Mosport: Series rounds 4, 5 preview

STREAKING SZOKE ROLLS TO MOSPORT

TORONTO, Ont. (July 7) - Jordan Szoke is on a roll, and he is showing no signs of slowing down.

The Brantford, Ont. racer comes into this weekend's fourth and fifth rounds of the Parts Canada Superbike Championship at Mosport International Raceway unbeaten so far in 2010 and in clear command of the standings as he bids for an unprecedented fifth straight national Superbike title and seventh overall.

And if his title rivals were hoping the move to the classic 3.9km (2.459-mile) 10-turn road course might upset Szoke's momentum, they may want to think again. Mosport is one of the 31-year-old Szoke's favorite tracks, and he has won here more than any other racer, with seven victories to his credit. That tally includes a sweep of the doubleheader in 2006 and 2009.

With his perfect total of 164 points the Waznie Racing / BMC Ciclo Werks / DeWildt Honda CBR1000RR rider enjoys a 54-point margin over Francis Martin.

"It'll be a dogfight both days," said Szoke at a series press conference at Toronto's Hard Rock Cafe on Wednesday. "We have our work cut out for us. But I think this is the track on the schedule that best suits the Honda. Our bike is fast on the straights and excels in fast corners, and that's what Mosport is all about."

Martin looks the most likely threat to Szoke's supremacy. Riding the factory radX HD / BMW Motorrad Canada BMW S1000RR the Sherbrooke, Que. ace took a pair of podium results in the most recent Parts Canada Superbike round at Race City Motorsport Park to move up to second in points, as the new bike enjoys a stellar debut season.

And Martin's isn't the only BMW showing a good turn of speed. His teammate Mike Ferreira of Mississauga, Ont. is sixth in points in his rookie Superbike season while Andrew Nelson of Kars, Ont. is fourth in the standings riding the Orion Motorsports / BMW Motorrad Canada-backed entry.

A fourth S1000RR will also be at Mosport in the hands of Mississauga, Ont. star Matt McBride, with backing from Budds' Motorrad and Riders Choice.

Another sensation through the first half of the season has been Cochrane, Alta.'s Cody Matechuk. The 16-year-old leads the HJC Pro Rookie of the Year standings and sits third in Superbike points, with 90, riding the Acceleration Racing Suzuki GSX-R1000.

A fast Suzuki also belongs to perennial Superbike frontrunner Kevin Lacombe of Granby, Que. The Lacombe Racing GSX-R1000 rider has two podium finishes but crashed in round three in Calgary and is now seventh in the standings.

The Honda challenge includes Keene, Ont.'s Jodi Christie (Jodi Christie Racing / Durham Honda Powerhouse Honda CBR600RR), who was second in the season opener, and Frank Trombino of Kleinburg, Ont. (ProStar Motorsports / Sturgess Cycle Honda CBR1000RR), who has won twice at Mosport.

Uxbridge, Ont.'s Alex Welsh is only eighth in points for the Competition Systems Kawasaki Race Team but is just 11 points behind third- place Matechuk in the standings.

This weekend's racing also includes the fourth and fifth rounds of the national Pro Sport Bike Championship. Szoke is also trying for a fifth straight title in this class and won the first three races of the year on his Honda CBR600RR.

But Christie has been a threat to Szoke on all three occasions, finishing second each time, and only trails his fellow Honda rider by 32 points in the standings.

Matechuk has also impressed in this class and lies third in points on his Suzuki GSX-R600, while next up is Dave Estok of New Smyrna Beach, Fla. on the Deeley Harley-Davidson Canada / Ruthless Racing Buell 1125R.

Raphael Archambault of St-Colomban, Que. is another rider who brings a perfect win record to Mosport, having gone three for three in the Amateur Sport Bike class on his Archambault Racing / Centre Hamel Honda-backed Honda CBR600RR.

Archambault enjoys a 62-point lead over JHP Racing / Picotte Performance Suzuki rider Jeremie Hade Precourt of Granby, Que. while Warman, Sask. rider Bodhi Edie sits third in points on his Edie Racing / Meidl Honda Powerhouse Honda.

Brantford, Ont.'s Robert Busby comes to Mosport with a 47-point lead over fellow Buell rider Olivier Spilborghs in the K&N Filters Sport Twins standings and Ryan Appenrodt of Quesnel, B.C. tops the Honda CBR125R Challenge.

The Honda riders get three races this weekend, two on the full Mosport road course and a third on the adjacent kart track Sunday evening.

Racing action is rounded out by the first ever Canadian race for the TTXGP eGrand Prix electric motorcycle series and the Pro Honda Oils Women's Cup.

Mosport is the third stop for the electric bikes, which opened their season at Infineon Raceway in Sonoma, Calif. in May and then raced at Elkhart Lake, Wis.'s Road America last month.

Practice and qualifying for this weekend's races will take place Friday. Qualifying will include the Pirelli SuperPole for the Inside Motorcycles Pole Position Award in the Parts Canada Superbike class. Races in all national classes will go Saturday and Sunday.

Tickets are $50 for a weekend Super Ticket in advance and $60 at the gate. Single day passes are available for $15 on Friday, $30 on Saturday and $35 on Sunday. For ticket information call 1-800-866-1072 or go to www.mosport.com.

Mosport Fast Facts * If Jordan Szoke sweeps this weekend's doubleheader he will tie the record for most consecutive national Superbike wins in a season, with five. Steve Crevier set the mark in 1992 and Szoke equaled it in 2002 and 2006.

* Honda has only one national Superbike championship race win at Mosport, and it came courtesy of Jordan Szoke in 1999 aboard the CBR900RR. Ironically, that year he had also brought the number one plate to Honda after winning the title for Kawasaki in 1998.

* Pascal Picotte holds the record for the most consecutive Superbike wins at Mosport with four, having swept the doubleheaders in 2004 and 2005. The only other rider to sweep a doubleheader at the track is Jordan Szoke, who did it in 2006 and last year.

-source: cdn superbike