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May 4, 2023
Toronto, Ontario – The premier class of Bridgestone Canadian Superbike Championship racing will return with a title sponsor from 2023, as GP Bikes will back the feature Pro Superbike category this season.
The Whitby-based powersports retailer and motorcycle specialists are the first sponsor of the main Superbike class since 2019, and are excited to partner with the biggest stars in the Bridgestone CSBK paddock and the quest for the annual Canada Cup.
Founded in nearby Ajax in 2000, GP Bikes initially began “with 5 used motorcycles, a 1200 square foot facility in Ajax, one employee, and a dream,” and has since grown into one of Canada’s biggest and most renowned motorcycle distributors. The company moved to Whitby in 2011, expanding their facility to over 40,000 feet and are still expanding further today.
Aside from offering a range of other powersports products, GP Bikes also sells Ducati, Triumph, KTM, Husqvarna, and Honda machines, consistently ranking as one of the top Ducati and Triumph dealers in the country. Currently, they are expanding their lineup to include BMW and MV Agusta motorcycles.
Now well-established in the consumer market, GP Bikes and president Jerry Ordanis are hoping to grow their brand in the Canadian racing world.
“GP Bikes is thrilled to be partnering more closely with the Bridgestone Canadian Superbike Championship in 2023, in what should be a thrilling season in the GP Bikes Pro Superbike class for both riders and fans,” said Ordanis.
As the top level of national motorcycle racing in Canada, the now-titled GP Bikes Pro Superbike class is home to all of the sport’s biggest names, including two-time and defending champion Ben Young, his rival and 2021 champion Alex Dumas, and 14-time crown winner Jordan Szoke.
One of the lone “original” classes that has stayed on the CSBK calendar since its launch in 1980, the feature category has seen 16 different riders take the coveted #1 plate across 43 seasons, with Szoke’s mark of 14 and Kawasaki’s 16 the most among them.
The new sponsorship will come at the perfect time for GP Bikes as well, with the 2023 campaign expected to be one of the best in Pro Superbike history. The hopeful return of Szoke, partnered with his new rookie teammate Trevor Dion, and the renewed battle between Young and Dumas will be just some of the storylines to watch this summer.
Outside of the feature Superbike class, GP Bikes will also be sponsoring Liqui Moly Pro Sport Bike title contender and fan-favourite Elliot Vieira as he joins Ducati in 2023. A double race winner and third-overall finisher in 2022, Vieira will look to capture his first Pro title this season with the help of GP Bikes’ support.
The Bridgestone Canadian Superbike Championship season will officially kick off at Shannonville Motorsport Park on May 19-21, with eleven feature GP Bikes Pro Superbike races, all broadcast on TSN, between now and September to decide the Canada Cup winner and the National, overall number one plate.
For more information on the Bridgestone Canadian Superbike Championship, visit www.csbk.ca
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March 15, 2023
Jennings, Florida – Jordan Szoke’s long-awaited return to the Bridgestone Canadian Superbike Championship was almost perfect on Tuesday, topping day one of the Bridgestone Winter Test at JenningsGP in north Florida.
Szoke didn’t need long to shake off the rust despite a year away from racing (and lingering effects from his serious motocross injury last off season), sitting third-fastest in the morning and fifth overall by mid-afternoon aboard his LDS Consultants Kawasaki.
Facing perhaps more obstacles than anybody given his hiatus, new machine, and abrupt adjustment to the new spec Bridgestone tires, it seemed like top-five pace would be a great accomplishment in his 2023 debut – but the 14-time champion had one more trick left up his sleeve.
In the final session of the day, Szoke crushed the previous benchmark with a time of 1:17.732 to go fastest overall in the combined times ahead of Ben Young. The reigning champion would put in a late flyer of his own to cut the deficit to just 0.077 seconds, but it wasn’t enough to oust his former rival from the top spot.
With most of the grid adapting to the new Bridgestone BATTLAX slick tires for the first time, the reception was almost entirely positive despite worse track conditions than previous tests at Jennings, something Szoke knows better than anyone.
