From a press release issued by series organizers:

KIPP QUICKEST IN WET

SHUBENACADIE, NS – Chardon, OH’s Tom Kipp set the pace on the opening day of practice for round 6 of the Parts Canada Superbike Championship at Atlantic Motorsport Park in Shubenacadie, NS on Friday.

Despite making his first visit to the twisty 1.6-mile road course Kipp took his Canadian Kawasaki Motors Kawasaki ZX-7RR around in 1:14.940 during the final, 45-minute practice session of the day.

Toronto’s Michael Taylor placed second aboard the Orion Motorsports Honda CBR954RR with a time of 1:15.044 and St-Cecile de Milton, QC rider Pascal Picotte was third fastest at 1:15.453 riding his Picotte Racing Yamaha YZF-R1.

The AMP course was hit by rain most of the day although the track was drying slightly during the final Superbike practice.

“It’s been wet but not overwhelming and I think that’s helped me pick up the track,” said Kipp, who comes into this weekend’s event ninth in the Parts Canada Superbike point standings. “I’m happy. I know the bike can be better. We’ll put our heads together and come up with something for tomorrow.”

Parts Canada Superbike points leader Francis Martin of Rock Forest, QC could only manage the 11th best time, a 1:19.826 on his Coors Light Racing/Blackfoot Suzuki GSX-R1000. Martin comes into this weekend’s event, the sixth round in the eight-race series, with a slim 11-point lead over Picotte in the standings, 190-179.

Steve Crevier of Maple Ridge, BC is just a point back of Picotte in third. The Diablo Suzuki GSX-R1000 rider was fifth on Friday with a time of 1:16.218.

In other action at AMP, James Fraser of Hammonds Plains, NS was quickest in practice for the Hindle Exhaust Pro 600 Sport Bike class with a time of 1:17.931 on his Honda CBR600RR.

Kipp was second quickest, recording a lap at 1:19.086 aboard the Canadian Kawasaki Motors Kawasaki ZX-6RR. Taylor was third at 1:20.053 riding the Orion Motorsport Honda CBR600RR.

Greenwood, NS’s Fred Silver led a local sweep of the top three positions in practice for the International Motorcycle SUPERSHOW Amateur 600 Sport Bike division with a time of 1:19.864 on his Kawasaki ZX-6RR. Eric Stanley of Halifax was second at 1:19.903 and Bedford, NS rider Andrew Murray placed third with a 1:21.299. Stanley and Murray were also Kawasaki-mounted.

In other Parts Canada Superbike series news Friday, Joliette, QC’s Jean-Francois Cyr received 27 points for the previous round at Mosport International Raceway. Series officials deemed that the CyRacing/Michelin Yamaha rider was unfairly prevented from restarting that race following a red flag interruption. Cyr was running sixth at the time of the red flag, which is worth 27 points.

The additional points boost Cyr to fourth in the standings with 165.

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

This weekend’s event will be televised on TSN on Saturday, Aug. 23 at 11:30 a.m. Action from AMP will also be shown later this year on Quebec’s RDS and across Canada on the Outdoor Life Network.