzuki GSX-R1000 around the 3.9km (2.459-mile) track in one minute, 21.374 seconds in Pirelli SuperPole qualifying to annex the top starting spot for this weekend's fourth and fifth rounds of the Superbike series.

The first of the two 20-lap races is set to go at 3:00 p.m. Saturday with the second scheduled for 3:15 p.m. Sunday.

McCormick's performance was worth $500 from Inside Motorcycles magazine and four points toward the Parts Canada Superbike Championship, giving him 161 on the season and extending his advantage to 12 points over his nearest rival, Jordan Szoke, who qualified second on Friday aboard the Canadian Kawasaki Motors Kawasaki ZX-10R with a time of 1:21.482.

"It was a pretty good lap but I was a little bit off," admitted McCormick. "I didn't put a great lap together. I played it safe a bit. But we're on pole and every point counts. We'll see what we can do tomorrow."

McCormick broke the four-year-old track record in pre-qualifying on Friday morning with a time of 1:21.061. That topped the previous standard of 1:21.160 set by his team manager and mentor Pascal Picotte.

Szoke was fourth quickest in the morning with a time of 1:22.244 and the three-time defending Parts Canada Superbike champion was one of only three racers to improve on his time in the top 10 Pirelli SuperPole shootout, which was held in cool conditions and under threatening skies.

"I had a good lap going but I hit neutral on the backstraight and I was searching for a gear all the way through turn eight," said the 30-year- old from Brantford, Ont. "When I found a gear it was fourth, and I needed third. It was my fault. I could have had a [one minute] 20."

Kevin Lacombe of Granby, Que. set the third fastest time with a 1:22.151 on the Team Toyota Yamaha / OTSFF Yamaha YZF-R1 and Cochrane, Alta.'s Clint McBain completes the front row for this weekend's races after recording a 1:22.650 aboard the Suzuki Dealers / Acceleration Racing Suzuki GSX-R1000.

"I had a pretty good lap but I was pushing the front a little too much and I made a few mistakes," said Lacombe, who moved up to sixth in the championship standings with the two points he earned.

McBain will be going for his third Mosport Superbike win this weekend.

"I'm a little disappointed but I think we have a good bike for the race," said last year's Parts Canada Superbike Championship runner-up.

Alex Welsh of Uxbridge, Ont. leads the second row of the Superbike grid after turning a time of 1:23.121 on his Canadian Kawasaki Motors Kawasaki ZX-10R. Matt McBride of Mississauga, Ont. was sixth quickest at 1:23.381 aboard the Riders Choice Suzuki GSX-R1000 and Kars, Ont.'s Andrew Nelson came back from a practice crash on Thursday to qualify seventh on the Nelson Racing Yamaha YZF-R1 at 1:23.778.

The top 10 starters are rounded out by Steve Crevier of Maple Ridge, B.C. on the Deeley Racing Powered By Buell / Buell 1125R, Roxton Pond, Que.'s Karl Daigle riding the A. Perusse Kawasaki / Kawasaki ZX-6R and two- time Canadian Superbike champion Michael Taylor of Toronto on the Parkway Honda Powerhouse / ProStar Motorsports Honda CBR1000RR.

In other action at Mosport, Szoke set a new class record on his Kawasaki ZX-6R to take pole for the two Yoshimura Pro Sport Bike races this weekend. Szoke's 1:22.653 eclipsed the previous mark of 1:23.130 set by Chris Peris last year.

"I felt really good and I could push harder each lap," said Szoke, who now leads McCormick by 10 points, 159-149 in the class standings. "I was cautious early because it was spitting a little bit of rain."

McCormick also topped the previous lap record with a time of 1:22.719 on his Suzuki GSX-R600 to qualify second. Lacombe was third with a 1:23.727 on his Yamaha and Welsh completes the front row with a 1:24.175 on his Kawasaki ZX-6R.

Jeremie Hade Precourt of Granby, Que. will start on pole for this weekend's Suzuki SV650 National Cup races after setting the fastest time in qualifying with a 1:32.662. Points leader Raphael Archambault of St- Colomban, Que. was second quickest at 1:32.722 and Brantford, Ont.'s Rob Busby was third with a 1:33.746.

Hamilton, Ont.'s Steven Nickerson gained some ground in the Honda CBR125R Challenge points race by qualifying fastest with a time of 2:04.237 while series leader Bodhi Edie of Warman, Sask. took fourth. Nickerson now trails Edie by five points in the standings.

Points leader Cody Matechuk of Cochrane, Alta. was dominant in practice for the Armour Bodies Amateur Sport Bike class with a time of 1:25.431 on his Suzuki Dealers / Acceleration Racing Suzuki GSX-R600.

His closest challenger in the standings, Longueuil, Que.'s Sebastien Tremblay was second quickest with a 1:26.482 on his A. Perusse Kawasaki / Kawasaki ZX-6R and Efram Ellenbogen of Belleville, Ont. placed third with a time of 1:26.994 riding the BnE Racing Yamaha YZF-R6.

The Amateur Sport Bike competitors will qualify on Saturday for their lone race on Sunday.

Vicki Schouten of Richmond, Ont. put her Kahuna Powersports Kawasaki ZX-6R on pole for the Pro Honda Oils Women's Cup races at Mosport with a qualifying time of 1:29.532.

Practice on Saturday begins at 9:00 a.m. with the first of the afternoon's five races set to go at 1:00 p.m.

A weekend SuperTicket is $60 at the gate and each ticket includes parking, paddock admission, and entrance to Saturday Night Stock Car racing at Mosport Speedway. Call 1-800-866-1072 or visit online at www.mosport.com.

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