“Any of the issues I think can be blamed on the track right now more than anything,” Szoke said to his crew on pit lane, as well as Bridgestone staff who were on-hand from around the world. “It’s going to take some getting used to, but the grip feels really good so far.”
Despite Szoke’s sensational lap, it was Young who paced majority of the day, rebounding quickly from a frustrating Daytona 200 weekend as he debuted the #1 plate aboard his Van Dolder’s Home Team BMW.
Sitting less than a tenth of a second out of first, Young represented a very tight group at the front on Tuesday, with the top nine riders separated by less than a second prior to the final session. Even with the late blitz from Szoke and Young, just 1.7 seconds will cover the entire top-ten going into Wednesday.
Completing the widely-expected trio of frontrunners was 2021 champion Alex Dumas, who struggled through a number of issues on day one but still managed to put in a strong lap of 1:18.128 – just 0.396 seconds away from making his Purple Skull/Liqui Moly Suzuki the top target.
The big surprise of the day was rookie Pierre Simard in fourth, who stole the show to begin the Bridgestone era aboard his D1C Suzuki effort. After an injury limited his “true rookie” season to just one round, Simard returned to the CSBK grid just 0.023 seconds off Dumas in third.
Rounding out the top-five was fellow LDS Consultants Kawasaki debutant Trevor Dion, who gradually made progress throughout the day aboard his new ZX-10R Ninja alongside teammate Szoke, with Sam Guerin placing his EFC Group BMW sixth and only a second off the top of the timesheets.
The combined top-ten of day one is below:
Cooney the top Amateur, Lalande stars in Lightweight
Andrew Cooney, Lightweight Sport Bike star from last season, has moved up to Amateur Sport Bike for 2023. (Photo-Rob O'Brien /CSBK)
The first day of testing also saw a number of Amateurs take to the JenningsGP track, with first-year Scorpion Amateur Sport Bike rider Andrew Cooney setting the bar early on for Honda.
A four-time race winner in the Lightweight division last year, Cooney quickly got up to speed on his bigger 600cc machine, pacing the field with a blistering time of 1:20.625 – only 1.172 seconds off the Pro top-ten.
Trailing Cooney through the first half of testing is fellow youngster Mackenzie Weil, who went second-fastest aboard his MotorcycleCourse Yamaha with a time of 1:21.930. The lead trio was rounded off by Stephen Moxey, roughly two seconds off the pace.
As for the third and final group, it was 14-year-old Vincent Lalande who lived up to all the hype in his first taste of national action, leading the way in the combined Lightweight category.
The inaugural Canadian Mini Superbike Ohvale Cup champion is considered one of the series’ biggest talents in recent memory, and proved it on Tuesday by leading his group aboard a SpeedFactory67 Kawasaki with a time of 1:27.436.
Second to Lalande through day one was Justin Marshall, trailing the teenager by 1.110 seconds. Third in the group was veteran returnee Jeff Williams, who is making his own comeback after a scary Pro Superbike crash in 2020. The Yamaha rider managed an excellent 1:28.911 in his first official action in over two years.
Full results by session can be found on the series’ official website, while action will continue on Wednesday at JenningsGP.
For more information on the Bridgestone Canadian Superbike Championship, visit www.csbk.ca
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February 23, 2023
Burlington, Ontario - REV TV CANADA'S MOTORSPORTS & AUTOMOTIVE DESTINATION 24/7 is thrilled to welcome back the preeminent production-based motorcycle racing series, WorldSBK.
REV TV is set to broadcast all twelve rounds of the WorldSBK season, which sees a continuation of the tremendous tussle between the aptly named titanic trio of reigning champion Ducati’s Álvaro Bautista, 2021 champion Yamaha’s Toprak Razgatlıoğlu, and the most successful rider in WorldSBK Kawasaki’s Jonathan Rea. Three champions and three manufacturers all vying to reign supreme in 2023.
“WorldSBK is truly in a ‘golden era’ and we are more than excited to be bringing live coverage of this incredible series to Canadians across the country,” said Ed Kanerva, Director of Marketing and Programming at REV TV. “Superbike racing has a fervent following in Canada, and if the last two seasons are any indication, 2023 is set to be another electrifying entry in a series filled with legendary moments.”
