From a press release issued by series organizers:

THE STAKES ARE RAISED

CALGARY, AB The stakes are higher than ever as the Parts Canada Superbike Championship descends on Calgary’s Race City Motorsport Park this weekend.

For the fourth time in the past six years, the Race City round will run to a doubleheader format, meaning racers will have two opportunities to grab points in the chase for the Canada Cup. By the time the haulers roll out on Sunday evening somebody could have taken a critical step towards claiming the national crown.

This weekend’s races are the second and third rounds of the eight-race series. Maple Ridge, BC’s Steve Crevier drew first blood in the opener at Shannonville Motorsport Park back in May. The DXS Diablo Team Suzuki rider is trying for a seventh national championship.

But Crevier will likely come under fire from local hero Clint McBain, who is second in points after a career high second place finish at Shannonville. Riding for the Calgary-based Coors Light Racing / Blackfoot Suzuki team McBain was the fastest qualifier for this event last season.

Also sure to challenge for the victory is defending Parts Canada Superbike champion Pascal Picotte of Granby, QC. Picotte was third at Shannonville on his Team Yamaha / Picotte Performance Yamaha after starting from pole and leading the most laps.

The defending Calgary champion Michael Taylor will not be here this weekend after he was hurt in a crash at Shannonville, but five-time Race City victor Jordan Szoke is, now riding for the Honda Canada / Fast Company team. The Brantford, ON ace was a double winner in his last appearance here in 2002.

Another rider who should be in the thick of the action will be Rock Forest, QC’s Francis Martin, who scored his first career national Superbike win at Race City in 1999 and is riding for the Canadian Kawasaki Motors factory team.

This weekend’s racing also includes a doubleheader for the Hindle Exhaust Pro 600 Sport Bike Championship along with the second round of the International Motorcycle SUPERSHOW Amateur 600 Sport Bike Championship.

Honda Canada / Fast Company’s Andrew Nelson of Ottawa leads the Pro 600 Sport Bike standings after scoring his first career national win in the opening round at Shannonville. Former class champion McBain was a close second in that race.

Thomas Macsanszky sits in first place in Amateur 600 Sport Bike points. The Z1 Cycletech Yamaha rider from Richmond Hill, ON scored a dramatic victory in the Shannonville season opener.

Qualifying for the Parts Canada Superbike and Hindle Exhaust Pro 600 Sport Bike classes will go Friday afternoon, with races scheduled for Saturday and Sunday. Competitors in the International Motorcycle SUPERSHOW Amateur 600 Sport Bike class will qualify Saturday and race Sunday.

This weekend’s events will be televised on TSN on July 24 and July 31 at 11:30 a.m. EDT and on Quebec’s RDS on Aug. 8 at 12:00 p.m. and Aug. 22 at 11:30 a.m. The action will also appear in one-hour format later this summer on Toronto1 and A-Channel stations in Winnipeg, Calgary and Edmonton.


All Time Race City Superbike Wins: Jordan Szoke (Brantford, ON) 5; Michael Taylor (Toronto, ON) 3; Steve Crevier (Maple Ridge, BC) 2; Pascal Picotte (St-Cecile de Milton, QC) 2; Gary Goodfellow (Vancouver, BC) 1; Rueben McMurter (London, ON) 1; Michel Mercier (Thetford Mines, QC) 1; Don Munroe (Halifax, NS) 1; Francis Martin (Rock Forest, QC) 1; Jeff Williams (Harrowsmith, ON) 1; Owen Weichel (Toronto, ON) 1

Race City Fast Facts

…King of the doubleheaders? The last two times the Calgary stop in the Parts Canada Superbike series has run to a two-race format, in 2000 and 2002, Jordan Szoke swept both races. The two-time national champion has more Race City Superbike wins than any other racer with five.

…Five racers have scored their first career national Superbike wins at Race City, including Pascal Picotte (1991), Jordan Szoke (1998), Francis Martin (1999), Jeff Williams (1999) and Owen Weichel (2001). Four of those riders Picotte, Szoke, Martin and Williams are competing this weekend.

…On seven occasions a winner at Race City has gone on to claim the Canadian title in the same year, Michel Mercier (1990), Steve Crevier (1992), Michael Taylor (1996), Don Munroe (1997), Jordan Szoke (1998 and 2002) and Francis Martin (1999). Taylor won last year’s event but finished eighth in year-end points.

2004 Point Standings

Parts Canada Superbike: 1. Steve Crevier (Suzuki) 52; 2. Clint McBain (Suzuki) 45; 3. Pascal Picotte (Yamaha) 43; 4. Kevin Lacombe (Yamaha) 33; 5. Frank Trombino (Yamaha) 29

Hindle Exhaust Pro 600 Sport Bike: 1. Andrew Nelson (Honda) 54; 2. Clint McBain (Suzuki) 45; 3. Pascal Picotte (Yamaha) 41

International Motorcycle SUPERSHOW Amateur 600 Sport Bike: 1. Thomas Macsanszky (Yamaha) 50; 2. Rudy Raposo (Yamaha) 42; 3. Mark Douglas (Yamaha) 39

Provisional Weekend Schedule

Friday July 2

1:00 p.m.-1:25 p.m. Hindle Exhaust Pro 600 Sport Bike Qualifying

2:55 p.m.-3:40 p.m. Parts Canada Superbike Qualifying

Saturday July 3

1:25 p.m. Hindle Exhaust Pro 600 Sport Bike Race 1 12 laps

2:50 p.m.-3:20 p.m. International Motorcycle

SUPERSHOW Amateur 600 Sport Bike Qualifying
4:00 p.m. Parts Canada Superbike Race 1 16 laps

Sunday July 4

1:00 p.m. Hindle Exhaust Pro 600 Sport Bike Race 2 12 laps

2:15 p.m. International Motorcycle SUPERSHOW Amateur 600 Sport Bike Race 12 laps

3:05 p.m. Parts Canada Superbike Race 2 16 laps