The Bridgestone Canadian Superbike Championship (CSBK) is the national motorcycle road racing superbike championship in Canada. The series is managed and organized by Professional Motor Sports Productions Inc. (PMP) of Hamilton, Ontario, and owner Ross Millson.
 | |
| Category | Superbike racing |
|---|---|
| Country | Canada |
| Inaugural season | 1980 |
| Riders' champion |   Ben Young |
| Makes' champion |  BMW |
| Official website | CSBK Canadian Superbike Championship |
The series features national championships for seven classes, open to professional and amateur motorcycle riders. The headline Pro Superbike category features the best riders from across Canada, with the champion winning the Canada Cup every season.
Bridgestone became the official sponsor and tire supplier of the series in 2023, and will remain in that role through at least the 2026 season.
History edit
Early years (1980-1993) edit
The Canadian Superbike Championship was established in 1980, the first season to feature a multiple-event schedule. This came on the heels of the inaugural national event at Edmonton in 1979, won by George Morin. The 1980 season saw two events in Edmonton and Shannonville, with Morin earning the first-ever national championship and #1 plate in Canada.
A lone event at Edmonton in 1981 meant no official national championship would take place, but a return in 1982 saw Steve Dick claim the second-ever title following races at Shannonville and Atlantic Motorsport Park. The national series would then take a backseat to regional racing for the next three years, as no official national champions were crowned in 1983, 1984, or 1985.
The demand for a national championship re-emerged in 1986, and the RACE Series (then a regional organization) took over management duties. The first full campaign featured five rounds in five different provinces, as Michel Mercier claimed the national championship with a win at the final round in Shannonville.
The next two seasons saw eight different riders win races across 13 events, with Mercier defending his title in 1987 before Rueben McMurter took the championship in 1988. However, the 1988 season brought the debut of Miguel Duhamel and Steve Crevier, who would become the biggest names in Canadian racing over the next two decades.
Both Crevier and Duhamel would trade wins in 1989 with Crevier winning the championship, leaving to race in the United States the following year. That left Duhamel as the favourite for the 1990 title, but Mercier would win four races to secure his third and final crown. Crevier would return to Canada in 1991 and entered a period of dominance for Kawasaki, winning championships in 1991, 1992, and 1993.
Start of modern era (1994-2005) edit
The mid-1990's brought more success for Kawasaki but with multiple riders, as Michael Taylor and Don Munroe traded championships for the Japanese brand. Taylor would win in 1994 and 1996, while Munroe was victorious in 1995 and 1997. The duo was beat in 1998 by fellow Kawasaki rider Jordan Szoke, the first rookie champion in CSBK history and at the time the youngest winner at only 19 years old.
Despite being the overwhelming favourite in 1999, Jordan Szoke switched to Honda and struggled in the opening rounds, eventually losing the championship to Francis Martin. The 2000 season saw the return once again of Crevier to CSBK, who would win his fifth career title despite an improved year from Szoke. Crevier would defend his title in 2001, becoming a six-time national champion.
A switch to Suzuki in 2002 would prove to be a wise decision for Szoke, who won five races and secured his second national title, four years after winning as a teenager. That would lead him to the United States in 2003, with Pascal Picotte returning to Canada to replace him on a lucrative deal for Suzuki. Picotte would dominate the next two years of CSBK, winning championships in 2003 and 2004. Injuries would limit him in 2005, however, while Szoke only raced select events north of the border, leaving Francis Martin to claim his second national crown that season.
Szoke dominance (2006-2018) edit
Jordan Szoke would return to Kawasaki in 2006 after winning his first title with the brand in 1998. He would quickly become the feature name of the series, winning the first six races of the season in 2006 to capture the overall title. Crevier's latest return to CSBK nearly resulted in a seventh championship, but Szoke would hang on to defend his crown in 2007 and 2008.
The 2009 season featured the start of one of the most iconic rivalries in series history as teenager Brett McCormick won four races for Suzuki, but a crash at Canadian Tire Motorsport Park was enough to hand Szoke his fourth consecutive championship and tie Crevier with six all-time. Szoke would run a privateer Honda effort in 2010, winning every race to record the perfect season and win his seventh crown.