The first round of WorldSBK commences this weekend from historic Phillip Island in Australia. Race 1 leads the way on Friday at 11:30PM ET with Race 2 on Saturday also at 11:30PM ET.
About WorldSBK
Superbike World Championship (also known as WorldSBK, SBK, World Superbike, WSB, or WSBK) is a silhouette-class road racing series based on heavily modified production motorcycles, also known as superbike racing. The championship was founded in 1988.
Each round includes two full races making it a testament to rider and machine durability and speed. The hotly contested championship has been split between three riders representing three manufacturers the past two years and 2023 looks to maintain this incredibly competitive quality racing.
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February 24, 2023
Toronto, Ontario – Bridgestone will support a Canadian super team at next month’s 81st running of the Daytona 200 at Daytona International Speedway, March 11. Reigning Bridgestone Canadian National Superbike Champion Ben Young of Collingwood, ON, and top Liqui Moly Pro Sport Bike competitor Elliot Vieira from Claremont, ON, will both compete on Bridgestone slick-shod Yamaha YZF-R6’s built by Florida Bridgestone distributor BikePass Motorsports (BPM).
The Daytona 200 middleweight event, relaunched last year, is a rare top-level competition that allows for open tire choice – a spec tire is not mandated by organizers MotoAmerica at this specific, start of season event.
Scottish-born Young, age 30, has previously competed at Daytona in the prestigious 200-mile D.I.S. event.
In 2012, Young earned 8th in the 200 after starting from 17th. Young’s qualifying effort was disrupted by a red flag stoppage in very cold (4 degrees C) conditions just as he fitted fresh tires. That year, Young had two scheduled pit stops during the lengthy race, changing just rear rubber the first time, and both wheels and tires the second.
“It’s been ten years since my last 200, and back then I really was just a kid,” explained two-time CSBK overall national champ Young. “My riding has developed, and I’m wiser, so I think if the package is right with the bike and our pit stops are solid, there is no reason we can’t be with the lead group in the final stint of the race.”
Young’s sponsors will include Hindle Exhaust, Vass Performance Cycle and Scott Cartier Racing, and his family who will help as pit crew.
Vieira (middle) is the most recent winner in the Liqui Moly Pro Sport Bike class, having dominated the season finale at Canadian Tire Motorsport Park. [Photo: Rob O'Brien]
Just turned 25, Guyana-born Vieira has never competed at Daytona, so will be on a steep learning curve at the famed high-banked Florida Super Speedway. At Vieira’s most recent race in August’s Canadian Tire Motorsport Park national, he scored a rare runaway victory in Liqui Moly Pro Sport Bike on his Snow City/Brooklin Cycle Racing Yamaha YZF-R6.
“Obviously, this is just a great opportunity for me,” explained Vieira at the recent Toronto Motorcycle Show. “I know that Daytona is a really big event, the field is deep, and there are lots of little details that are crucial to success.
“As well, there is a team element to Daytona with the 200, both in terms of the pit stops and potentially working in tandem in the draft during Qualifying,” Vieira added. “Ben and I are ready to see what we can do together, and be ready to take advantage of pit stops, red flags, whatever.”
Vieira will campaign a GP Bikes-backed Ducati in Liqui Moly Pro Sport Bike national action in Canada in 2023, and plans to ride the new vee-twin for the first time at the Bridgestone CSBK tire test at JenningsGP in north Florida, March 14-15, right after the Daytona 200.
Daytona Supersport Schedule for the 81st annual Daytona 200
Thursday, March 9
>Practice 1, Group B at 10:40 AM ET
>Qualifying 1, Group A at 2:40 PM ET
Friday, March 10
>Qualifying 2, Group A at 10:10 AM ET
>Time Attack at 1 PM ET
Saturday, March 11
>Warm Up 8:45 AM ET
>Daytona 200 – 57 Laps – 45 min to start from 1:10 PM ET
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February 7, 2023
Toronto, Ontario – “We are pleased to confirm your application for FIM MiniGP Canada Series. We wish you a great racing season.” Quote from Svetlana Nazarova, FIM Circuits Racing Commissions Coordinator.
