From a press release issued by series organizers:

Picotte makes his point

August 30, 2003

SHANNONVILLE, ON – Pascal Picotte edged closer to his first Parts Canada Superbike Championship with a convincing display in qualifying for the final round at Shannonville Motorsport Park Saturday.

The St-Cecile de Milton, QC rider set a new outright record for the 2.5-mile track of 1:44.079 on his Picotte Racing Yamaha YZF-R1 to claim pole position for Sunday’s season finale. The previous record of 1:44.386 set by Jordan Szoke had stood since Sept. 2, 2000.

With the performance Picotte earned the $500 MPM/Array Pole Award and four points toward the Parts Canada Superbike standings. He now leads the rankings with 281 points to the 261 of Steve Crevier with 52 points available in Sunday’s race.

Crevier, from Maple Ridge, BC was fourth in qualifying on his Diablo Performance Suzuki GSX-R1000 and received one championship point.

“This is definitely a boost,” said Picotte after claiming his third MPM/Array Pole Award of the season. “Yesterday the bike was not quite the way I wanted but today it was getting better and better.”

Picotte’s time was 1.489 secs. faster than the second place rider, Calgary’s Clint McBain. McBain set a time of 1:45.568 on his Coors Light Racing/Blackfoot Suzuki GSX-R1000. His teammate Francis Martin of Rock Forest, QC was third with a lap at 1:46.076.

Martin received two points toward the Superbike standings and remains in contention for the title in third place with 247 points.

Kleinburg, ON’s Frank Trombino, Jean-Francois Cyr of Joliette, QC and Harrowsmith, ON rider Jeff Williams make up the second row of Sunday’s race grid. Cyr came into the weekend fourth in points and with a mathematical shot at the Parts Canada crown. But the CyRacing/Michelin Yamaha YZF-R1 rider failed to add to his point total in qualifying Saturday and dropped from title contention.

In other Shannonville action, Picotte claimed pole position for Sunday’s Hindle Exhaust Pro 600 Sport Bike race with a class record time of 1:45.850 on the Picotte Racing Yamaha YZF-R6. Picotte has already clinched the 2003 title.

McBain placed second at 1:46.196 on the Coors Light Racing/Blackfoot Suzuki GSX-R600 and Trombino was third at 1:46.600 riding the Brooklin Cycle Yamaha YZF-R6. The top four qualifiers all broke the previous track record of 1:47.24 set by Owen Weichel in 2000.

Derek Bowker edged four points closer to the lead of the International Motorcycle SUPERSHOW Amateur 600 Sport Bike standings by grabbing pole with a lap of 1:50.755 on his Motor Sports World Yamaha YZF-R6.

Bowker now has 194 points to the 218 of Keremeos, BC’s Jeremy Leduc, who came back from a fall to qualify 10th for Sunday’s race on the Kelowna Yamaha-backed Yamaha YZF-R6.

Feature races in all three national classes will run Sunday. Practice starts at 8:30 a.m. with the first race, the Hindle Exhaust Pro 600 Sport Bike feature set to go at 12:30 p.m.

This weekend’s event will be televised on TSN on Sunday, Sept. 28 at 1:00 p.m. and on the Outdoor Life Network on Sunday, Oct. 26, also at 1:00 p.m. Action from Shannonville will also be shown later this year on Quebec’s RDS.