Home
CSBK Untold: Extra Storylines from Round 2 at Grand Bend
- Details
- Category: CSBK News
It seems like not much more excitement can be packed into Bridgestone Canadian Superbike Championship weekends, but every round more and more stories are left on the cutting room floor by the time Sunday comes and goes.
From the major headlines that require a bit more detail, to the countless hidden gems that never crack the spotlight, here are some added notes from the second round of the 2024 season at the Grand Bend Motorplex.
Sunday’s “Daley Double”
Trevor Daley has been one of the greatest riders of CSBK’s modern era since turning pro in 2013, finishing in the top-five of the Superbike championship seven times and ranking in the top-20 all-time for career podiums. Unfortunately, what always eluded him were wins, owning just a single Sport Bike victory from a wild race in 2014.
Well, Daley returned to his winning ways in Grand Bend, and did so emphatically – twice.
His race two Sport Bike win came after a spectacular comeback effort that set up a head-to-head duel with Sebastien Tremblay, the championship leader and one of the best middleweight riders ever. Daley then went toe-to-toe with his close friend Ben Young, the Superbike championship leader and one of the best feature class riders ever, and managed to beat him too.
It was a hard-earned and well-deserved day for the OneSpeed Suzuki rider, who erased the biggest blemish on his resumé and did so in impressive fashion.
Dion steps back from Superbike
Despite all the on-track craziness and exciting racing, much of the buzz in the paddock was centred around the status of Trevor Dion.
The Economy Lube Ducati star and 2022 Sport Bike champion did not ride all weekend, confirming he is taking some time away from the series as he recovers from arm pump, an ailment that has worsened an already-difficult transition to the V4 Panigale.
Regardless of when – or if – the Superbike field will see Dion again, the truth is that the 22-year-old has proven himself as a very talented rider on all machinery and an even more captivating personality in the paddock. His absence will be an unfortunate one for the series, but one that hopefully sees him back stronger in the future.
SOAR talent shows up again
Every circuit has its fair share of locals who typically turn up and perform well, but 2024 proved there is still something different in the Grand Bend water.
After an impressive batch of performances a year ago, the pro stars of the SOAR regional series had even more to show this time around, proving themselves against some of the best riders in CSBK history.
Steven Nickerson held his own against the top two Superbike riders in the country in Ben Young and Sam Guerin, leading both before crashing out late in race one, and rebounded nicely to finish fifth in race two.
Zoltan Frast put in a pair of timely efforts in Sport Bike, finishing third in both races to climb to second in the overall national championship and challenging the likes of Sebastien Tremblay, Trevor Daley, and Elliot Vieira, amongst others.
Dylan Bauer also turned in an impressive showing, hopping aboard the Economy Lube Ducati V2 for the first time and instantly fighting for the lead on Sunday, settling for a strong fourth despite his late addition to the team and unfamiliarity with the bike.
As if that wasn’t enough, strong weekends for Chris Pletsch, Sebastian Hothaza, and Jordon Bauer (amongst others) left CSBK fans hoping to see the locals more often, having proved they can run with the best in the country at more than just a familiar venue.
Cyr’s heartbreaking DNF
Mavrick Cyr’s first trip to a pro podium is entirely a matter of when and not if, as the 19-year-old hasn’t looked out of place one bit in his first two rounds of the season, but that question of “when” could have ended on Sunday if not for a heartbreaking mechanical failure.
The reigning amateur double-champion instantly hit the front and even led the Sport Bike field briefly, trading places with the top-five and looking perhaps on course for a stunning debut victory just five races into his pro national career.
Unfortunately, the Rizzin Racing/Economy Lube Triumph rider slipped back and eventually was forced out of the race on the final lap with an engine failure. Not only did that heartbreak cost him a shot at the podium, but the DNF will relegate him to sixth in the championship order.
However, Cyr remains just 15 points out of second and remains on course for a potential race-winning future – something he could begin as soon as round three in Edmonton.
Wilson, Beattie continue perfect seasons
Ben Young’s goal of a perfect season unraveled in Grand Bend, but there are two other young amateur riders who have kept the rare feat alive entering round three.
