Jordan Szoke was fastest on track Saturday at Grand Bend, but will have to wait until Sunday morning for official qualifying after rain forced a change in the schedule. (Photo-Rob O'Brien)
By: Mopar Canadian Superbike
June 9 2018
Grand Bend, Ontario – The Mopar Canadian Superbike Championship is headed for a full day of racing on Sunday at the Grand Bend Motorplex, after rain delayed most of round two action on Saturday.
The day began with its regularly scheduled practice sessions in the morning and seemed poised for an exciting afternoon of qualifying and racing, but extended periods of rain after the noon hour caused most of Saturday's events to be postponed.
Majority of the weekend's official qualifying sessions – including the Dalton Timmis Insurance Pro Superbike SuperPole – will instead run on Sunday morning, with racing still scheduled for the afternoon.
Among the leaders of the morning practices was Mopar Express Lane BMW Motorrad star Jordan Szoke, who edged Collingwood, ON's Ben Young by just over two-tenths of a second after Young and his S1000RR topped both practice sessions on Friday. Szoke, the three-time defending Mopar Pro Superbike Champion, will look for his first win at Grand Bend on Sunday after finishing second a year ago, while Young is still searching for his first career CSBK Pro win and will look to capture the elusive victory on Sunday.
Local rider Will Hornblower (Sarnia, ON) also seems intent on securing his first ever CSBK Pro victory in the Liqui Moly Pro Sport Bike class, after pacing fellow Yamaha YZF-R6 rider and defending champion Tomas Casas out of Peterborough, ON by just 0.003 seconds on Saturday morning.
Blackstock, ON teenager Jake LeClair managed to top the Amateur Lightweight Sport Bike class practice once again aboard his Yamaha YZF-R3, as the championship leader will try to win both races on Sunday to make it a perfect four-of-four to begin the season.
The remaining Amateur classes could feature close racing with a pair of local riders at the top, as Innisfil, ON's Andrew Haick led the way in Magneti Marelli Amateur Superbike, while Palmerston, ON's Mike Grass paced the Parts Canada Amateur Sport Bike division.
The lone race of the day, the RACE Mopar Express Lane Regional Lightweight support class, was won by 15-year old phenom Nicolas Meunier out of Verdun, QC – a usual front-runner in the Parts Canada Amateur Sport Bike class – while Port Hope, ON's J.F. Cloutier (2nd) and St. Thomas, ON's Ryan White (3rd) joined him on the podium.
The revised schedule for Sunday can be found on the official series website at www.csbk.ca, as can full results from all of the weekend's action.