Cycle News - Archive Issues - 2000's

Parts Canada Superblke Championship Round 8: Shannonvllle Motorsport Park PHOTO BY ROB O'BRIEN Slim Margin for Martin By JOHN HOPKINS SHANNONVILlE, ON, CANADA, SEPT. 4 F rancis Martin took his second Parts Canada Superbike Championship title in nail-biting fashion at Shannonville Motorsport Park. While Pascal Picotte notched up his third victory of the year on the Picotte Performance Yamaha YZF-R I, Martin snagged a third-place finish aboard the Snobgirls/LaYal Moto Suzuki GSX-R I000 and edged Picotte to the title by just five points, ] 15-] I0, If Martin had finished any lower down the order, Picotte would have claimed his third straight Canadian Superbike crown. For most of the 14-lap feature race around Shannonville's 2.S-mile "long track," Manin's title prospects looked secure. While Picotte tore away at the front, the Rock Forest, Quebec. native ran In third, buffered by fellow Suzuki riders Kevin Lacombe ahead of him and Clint McBain behind. But on lap nine, McBain passed Martin, and a lap later he took second spot from his Blackfoot Suzuki teammate Lacombe. As the laps wound down, McBain, Lacombe and Martin maintained their stations. and some observers wondered if someone in the Suzuki ranks had lost the plot. Finally, between turns five and six on the final lap. McBain slowed markedly and ran wide, allowing Lacombe and Martin through. Lacombe finished second, 2.6]0 seconds behind Picotte, with Martin third and McBain fourth. "I had a good start," Martin said after gjving the Montrealbased Diablo Perfonnance team its first National Superbike title. "It's a good thing I had a Suzuki in front of me and a Suzuki behind me. That helped me relax." Picotte felt he was the victim of Suzuki team orders. "I feel like they stole the championship," he fumed after the race. '" wouldn't be proud to win it that way. for sure. I just can't believe it. I came back from an injury and worked really hard. I feel like we got robbed." For his part, McBain said he was struggling at the end with tire troubles, haVing gone with too soft a rear Dunlop. Ironically, Picotte and fellow Yamaha factory rider Frank Trombino had been placed on probation a day earlier for "qualifying behavior." The pair was judged by series officials to have toured the track excessively slowly during the final minutes of the session while Martin tried to improve his grid position. McBain held on for third in the final standings with 289 points, I0 ahead of Fast Company Honda rider Jordan Szoke, who placed fifth at Shannonville after passing fellow CBR IOOORR rider Steve Crevier on the final lap. The Hindle Exhaust Pro 600cc Sportbike title had been settled in Crevier's favor at the previous round, but that didn't hurt the racing at this round. In a classic showdown, outgoing champion Picotte passed the Diablo Honda rider in turn two on the final lap to snatch the race win on his R6, finishing 0.]00 seconds ahead of the new champion. McBain was third on his Blackfoot Suzuki GSX-R6oo and secured second in the points. His teammate Lacombe had battled furiously with Picotte for second before a fall in the final turn ended his race. The battle for the International Motorcycle Supershow Amateur 600cc Sportbike title was almost as dramatic as the Superbike fight, but with less acrimony afterward. James Collins did everything he could by qualifying on pole, leading the most laps and winning the race, but with a fifth-place finish, his fellow Yamaha rider Mark Douglas clinched the title by two points. Darren James won the Canadian Thunder title for Buell with a third-place finish in the final round, despite fellow Buell pilot Bill Card's winning his third race of the season. Newly crowned HincIIe 600cc Sportbike champion SIeve Crevier (14)1eacIs 2003 and 2004 clcus champion Pascal Picotte (1) during the season finale of the Parts Canada Superblke Championship. Fifteen-year-old Picotte protege Karl Daigle wrapped up the Suzuki SV650 National Cup by finishing second at Shannonville in a race won by Ross Millson. In special end-of-season awards, Honda rider Erick Beausejour of Val Senneville, Quebec, won the HJC Pro Rookie of the Year honor, despite missing the first round of the season due to injury. Diablo Performance was named the Inside Motorcycles Team CN of the Year after sweeping both Pro National titles. SHANNONVlW MOTORSPORT PARK SHANNONYlW, ONtARIO, CANADA RESULTS: SEPTIMIIER 4, 2005 (ROUND 8) PRO SIBK: I. Pascal Pkotte (Yam): 2. KeoAn lacombe (Suz); 3. Francis Martin (Suz); <. On< McBa;n (Suz); 5. ]«dan S'oke (Han). PRO 600 SPT/8K, I. _ Picotte (Yam); 2. Steve Crevier (Hon); 3. Clint McBain (Suz);~. Andrew Nelson (Han); 5. Tom Klpp (Kaw). AM 600 SPT/8K, I. James Col'''' (Yam); 2. Stephan Chabot (Yam); 3. Craig Atkinson (Yam); 4. Craig Archer (Hon); S. Mark Douglas (Yam). CANADIAN THUNDE'" I. 8m C..-d (8ue); 2. O....k Vamm'" (Due); 3. Darren James (Bue): 4. Michael Leon (Due); S. OIMer Spilborghs (Bue). SV650 CUP: I. Ross Millson; 2.1

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