From a press release issued by the race promoters, which originally claimed that Michael Taylor had crashed but was later corrected to reflect his mechanical DNF:
TROMBINO WINS OPENER
SHANNONVILLE, ON – Frank Trombino made a spectacular debut with the Honda Canada/Orion Motorsport racing team, winning the opening round of the Parts Canada Superbike Championship at Shannonville Motorsport Park Sunday.
The Kleinburg, ON rider led all 18 laps of the Honda Motorcycles Challenge for his third career national Superbike win. Brantford, ON’s Jordan Szoke placed second on the Suzuki Canada/Blackfoot Motosports Suzuki GSX-R1000, 12.621 secs. behind Trombino, and Owen Weichel of Toronto was third on the Canadian Kawasaki ZX-7RR.
“I just put my head down right from the start,” said the 27-year-old Trombino. “I didn’t want to get caught in any traffic. Later on I just tried to maintain a comfortable pace and my crew kept me informed of the gap at all times.”
Trombino’s win on his Honda RC51 gave him the early lead in the Parts Canada Superbike point standings while several of the title favorites ran into setbacks.
His teammate and two-time defending champion Steve Crevier of Maple Ridge, BC, who had qualified on pole aboard his Honda RC51, was unable to start after injuring his knee in a morning warm-up fall.
Sherbrooke, QC’s Francis Martin was another non-finisher after crashing his Coors Light Racing Fast Company Team Suzuki GSX-R1000 on the second lap of the race, unhurt.
Michael Taylor of Toronto retired with clutch failure on lap 15–while battling Szoke for second place–on his Yamaha Motor Canada/Brooklin Cycle Yamaha YZF-R1.
In other action at Shannonville Calgary’s Clint McBain, riding the Suzuki Canada/Blackfoot Suzuki GSX-R1000, edged the Diablo Suzuki GSX-R1000 of Kevin Lacombe for the victory in the opening round of the International Motorcycle SUPERSHOW Open Sport Bike feature.
McBain also beat Lacombe in the first race of the Yoshimura 600 Sport Bike Championship on his Suzuki GSX-R600. McBain took the lead from the Granby, QC rider on lap 5 of the 14-lap race and edged clear for a 3.317-sec. victory.
Dave Wright of Magnetawan, ON won the Diablo Paintball Can-Am 125GP Challenge season opener with a last lap pass of Ajax, ON’s Stuart Nodell.
This weekend’s event will be televised on TSN on Sunday, June 23 at 6:00 pm EDT and later this year on Quebec’s RDS and across Canada on the Outdoor Life Network.
The Parts Canada Superbike Championship resumes at Calgary’s Race City Motorsport Park June 7-9. The event will feature a Superbike doubleheader, with races for the feature class on Saturday and Sunday.
Results of the opening round of the Parts Canada Superbike Championship, the Honda Motorcycles Challenge, at Shannonville Motorsport Park on Sunday showing finishing position, rider name, hometown and type of motorcycle:
1.Frank Trombino, Kleinburg, ON, Honda RC51; 2. Jordan Szoke, Brantford, ON, Suzuki GSX-R1000; 3. Owen Weichel, Huntington Beach, CA, Kawasaki ZX-7RR; 4. Kevin Lacombe, Granby, QC, Suzuki GSX-R1000; 5. Benoit Pilon, St-Jerome, QC, Yamaha YZF-R1; 6. Jean-Francois Cyr, Joliette, QC, Yamaha YZF-R1; 7. Philip Onisto, Bolton, ON, Suzuki GSX-R1000; 8. Darryn Wilbur, Maple, ON, Yamaha YZF-R1; 9. Michael Leon, Beaconsfield, QC, Suzuki GSX-R1000; 10. Bruce McDonald, Mt. Albert, ON, Yamaha YZF-R6; 11. Dave Young, Woodstock, ON, Suzuki GSX-R1000; 12. John Brundl, Etobicoke, ON, Honda CBR954RR; 13. Clint Hines, Burlington, ON, Suzuki GSX-R750; 14. Dave Hodge, Ballinafad, ON, Suzuki TL1000S; 15. Mike Desmarais, North Bay, ON, Suzuki GSX-R1000; NF. Michael Taylor, Toronto, ON, Yamaha YZF-R1; NF. Jim Proulx, Ottawa, ON, Kawasaki ZX-7RR; NF. Francis Martin, Sherbrooke, QC, Suzuki GSX-R1000; NF. Ugo Levert, Lorraine, QC, Suzuki GSX-R1000; NS. Steve Crevier, Maple Ridge, BC, Honda RC51; NS. Clint McBain, Calgary, AB, Suzuki GSX-R1000; NS. Chris Tufford, Hamilton, ON, Yamaha YZF-R6; NS. Victor Paiva, Mississauga, ON, Kawasaki ZX-6R; NS. Derek Vammus, Brampton, ON, Honda RC51; NS. Jerome Plourde, St-Jerome, QC, Suzuki GSX-R600
Margin of Victory: 12.621 secs.
Average Speed: 132.80 km/h
Parts Canada Superbike Championship point standings following the Honda Motorcycles Challenge at Shannonville Motorsport Park on Sunday, showing position, rider name and point total:
1. Frank Trombino 55; 2. Jordan Szoke 42; 3. Owen Weichel 37; 4. Kevin Lacombe 32; 5. Benoit Pilon 29; 6. Jean-Francois Cyr 27; 7. Philip Onisto 25; 8. Darryn Wilbur 23; 9. Michael Leon 21; 10. Bruce McDonald 19; 11. Dave Young 17; 12. John Brundl 15; 13. Clint Hines 13; 14. Dave Hodge 12; 15. Mike Desmarais 10; 16. Steve Crevier 4; 17. Michael Taylor 2; 18. Francis Martin 1