Vincent Wilson and Ryan Beattie have gone four-for-four in their respective seasons thus far, with Wilson leading the amateur split of the Pro-Am Twins class and Beattie pacing the amateur portion of the Pro-AM Lightweight ranks.
To take it a step further, both have taken pole position in their category and the four qualifying points to go with it, achieving a flawless 108 points thus far.
Wilson will own a slight bit of bragging rights over the 15-year-old Beattie, however, as he has been the outright on-track winner in three of the four Pro-AM Twins races (losing to pro J.P. Tache in race one), while Beattie was defeated twice by pro Lightweight winner Cameron Walker at the season opener.
Alex Dumas returning to CSBK aboard Economy Lube Ducati
- Details
- Category: CSBK News
The 2024 Bridgestone Canadian Superbike Championship will feature an exciting new addition when it returns to action in Edmonton, as former champion Alex Dumas is slated to make his return to the series at RAD Torque Raceway, June 21-23.
Dumas will be joining forces with Economy Lube Ducati to headline a brand-new project beginning in round three, having completed a private test at Shannonville on Friday.
The 22-year-old became the youngest GP Bikes Pro Superbike champion ever when he captured the title in his rookie season in 2021, finishing as the national runner-up in each of the last two seasons to rival Ben Young.
Dumas elected not to participate in the full campaign as he prepared for the 101st Loudon Classic in New Hampshire, where he recently finished 13th, but his absence will not last more than two rounds as he now heads west to Edmonton.
The Quebec City native will now make his return official aboard a Ducati V4 Panigale, joining an Economy Lube stable that was previously headlined by Trevor Dion and has offered title support to riders such as Elliot Vieira, Mavrick Cyr, and Dylan Bauer.
A two-time MotoAmerica champion in the junior categories, Dumas has been historically successful since returning north of the border, winning 12 times and scoring 24 podiums in just 26 career Superbike races, crashing out of the lead in his only two podium absences.
His win rate (46.2%) trails only Jordan Szoke (50.6% with 78 wins in 154 races) for the best all-time in CSBK history, and his most recent victory in the 2023 finale moved him into a tie with Don Munroe for the fifth-most in the Superbike class.
Dumas’ return will play a pivotal role in the championship battle, where three-time champion and rival Young currently leads BMW-mate Sam Guerin by eleven points entering Edmonton, the third of six scheduled rounds.
More information can be found on the series’ official website at CSBK.ca.
Sport Bike Preview: Tremblay aims to spoil Edmonton homecoming for western stars
- Details
- Category: CSBK News
The third round of the Bridgestone Canadian Superbike Championship will present a rare home opportunity for its western stars this weekend, June 21-23, as the Economy Lube Pro Sport Bike class returns to RAD Torque Raceway for the first time since 2015.
Amongst the local talent will be one man trying desperately to keep them at bay, however, as championship leader Sebastien Tremblay aims to extend his title advantage as he also returns to the Edmonton circuit.
Tremblay is one of the few returnees from that 2015 round, having finished sixth in both Superbike races nine years ago. While he will be making his Sport Bike debut this time around, the 2021 champion will be thankful to have as much prior knowledge as he can get, something that will be hard to come by for his Ontario and Quebec counterparts.
The Turcotte Performance Suzuki rider has won twice and finished as the runner-up twice in four races this season, taking 95 of a possible 108 points through the first two rounds to stretch out a commanding 45-point lead, a gap he will look to manage over the next four rounds to bring home his second Sport Bike title.
Tremblay’s odds will also be boosted by the unfortunate absences of championship runner-up Zoltan Frast and round two winner Trevor Daley, the latter of whom also raced at Edmonton in 2015, leaving a massive difference in track knowledge compared to his usual eastern-Canada foes.
However, his prior resumé at RAD Torque will pale in comparison to the numerous local riders that are expected to be in attendance, some of whom have been contesting the full series and will now look to level the playing field at their own home track.
Leading that charge is expected to be John Laing, who has quickly become a regular frontrunner in the Sport Bike ranks despite making his CSBK debut just last season.
The Vass Performance Kawasaki rider has already amassed one win, two podiums, and five top-five finishes in his 13 career races, and will surely be back at the front in a more familiar setting at Edmonton, only three hours north of his hometown of Cochrane, Alberta.
