Canadian Superbike: Picotte Under Lap Record Friday At Mont-Tremblant

Canadian Superbike: Picotte Under Lap Record Friday At Mont-Tremblant

© 2004, Roadracing World Publishing, Inc.

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Copyright 2004, Roadracing World Publishing, Inc.

Picotte Yamaha’s Pascal Picotte is one step ahead of the field at Le Circuit Mont-Tremblant, round seven of the eight-round Parts Canada Superbike Championship series.

Riding his YZF-R1 Superbike, Picotte lapped at 1:39.898 in Friday afternoon practice, under his official motorcycle lap record (1:40.240) of the 2.65-mile track and over one second faster than any other Superbike competitor.

“Yeah, not bad, and there’s not much grip out there. The track feels really green,” Picotte told Roadracingworld.com. “I ran that time on a 640 (-compound rear Dunlop slick), the hardest tire they have. And I don’t like that bike as much as I like my other one. With a qualifier, I should be able to do a low-1:39.”

Picotte said many factors have played into his increased speed this year at Mont Tremblant. “The new bike is definitely better, the tires are better, the team is way better than last year and my confidence level is really high after winning all these races,” said defending Parts Canada Superbike Champion.

Picotte was also the quickest rider in the Hindle Exhausts 600cc Sportbike class, turning a 1:42.156 in Friday morning practice, 1.7 seconds faster than the next-fastest 600cc rider.

Friday afternoon’s 600cc Sportbike practice was stopped early for a bad crash involving Craig Connell. According to his mechanic, Doug Clavier, Connell lost the front end of his Coors Light Blackfoot Suzuki GSX-R600 in turn one, a fourth-gear kink, and slid under Alpina inflatable air modules placed against a concrete barrier just 35 feet off the racing surface.

Connell was transported to a local hospital in Ste. Agathe, Quebec, Canada, where he underwent surgery to stabilize a fractured pelvis, according to series organizer Colin Fraser. Connell also suffered injuries to his lower right leg/ankle.

Rain is forecast for Saturday, when qualifying for both the Superbike and 600cc Sportbike classes is scheduled.

Parts Canada Superbike Championship
Round 7 of 8
Le Circuit Mont Tremblant
Mont Tremblant, Quebec, Canada

Friday Afternoon Superbike Practice Times:

1. Pascal Picotte (Yam YZF-R1), 1:39.898
2. Jordan Szoke (Hon CBR1000RR), 1:41.155
3. Clint McBain (Suz GSX-R1000), 1:41.220
4. Steve Crevier (Suz GSX-R1000), 1:41.461
5. Jeff Williams (Suz GSX-R1000), 1:41.648
6. Kevin Lacombe (Yam YZF-R1), 1:42.355
7. Francis Martin (Kaw ZX-10R), 1:42.504
8. Andrew Nelson (Hon CBR1000RR), 1:42.546
9. Frank Trombino (Yam YZF-R1), 1:43.116
10. Matt McBride (Kaw ZX-10R), 1:44.306

Friday Morning Superbike Practice Times:

1. Picotte, 1:40.506
2. McBain, 1:41.402
3. Szoke, 1:41.745
4. Craig Connell (Suz GSX-R1000), 1:41.888
5. Crevier, 1:42.404
6. Williams, 1:42.780
7. Nelson, 1:42.887
8. Trombino, 1:42.943
9. Martin, 1:43.555
10. Lacombe, 1:43.689


Friday Afternoon Hindle 600cc Sportbike Practice Times:

1. Clint McBain (Suz GSX-R600), 1:44.007
2. Craig Connell (Suz GSX-R600), 1:44.211
3. Jordan Szoke (Hon CBR600RR), 1:44.321
4. Chris Peris (Suz GSX-R600), 1:44.467
5. Matt McBride (Kaw ZX-6RR), 1:44.533
6. Jeff Williams (Suz GSX-R600), 1:44.691
7. Francis Martin (Kaw ZX-6RR), 1:44.889
8. Steve Crevier (Suz GSX-R600), 1:45.280
9. Frank Trombino (Yam YZF-R6), 1:46.700
10. Sebastien Michel (Suz GSX-R600), 1:47.845

