Cycle News - Archive Issues - 2000's

Parts Canada National Pro Superbike Round 4: Mosport International Raceway STORY AND PHOTOS BY HENNY RAY ABRAMS BOWMANVllLE, aNT, CANADA, JULY 21 ordan Szoke wasn't supposed to be here. The Canadian had a contract for the 2002 season to race in the U.S. for the Corona Extra EBSCO Media Suzuki team. He began the season with a second-place finish at Daytona. In the next race at California Speedway he was third. The third round was at Sears Point Raceway. He never made it. En route from his home in Branford, Ontario, to Buffalo, New York, where he was to board a plane for the race at Sears Point, he ran into visa problems at the border crossing and was denied entry. Unable to get into America, Szoke was replaced on the Corona team by Australian Adam Fergusson and had to scramble to find a ride in Canada. Luckily, the short, sixrace Canadian Superbike season didn't begin until May 17. The Coors Light Racing/Fast Company/ Blackfoot Suzuki team snatched him up and put him straight to work in the Parts Canada National Pro Superbike Series. The 1998 series champion won the first race, the second, and the third. At Mosport International Raceway, he made history, becoming the first rider ever to win four Parts Canada National Pro Superbike races in a row, the feat further increasing his already gaping championship lead, and moving him into second on the all-time career Superbike win list behind Steve Crevier. O "I had a ton of pressure to win this weekend because so many fans here that I know and it's Mosport - it's the place," said Szoke, the 1998 Superbike Champion of the legendary circuit east of Toronto. "All I wanted to do was win here and I did that and it just happened to be four in a row, so that's a great record." Szoke had shared the previous record of three in a row with Crevier. The win, Szoke's 13th, moves him into sole possession of second place behind the 20 of the absent Crevier. Crevier injured his knee during practice for the season-opener at Shannonville Motorsport Park and has yet to return. Second on the day went to Brooklin Cycle Yamaha's Michael Taylor, who wore a hole in his engine case by leaning over too far. The veteran chased Szoke for 11 laps before having to slow when the oil from cases lAbove) .Ionian Szoke (101) feels the pressure of Michael Taylor (15) In the Canada National Pro Superblke race at Mosport International Raceway. (Left) Szoke was able to withstand the constant threat of Taylor to win his fourth race In a row, becoming the first rider in history to do so In the Canadian series. 28 JULv31,2002' cue. e n _ ... s caused him to start sliding around. He finished the 16-lap, 39.84-mile race 5.04 seconds behind Szoke. Third went to Kawasaki Canada's Owen Weichel, who emerged victorious from a three-way battle with Szoke's teammate Francis Martin and Honda Canada's Kevin Lacombe. Martin wasn't able to procure the proper medium-compound Dunlop rear tire and slid to fourth. Lacombe was fifth until after the race when he was dropped four positions, to ninth, for jumping the start. Szoke jumped away from the start but was passed by Taylor going into turn three. It was something of a wake-up call. "I never knew what anybody had for me all week on the straightaway because I was always out by myself I like being by myself, that's my style," Szoke said. "And I blew right by him on the straightaway and I thought, 'This is great, now I know how I can ride the rest of the race.' I put my head down and did fast laps. I don't have to push it into the corners and wreck the tires as fast and just stand it up, don't get such a good drive, just squirt it out and use the power to my advantage. It's all about using what you have to your advantage. And that's what I did most of the race, and I guess I was totally relaxed and was riding pretty easy to do what I was doing. I was waiting for Mike [Taylor] to put a charge at the

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