Joining him in the bracket of local riders is teenage sensation Philip Degama-Blanchet, the youngest pro rider in the national series at just 16 years old.
The Calgary native burst onto the scene in round one with a fourth-place finish and could become the youngest winner in Pro Sport Bike history this weekend if he can maximize his home race, surpassing Chris Peris’ mark that has stood since 2004.
While the rest of Tremblay’s rivals will be making their debut trips west, the 2021 champion won’t want to discredit them either, especially pre-season contender Elliot Vieira.
A disastrous round two saw Vieira tumble down the championship order, but the GP Bikes Ducati rider has race-winning potential at virtually every track on the calendar, and it wouldn’t be surprising if RAD Torque is added to that list this weekend as he tries to claw back crucial points.
Vieira will also get a bit of reinforcements in the Ducati stable, as rookie Mavrick Cyr joins the Economy Lube program aboard a V2 Panigale in round three.
The 19-year-old reigning amateur double-champion was rumoured to be making the switch prior to round two before sticking with Rizzin Racing Triumph, but Cyr will now make the move official as he looks to step on a pro podium for the first time in Edmonton.
Another confirmed entry will be Alex Michel, who has battled through a season plagued by mechanical issues (including a pair of engine failures at Grand Bend) but will hope to get things back on track in round three.
The SpeedFactory67 Kawasaki rider showed what he’s capable of at unfamiliar venues with a strong finish at the Daytona 200, and will hope to have better luck underneath him as he tries to climb the leaderboard out west.
The class may see a familiar face return to the grid as well, with reigning Pro Twins champion AJ Van Winkle potentially slated for a national return.
The 17-year-old became the youngest pro champion in CSBK history last season but has yet to return to the national paddock, though he has enjoyed plenty of regional success in British Columbia with the MotoMeccanica Ducati squad.
Also expected to join the weekend are a number of regional stars from the EMRA (Edmonton Motorcycle Roadracing Association) series, headlined by former national entry Justin Knapik.
Knapik last raced with CSBK during that 2015 season, taking a pair of strong Superbike finishes at his home track including a fourth-place result in race two. While the Edmonton native may focus on Superbike again, Knapik has been piloting an Argyll Motorsports Yamaha to great success in the Sport Bike ranks at EMRA rounds and could be a podium threat during the national weekend.
More information for round three of the 2024 CSBK season can be found on the series’ official website.
Torin Collins set to make CSBK debut in Edmonton
- Details
- Category: CSBK News
The third round of the 2024 Bridgestone Canadian Superbike Championship will have a little more star power, as Torin Collins is set to make a wildcard appearance in the pro categories at RAD Torque Raceway, June 21-23.
He is expected to pilot a privateer Kawasaki ZX-10R in the feature GP Bikes Pro Superbike category, his first official racing action aboard a Superbike machine.
“I’m really looking forward to doing a CSBK round this year, it will be fun to ride in the Canadian national series,” Collins said. “I haven’t raced a Superbike before and I don’t have much seat time on the bike at all, so that’s going to be a challenge. However, I’m really looking forward to racing in front of my home crowd and riding at RAD Torque.”
Collins has enjoyed an extensive career at a young age overseas, competing in the European Talent Cup and British Talent Cup before advancing to the JuniorGP World Championship in 2023, considered to be the primary Moto3 feeder category.
He became the first and thus far only Canadian to ever score points in a JuniorGP race, finishing 15th in Valencia, Spain last season.
Collins then joined the MotoAmerica Supersport championship last season, finishing fourth and third in his only two races for the M4 ECSTAR Suzuki squad at the Circuit of the Americas in Austin, Texas.
The 18-year-old out of Calgary, Alberta switched to Altus Motorsports Suzuki this season, where he currently sits 14th in the overall standings with a best finish of seventh in Road America.
Collins, considered to be one of the rising stars of North American racing, will now make his Bridgestone CSBK debut as the series heads west to Edmonton, returning to RAD Torque Raceway for the first time since 2015.
Collins is currently scheduled to race this weekend, June 14-16, in the fourth round of the MotoAmerica championship at Brainerd International Raceway in Minnesota.
Page 146 of 170