HArley-dAvidsoN Xr1200 cup preview
Matechuk (111) beats
James (29) off the line. photo by neil cameron
Pro Rookie of the Year held off a six-time Canadian Superbike champion for the win, with a two-time national Thunder class champion completing the podium. Indeed, the newest class to join the na-
tional road race tour has attracted a wide variety of racing experience, which should help to make it one of the most compelling classes this summer. The concept of the category is pretty
straightforward. All entries are equipped with Harley-Davidson’s XR1200 sportster, which includes a performance package specially made for the class by Vance & Hines. The spec nature of the series places a premium on rider talent rather than me- chanical superiority, and based on the opening round there appears to be plenty of bar-to-bar action in store. Winner of the opening round was
Cochrane, AB’s Cody Matechuk, who is backed by Privateers Harley-Davidson from Halifax. Matechuk has been on the move up the road race ladder for a few years now, winning the Suzuki SV650 Cup in 2008, the Amateur Sport Bike title in 2009 and last year being named the top rookie Pro. Developing under the wing of currently
retired national Pro Clint McBain, with addi- tional coaching from his dad Rod Matechuk, Cody has excelled at every level he’s com- peted, and looked particularly impressive holding off no less an icon than Steve Crevier in the season opener. Crevier grabbed the lead for a couple of laps in the race at ICAR but Matechuk came
22
MelTing poT A
t the opening round of the Harley-Davidson XR1200 Cup at Circuit ICAR on May 29, a teenager who was last year’s
Steven Nickerson. photo by don empey
James was third at ICAR and was in the
Wide rAnge of experience in spec series By John Hopkins
right back at him, and afterward didn’t seem too overawed to be racing in such exalted company. It is unlikely that Crevier will take the de-
feat lying down however, and the Maple Ridge, BC veteran adds plenty of spice to the series with his MotoSport Plus of Kingston-backed entry. Of course, in Canada the name Darren
James is synonymous with big twin motor- cycle racing. James was Canadian Thunder champion in 2005 and 2006 and the North Vancouver racer and his Ruthless Racing concern have been flag bearers for the Harley-Davidson and Buell brands for al- most a decade now. James got a taste of the XR1200 Cup in
Great Britain last year, where the series made its debut (it also was introduced as part of the AMA road racing schedule in the U.S.). He took fifth in the standings running with the Warr’s Harley-Davidson team alongside ex-GP star Jeremy McWilliams.
7
14 27
29 53
64 69 89
111 123
369 661 735 747
thick of the lead battle most of the way. He’ll be joined under the Ruthless Racing / Dee- ley Harley-Davidson Canada tent by Florid- ian David Estok, who missed the season opener due to injury, Calgary’s John Ross MacRae, who was a late call up to sub for Estok at ICAR and finished seventh, and Olivier Spilborghs of White Rock, BC, a longtime member of the team who was sixth in round one. A number of other young guns are run-
ning in the series besides Matechuk and MacRae. Top Amateur racer Samuel Proulx of Magog, QC was fourth at ICAR on his Sherbrooke Harley-Davidson-backed entry and Hamilton’s Lee Kuhn Jr. placed ninth aboard an XR1200 sponsored by Jacox Harley-Davidson of Mississauga. One of last season’s top Amateurs, for-
mer Honda CBR125R Challenge champ Steven Nickerson missed round one after a testing crash but should be ready for round two at Shannonville on his bike sponsored by Ottawa’s Freedom Harley-Davidson. Will the young guns rule or will the old
guard have their day? The XR1200 Cup is bringing the best of both generation to- gether to settle the issue.
HArley-dAvidsoN Xr1200 cup provisioNAl eNtries Olivier Spilborghs
Steve Crevier
John Ross MacRae Darren James Elie Daccache
Samuel Proulx Chris Harmon Lee Kuhn Jr.
Cody Matechuk David Estok
Gump Harrison Steven Nickerson Dan Thomson Steve Hoffarth
White Rock, BC Maple Ridge, BC
Calgary, AB
Ottawa, ON Magog, QC
Bracebridge, ON Hamilton, ON Cochrane, AB
Ailsa Craig, ON Hamilton, ON
Ruthless Racing / Deeley Harley-Davidson Canada MotoSport Plus
Ruthless Racing / Deeley Harley-Davidson Canada
North Vancouver, BC Ruthless Racing / Deeley Harley-Davidson Canada
Harley-Davidson de L'Outaouais Sherbrooke Harley-Davidson Vision Harley-Davidson Jacox Harley-Davidson Privateers Harley-Davidson
Carleton Place, ON Orangeville, ON
New Smyrna Beach, FL Ruthless Racing / Deeley Harley-Davidson Canada Rocky’s Harley-Davidson Freedom Harley-Davidson MotoSport Plus
Kitchener Harley-Davidson
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