Race City: Series qualifying report

SZOKE GETS SECOND STRAIGHT POLE

CALGARY, Alta. (June 25) - Six-time national champion Jordan Szoke continued his mastery of Race City Motorsport Park by claiming pole position for this weekend's second and third rounds of the Parts Canada Superbike Championship in Pirelli SuperPole qualifying on Friday.

The Brantford, Ont. racer took his Waznie Racing / Ciclo Werks BMC / DeWildt Honda Powerhouse Honda CBR1000RR around the 3.2km (2.0-mile) 11-turn Race City course in a time of one minute, 15.913 seconds for an average speed of 151.753 km/h (94.845 mph).

Szoke's second straight fastest qualifying effort this season gave him four more points toward the Parts Canada Superbike Championship and the $500 Inside Motorcycles Pole Position Award.

"It was a good lap any way you look at it," said Szoke, who has won eight Superbike nationals in Calgary. "That lap time was very comfortable for me. We had no issues really but I really wanted to get the points."

Kevin Lacombe of St-Cesaire, Que. will start second in this weekend's pair of Superbike races after recording a time of 1:16.337 on his Lacombe Racing Suzuki GSX-R1000 and Sherbrooke, Que.'s Francis Martin will line up third on the radX HD / BMW Motorrad Canada BMW S1000RR after lapping the track in 1:16.408.

Andrew Nelson of Kars, Ont. completes the front row of the grid after setting the fourth fastest time of 1:16.528 on his Orion Motorsports / BMW Motorrad Canada BMW S1000RR.

Szoke was the last rider to take to the track in the single-bike Pirelli SuperPole session after leading the way in the morning's prequalifying with a time of 1:15.920. He won the season opener for the 2010 Parts Canada Superbike Championship in Mirabel, Que. last month as he chases an unprecedented fifth straight national title.

"When I saw the other guys were in the low 16s I decided just to put in a good lap," he explained. "I didn't want to throw it all away. For the race we may make some little changes but we're not struggling. We have a good set up and it's not hard on the tire."

Lacombe improved from fourth in prequalifying to place second in SuperPole. The 27-year-old comes into the weekend third in the Parts Canada Superbike standings.

"The power is good but we're fighting to get the bike to turn," he said. "We changed the rear spring and it was better in SuperPole, but I had so much traction in the rear it was hard to get the bike to turn."

Martin also made a big jump from fifth in prequalifying to earn his second straight front row start this season.

"I'm very happy with the lap," said the 1999 Race City Superbike winner. "The bike is getting better but we need to make some more changes to make it easier to ride. For 22 laps it will be a big workout."

Nelson dropped from third in the prequalifying order and was one of only three riders not to improve on his lap in the afternoon.

"I missed a shift coming onto the front straight and spoiled the first part of my lap," he explained. "I'm just mad at myself more than anything."

Alex Welsh of Uxbridge, Ont. jumped from ninth after prequalifying to head up the second row for this weekend's races with the fifth fastest time in Pirelli SuperPole. The Competition Systems Kawasaki Race Team rider turned a lap of 1:16.824 on his Kawasaki ZX-10R.

Joining Welsh on the second row will be Keene, Ont.'s Jodi Christie on the Jodi Christie Racing / Durham Honda-backed Honda CBR600RR, second in the series point standings, and Mike Ferreira of Mississauga, Ont. on the second of the radX HD / BMW Motorrad Canada BMW S1000RRs.

Calgary's Mike Zottmann turned the eighth fastest time and will lead the third row of the race grid on his Majik X / Red Bull Suzuki GSX-R1000. Fellow Calgarian Dave Stokowski was ninth fastest on the Blackfoot Motosports / Canadian Kawasaki Motors / Pro-Power Engines Kawasaki ZX-10R and Cochrane, Alta.'s Cody Matechuk will start 10th on his Acceleration Racing Suzuki GSX-R1000.

Matechuk had been second in prequalifying but suffered an unlucky crash when a bug got into his helmet and distracted him. He was forced to use his Suzuki GSX-R600 for SuperPole but expected to have the GSX-R1000 repaired for Saturday's race.

Six-time Canadian Superbike champion Steve Crevier of Maple Ridge, B.C. just missed SuperPole as he qualified 11th fastest on his Mile Zero Motorsports / Rocket Leathers Suzuki GSX-R1000.

In other action at Race City, Szoke also qualified fastest for this weekend's second and third rounds of the Pro Sport Bike Championship with a time of 1:17.329 on his Honda CBR600RR.

The four-time defending class champion set his best lap just past the halfway point of the 40-minute session.

Christie turned in the second fastest time at 1:17.488 aboard another CBR600RR and Matechuk placed third at 1:18.967 riding his Suzuki GSX- R600.

Bodhi Edie of Warman, Sask. qualified fastest for this weekend's Amateur Sport Bike doubleheader with a time of 1:20.891 on his Honda CBR600RR. Orangeville, Ont.'s Joey McRae was second at 1:21.263 riding a YZF- R6, just edging Calgary's Ryan Middleton, who took third with a time of 1:21.264 on another YZF-R6.

Geoff Gerbrandt of Martesnville, Sask. was quickest in qualifying for the K&N Filters Sport Twins class with a time of 1:24.800 on his Suzuki SV650.

Quesnel, B.C. racer Ryan Appenrodt will start from pole in this weekend's Honda CBR125R Challenge races after turning a time of 1:53.142 on Friday.

Feature races in all classes are set to go Saturday and Sunday. Practice begins at 9:00 a.m. with the first race set to leave the line at 1:00 p.m.

Tickets are $50 for a weekend pass and $30 for a single day. For ticket information call (403) 975-2849 or go to www.amra.ca.

-source: cdnsuperbike.com