It was the news Toni Sharpless, organizer and owner of Super Sonic Road Race School, Mini Superbike Championship and Canada Cup Nationals was waiting to hear.
“After three years of building, all of us at the Super Sonic School are super excited FIM road racing is coming to Canada!” Sharpless said. “The FIM MiniGP Canada series is the crucible for young Canadian athletes to develop their skills and dream of MotoGP.”
The FIM MiniGP Canada Series with Pirelli and Motul support will kick off with a six-round, 12-race season stretching across the country from Ontario to British Columbia. Each event round will contain a pair of feature races with a doubleheader points structure.
The series will start at the familiar Lombardy Raceway near Perth, Ontario on May 13-14, the site where six races took place in the Canadian MiniSBK Canada Cup battle a year ago.
The championship then takes a dramatic swing for rounds two and three, with back-to-back weekends at Greg Moore Raceway in Chilliwack, British Columbia and Strathmore Motorsports Park near Calgary, Alberta, beginning from June 24-25 and going to July 1-2, respectfully.
The series then returns back to Ontario for another back-to-back set of weekend action at Lombardy Raceway. The sixth and final round will then head to historic Shannonville Motorsport Park near Belleville, Ontario, running in conjunction with the Bridgestone Canadian Superbike Championship (CSBK) national final.
The feature champion of the newly minted FIM MiniGP Canada series will then be offered a spot in the world final at Valencia, Spain, just prior to the MotoGP finale in November 2023.
FIM MiniGP Canada Series 2023 Schedule
RD1 May 13-14 Lombardy Raceway Karting, ON
RD2 June 24-25 Greg Moore Raceway, BC
RD3 July 1-2 Strathmore Raceway, AB
RD4 July 29-30 Lombardy Raceway Karting, ON
RD5 Aug 5-6 Lombardy Raceway Karting, ON
RD6 Sept 15-16 Shannonville Motorsport Park, ON
The worldwide competition organization, Fédération Internationale de Motocyclisme (FIM) sets the rules and regulations represented in Canada by its affiliate the Canadian Motorcycle Association (CMA).
“The CMA is proud to support the FIM MiniGP Canada Series. This series will present a fantastic opportunity for younger riders that hasn’t been available in Canada previously,” CEO Holly Ralph explained. “Toni Sharpless has dedicated countless hours to develop this series to FIM standards. The CMA applauds her efforts to put our young riders on the world stage and will continue to support the series going forward.”
The official tire and sponsor of the Canadian series will be Pirelli Tires, as per the global MiniGP structure.
“Pirelli is very glad to be working with Toni in hosting the Canadian FIM MiniGP series for 2023. We are in full support of the efforts from a global scale down to our local vendors,” said Oscar Solid, the Pirelli Moto Senior Race Manager. “We are very excited to assist in providing a pathway for these young racers to grow and enjoy the sport as we all do – one in which Toni is no stranger in supplying.”
The series will also be debuting with the continued help of Motul, a significant supporter of the previous MiniSBK series.
"The partnership with Super Sonic Road Race School, Canadian Mini Superbike Championship, and now the FIM MiniGP Canada series continues to be extremely successful in contributing to the growth in consumer awareness of the Motul brand among riding enthusiasts,” said Nolan Browning, Marketing Director for Motul USA. “The school and series continue to serve as a cornerstone in our strategy to support the next generation of riders. We are excited to continue the momentum of our partnership as we look to the future."
Ohvale brand manufacturer is the specified motorcycle of the championship world-wide. “We are excited to be part of this amazing project. The arrival of FIM MiniGP World Series in Canada is an amazing opportunity for young riders to get into racing,” said Ohvale Canada’s Michele De Rossi. “Thanks to FIM, Dorna, Road to MotoGP, and Ohvale for considering Canada for 2023.”
The bike and series are designed for riders aged 10 to 14 competing with the Ohvale GP-O 160cc mini-GP machines on paved circuits, typically such as go-kart tracks.
Any parents interested in enrolling their son or daughter in the series (or those just eager for more information) can start at supersonicschool.com.
For more information on the Bridgestone Canadian Superbike Championship, visit www.csbk.ca
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