From a press release issued by the Parts Canada Superbike Championship series:

TIGHT FIGHT HITS MOSPORT

TORONTO, ON – The 2003 Parts Canada Superbike Championship comes to a critical stage at Mosport International Raceway this weekend.

The eight-race series reaches its halfway point at the Miller Genuine Draft presents the Chevy Trucks Mosport Double Header. With Superbike races set for Saturday and Sunday afternoon one racer could break open one of the tightest points battles in Canadian Superbike history.

Three different riders have won the first three events of the season and only 22 points separate the top six in the standings. A total of 56 points are available to the winner of each Parts Canada round.

After three events Joliette, QC’s Jean-Francois Cyr leads the Parts Canada Superbike standings. The Michelin Yamaha ace has 110 points to the 104 of Steve Crevier following his first career national win at Autodrome St-Eustache two weeks ago.

Crevier, from Maple Ridge, BC missed the St-Eustache event after suffering a crash in an earlier race. The Diablo Suzuki pilot, winner of the season opener at Shannonville Motorsport Park will be back for Mosport, however, as he bids for a record-extending 22nd career national Superbike win.

Pascal Picotte of St-Cecile de Milton, QC is third in the standings with 96 points. The Picotte Racing Yamaha rider earned a season-high second-place finish at St-Eustache.

Michael Taylor of Toronto is fourth in points with 94 and Rock Forest, QC rider Francis Martin sits fifth on 93. Riding for Orion Motorsport Honda, Taylor was victorious in round 2 of the season in Calgary, while Coors Light Racing/Blackfoot Suzuki’s Martin has a second and third place finish to his credit in the first three races.

Martin’s teammate Clint McBain of Calgary currently lies sixth in the standings with 88 points.

Kleinburg, ON’s Frank Trombino is only seventh in the rankings with 73 points, but the Brooklin Yamaha rider scored back-to-back Mosport wins in 2000 and 2001.

Chardon, OH’s Tom Kipp will also be a threat on the Canadian Kawasaki Motors Kawasaki ZX-7RR. Kipp comes to Mosport 10th in points with 61 after a non-finish at St-Eustache.

The Mosport weekend also features the fourth round of the Hindle Exhaust Pro 600 Sport Bike and International Motorcycle SUPERSHOW Amateur 600 Sport Bike national support classes.

Picotte has a commanding lead in the Pro 600 Sport Bike points with 146 to the 93 of Kars, ON’s Andrew Nelson, who rides for Z1 Cycletech Honda, and the 92 of defending class champion McBain.

In Amateur 600 Sport Bike, Jeremy Leduc of Keremeos, BC is going for his third straight victory on his Yamaha. He leads the points with 110 to the 102 of Ottawa’s Dan Henri, also on a Yamaha and the 95 of Wellsley, ON Honda rider Bill Card.

Qualifying for the first Superbike race at Mosport goes Friday afternoon, with time trials for Sunday’s event slated for Saturday morning. Qualifying for the Hindle Exhaust Pro 600 Sport Bike and International Motorcycle SUPERSHOW Amateur 600 Sport Bike classes will run Saturday afternoon.

This weekend’s event will be televised on TSN in two parts. The first show will air on Saturday, Aug. 9 at 12:30 p.m. EDT with the second on Sunday, Aug. 10, also at 12:30 p.m. Mosport action will also be shown later this year on Quebec’s RDS and across Canada on the Outdoor Life Network.