Kawasaki Effort Wins Parts Canada Superbike Team of the Year

TORONTO, Ont. (September 11) – For the second year in a row Canadian
Kawasaki Motors has won the Inside Motorcycles Team of the Year award in the
Parts Canada Superbike Championship.
The honor comes after an impressive season from the squad in which
Jordan Szoke of Brantford, Ont. picked up his fourth straight Parts Canada
Superbike Championship and Yoshimura Pro Sport Bike title.
The 30-year-old is the first rider to win four consecutive Canadian
Superbike crowns and the first to sweep Superbike and Pro Sport Bike titles
in four straight years.
His Superbike success came aboard the venerable Kawasaki Ninja ZX-
10R while he won Sport Bike in the first year for the latest incarnation of
the Ninja ZX-6R.
Szoke was ably backed up this season by 21-year-old Alex Welsh of
Uxbridge, Ont. In his first season with the factory squad, Welsh was seventh
in Superbike points and fourth in the Pro Sport Bike rankings with podium
finishes in four of the seven races.
“The Canadian Kawasaki Motors team had a near flawless season in
this year’s Parts Canada Superbike Championship,” said Inside Motorcycles
editor John Hopkins, who presented Kawasaki team manager Jeff Comello with
the Team of the Year trophy at the final series round at Shannonville
Motorsport Park on Sunday.
“What makes this season’s performance particularly impressive is the
way the team responded to the challenge from Team Suzuki / Blackfoot /
Picotte Racing. In a situation where a lot of squads may have wilted under
the pressure, these guys dug deep and found another gear, which is the true
mark of a champion.”
Szoke won three of the seven races in the Superbike class and the
Pro Sport Bike division and never placed lower than second in either
category. In addition to his four Sport Bike podiums Welsh earned a season
high third in the opening Superbike race of the Mosport International
Raceway doubleheader.
“I’m genuinely surprised,” Comello said. “We had some tough
competition this year from Pascal’s team and others which forced us to work
harder than ever to achieve what we did. But our team never gave up and
constantly ensured the bikes performed flawlessly day in and day out. In the
end it’s the details that can make all the difference.”
The Canadian Kawasaki Motors factory team consists of Jean Bancroft,
Brian Bevan, Jeff Comello, Mike Crompton, Mark Orchard, Jeremy Sharrard,
Harald Surian, Sandy Szoke, Bob Szoke and Richard Winter.
Now in its 12th year of publication, Inside Motorcycles covers all
forms of motorcycling with a Canadian focus. Inside Motorcycles is also a
sponsor of the Pole Position Award in the Parts Canada Superbike
Championship, which awards $500 to the fastest qualifier in Pirelli
SuperPole qualifying at each series round. Visit www.insidemotorcycles.com
for more information.
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For more series information, visit www.cdnsuperbike.com.