mOpAr CANAdiAN SupErBikE ChAmpiONShip prEViEW
Defending champ Szoke is on a BMW again in 2013 and is gunning for his ninth Canadian Superbike title.
The bIg Three? WelSH and CHriStie Set SigHtS on SzoKe’S CroWn
c By John Hopkins
onsidering he has won six of the last seven mopar canadian superbike championship titles, it would be easy to etch Jordan
szoke’s name on the canada cup for 2013. but as any racer will tell you, titles aren’t won until the final checkered flag has flown. And even though Szoke won more races
than any of his rivals last summer and se- cured the number one plate with a race to spare, he had plenty to worry about along the way. Three other riders – Andrew Nel- son, Kevin Lacombe and Alex Welsh – won races. A fourth competitor, Jodi Christie did everything but get onto the top step of the podium. If anything, the 2012 season was one of the most competitive for the Pro Su- perbike class in some time. All indications are this year’s champi-
onship fight should be every bit as fierce. While Szoke must again start as favourite, Welsh and Christie look ready to take a stronger run at him this time. It seems quite likely a champion will come from this trio. The question is, which one will it be? The biggest challenge Szoke faced be-
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fore the start of last season was that he was running on an unfamiliar bike in the BMW S1000RR with a new crew. That uncertainty has been removed this time around. The Brantford, Ont. ace is by now very familiar with the BMW and he has the core of his Waznie Racing crew back with him. Szoke will continue to get primary sponsorship from BMW Motorrad Canada and Parts Canada. In all respects the 34-year-old will hit the ground running, and he showed his confidence by winning the opener for the RACE regional series at Shannonville Motor- sport Park in late May. If there is one weakness Szoke’s rivals
can cling to, it is the fact that Szoke is not a big fan of the tracks on the early part of the schedule. He prefers the high speed swoops of places like Canadian Tire Motor- sport Park and Le Circuit Mont-Tremblant, which will close out the season. (Indeed, last year was the first time he had not won at CTMP since 2007). So, if Szoke struggles at Shannonville and Autodrome St-Eu- stache to start the year, things could get in- teresting. Welsh and Christie were among the rac- ers to show a lot of pace on occasion last
year, but to make a serious title challenge they will have to blend in consistency. Welsh is entering his third year on the AW7R Racing Suzuki GSX-R1000, so one would expect that he should have a good handle on the bike from track to track. After knocking on the door a few times,
the Uxbridge, Ont. racer scored a break- through Pro Superbike win at CTMP to fin- ish last season, and he was also a very competitive second to Szoke at St-Eu- stache. His early season form would sug- gest Welsh has carried that momentum over to 2013, as he qualified on pole and fought with Szoke for the win in the RACE regional opener at Shannonville. Parts Canada again provides primary sponsorship for the Welsh racing program. The third member of the trio, Christie
must make the biggest step forward if he is to wrest the Superbike title from Szoke. The Keene, Ont. racer has yet to win a feature class event and this will be his first full sea- son with a true Superbike at his disposal, as he enjoys the benefit of a Honda CBR1000RR. On the flip side, the two-time and defending Pro Sport Bike champ will reap increased support from Honda
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