The 2011 season saw Szoke return to Kawasaki while McCormick piloted an all-new BMW Motorrad program. It proved to be an excellent match for McCormick and the S1000RR, as he won the first six races of the year to end Szoke's run of five consecutive championships. However, McCormick would move to World Superbike the following year, allowing Szoke to move to BMW in his place and repeat as champion in 2012 and 2013.
It appeared as though Szoke would add a tenth championship in 2014, but a mid-season injury handed the title to Jodi Christie and Honda. Szoke would add perfect seasons in 2015 and 2016, and won all but one race in 2017 to become a 12-time national champion. The 2018 season began the same way with five consecutive victories, enough to help secure Szoke a 13th championship, but rival Ben Young would end his win streak at the final round.
Modern era (2019-present) edit
The end to 2018 forced Jordan Szoke to return to Kawasaki after eight years away from the brand, while Ben Young took over as the lead rider for BMW Motorrad. The switch worked well for both Young and BMW, winning the opening two races and adding a historic comeback victory at Atlantic Motorsport Park to win his first national championship.
The COVID-19 pandemic meant only an abbreviated two-round schedule could take place in 2020, as Young decided not to defend his crown. That left Szoke to another perfect campaign, winning his 14th and most recent championship. Young would return in 2021 but lost to series debutant Alex Dumas, who became the first rookie champion since Szoke while also winning the title at just 19 years old for Suzuki.
Young would steal the championship back in 2022, narrowly defeating Dumas in one of the closest championship battles in series history. In 2023, the series partnered with Bridgestone to become the official sponsor and spec tire of the series through at least 2026. Young would add a third championship in the first year under Bridgestone, completing the title comeback after Dumas led for majority of the season.
Prior to the 2023 season, PMP founder and longtime CSBK president Colin Fraser sold the organization and series to former pro racer Ross Millson.
2024 CSBK Schedule edit
| Track | City | Province | Length | Turns | Debut Year |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Shannonville Motorsport Park | Shannonville | Ontario | 2.47 km (Pro Track) | 9 (Pro) | 1980 |
| Grand Bend Motorplex | Grand Bend | Ontario | 2.2 km | 11 | 2017 |
| RAD Torque Raceway | Edmonton | Alberta | 2.7 km | 14 | 2015 |
| Atlantic Motorsport Park | Shubenacadie | Nova Scotia | 2.56 km | 11 | 1982 |
| Canadian Tire Motorsport Park | Bowmanville | Ontario | 3.957 km | 10 | 1985 |
| Shannonville Motorsport Park | Shannonville | Ontario | 4.03 km (Long Track) | 15 (Long) | 1980 |
CSBK Superbike Champions edit
External links edit
See also edit
References edit
- ^ "CSBK - 2024 Schedule". www.csbk.ca. Retrieved 2024-04-03.
- ^ "Mopar Secures Title Sponsor of CSBK". Sport Rider Magazine. Retrieved 2013-08-01.
- ^ "Superbike: Szoke clinches season title". TSN. Retrieved 2013-08-02.
- ^ "Superbike: McCormick Wins; Szoke Takes Title". TSN. Retrieved 2013-08-02.
- ^ "Jordan Szoke Takes Fourth Straight Superbike Title". Demotix.com. Archived from the original on 2015-07-03. Retrieved 2013-08-02.
- ^ "CSBK: Szoke Wins 7th Title with Perfect Season". Cycle Canada Web. Archived from the original on 2015-04-18. Retrieved 2013-08-02.
- ^ "Canadian Superbike: Szoke wins - McCormick takes title". moto123.com. Retrieved 2013-08-01.
- ^ "Szoke locks up eighth Superbike title". Inside Motorcycles. 25 August 2012. Retrieved 2013-08-01.
- ^ "Szoke clinches Superbike title with win at Mont-Tremblant". Flagworld.com. Archived from the original on 2015-04-18. Retrieved 2013-08-26.
- ^ "Christie clinches Superbike title with win". Inside Motorcycles. 17 August 2014. Retrieved 2014-08-17.
- ^ "CSBK - Results Archive". www.csbk.ca. Retrieved 2024-04-03.