26. Pascal Picotte (Yam YZF-R6), no time
27. Andrew Nelson (Hon CBR600RR), no time

Friday Morning Hindle 600cc Sportbike Practice Times:

1. Picotte, 1:42.156
2. Crevier, 1:43.875
3. Martin, 1:43.885
4. Connell, 1:44.309
5. McBain, 1:44.324
6. Szoke, 1:44.327
7. McBride, 1:44.566
8. Trombino, 1:44.863
9. Nelson, 1:45.573
10. Williams, 1:45.930


More, from a press release issued by series organizers:

PICOTTE BACK ON TOP

MONT-TREMBLANT, QC Granby, QC’s Pascal Picotte was back on top of the heap on the opening day of practice for the Parts Canada Superbike Championship at Circuit Mont-Tremblant on Friday.

After seeing his four-race winning streak come to an end at the previous series round at Atlantic Motorsport Park, the rider of the Team Yamaha / Picotte Performance Yamaha YZF-R1 set a fastest lap of 1:39.898, almost half a second below the lap record of 1:40.240 he established last year.

Picotte was the only racer to dip under the 1:40 barrier. Brantford, ON’s Jordan Szoke was second on his Honda Canada / Fast Company Honda CBR1000RR with a time of 1:41.155 and Calgary racer Clint McBain set the third fastest time of 1:41.220 on the Coors Light Racing / Blackfoot Suzuki GSX-R1000.

“I’ve been looking forward all season long to Mont-Tremblant so I’m really enjoying it,” Picotte said. “The track definitely suits my riding style.”

Picotte could wrap up his second straight Parts Canada Superbike crown here on Sunday. He comes into this event, the penultimate round of the season 71 points clear of his nearest rival, fellow Granby, QC rider Kevin Lacombe. A rider can earn a maximum of 56 points at each series round.

Lacombe won the previous event at AMP but was only seventh fastest in practice at Mont-Tremblant on Friday with a time of 1:42.355 aboard the Lacombe Racing / Brooklin Cycle Yamaha YZF-R1.

Action at Mont-Tremblant was marred by a serious accident involving Australian Craig Connell, McBain’s teammate on the Coors Light Racing / Blackfoot Suzuki squad. Connell crashed in turn 1 during practice for the Hindle Exhaust Pro 600 Sport Bike series and was taken to hospital in nearby Ste-Agathe, where he underwent surgery on a broken pelvis.

A team member reported the surgery went well and Connell was due to be transferred to Montreal later on Friday.

Picotte came back from a morning practice crash to also set the fastest time Friday in Pro 600 Sport Bike practice. The class points leader recorded a 1:42.156 on his Yamaha YZF-R6.

Maple Ridge, BC’s Steve Crevier was second quickest on the DXS Diablo Racing Team Suzuki GSX-R600 with a time of 1:43.875 and Canadian Kawasaki Motors rider Francis Martin of Rock Forest, QC placed third at 1:43.885 on his Kawasaki ZX-6RR.

Action at Mont-Tremblant also featured the opening practice sessions for the International Motorcycle SUPERSHOW Amateur 600 Sport Bike Championship competitors. Thomas Macsanszky of Richmond Hill, ON was fastest overall with a time of 1:48.806 on his Yamaha YZF-R6.

Points leader Rudy Raposo of Mississauga, ON placed ninth overall at 1:50.881 on his Yamaha.

Qualifying for all three national classes will take place Saturday afternoon with races on Sunday.

This weekend’s event will be televised on TSN on Oct. 10 at 1:00 p.m. EDT and on Quebec’s RDS on Oct. 23 at 2:00 p.m. EDT. The action will also appear in one-hour format this fall on TORONTO1 and A-Channel stations in Winnipeg, Calgary and Edmonton.

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