Dumas wagers win streak, Younger eyes redemption as CSBK shifts to Grand Bend for spherical two
Toronto, ON – It might solely be two races into an eleven-race GP Bikes Professional Superbike marketing campaign, however the two greatest names within the Bridgestone Canadian Superbike Championship will discover themselves in unfamiliar territory as they return to the Grand Bend Motorplex this weekend, June 8-11.
Since Alex Dumas returned north of the border in 2021, he and rival Ben Younger have ran nearly in unison, ending one-two in 14 of their 18 races collectively and sharing the rostrum all however as soon as – when Dumas crashed out of the lead battling with Younger at AMP.
That determine doubled the final time we noticed them in race two of the season opener at Shannonville Motorsport Park, as Dumas cruised to a weekend sweep whereas Younger’s race was unraveled by unfastened bodywork, preventing his means again to solely sixth after a visit via the pit lane.
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So with Dumas now holding a 23-point benefit atop the standings and using a 4 race win streak relationship again to final 12 months, it could appear seemingly that the Purple Cranium Brewing/Liqui Moly Suzuki group is content material heading to Grand Bend, whereas Younger faces all of the stress.
As a substitute, they’ll each be extra motivated than ever.
Dumas will understand how essential every race shall be across the tight 2.2 km circuit, having watched Younger sail away in race one final 12 months and fend him off once more in race two. That proved to be a distinction maker within the title struggle, as they every swept the following two rounds to present Younger a 4-to-2 benefit getting into the ultimate weekend.
Dumas will need no half in repeating that in 2023, hoping he can change the narrative from simply injury limitation to as an alternative doubling down on his championship lead.
As for Younger, the duty is rather more easy; do precisely as you probably did a 12 months in the past, sweep at Grand Bend, and head to the east coast for spherical three with – at worst – a 14-point deficit left to erase.
That gained’t really feel like an not possible job for the Van Dolder’s Dwelling Crew BMW rider, as he enters the weekend victorious in his final three races on the Motorplex, having gained all however two of the races there since its debut on the calendar in 2017.
His dominant efficiency in race one a 12 months in the past emphatically proved that he’s nonetheless the rider to beat on the venue, however he confronted a stiffer problem from Dumas in race two and can know by now that nothing will come straightforward to him in opposition to the 2021 champion.
The trail ahead shall be made even tougher by the emergence of Sam Guerin in spherical one, who put the duo on discover by main elements of each races at Shannonville.
The EFC Group BMW rider appeared destined for his first professional nationwide win in race one earlier than crashing out within the rain, however made up for it with a second-place end in race two as he enters Grand Bend nonetheless hungry for his debut victory.
Guerin didn’t precisely love the Motorplex in his first race weekend there in 2022, qualifying seventh and ending with a excessive of sixth in race two, although he has seemed like a a lot completely different rider in 2023 aboard a brand new S1000RR machine.
He can have no scarcity of competitors to cope with himself, nonetheless, with a loaded group led by Tomas Casas, Trevor Daley, and Jordan Szoke all gunning for spots on the entrance alongside Younger and Dumas.
Casas proved his place amongst them in spherical one with a third-place end within the rain, bringing residence fifth in race two to exit third within the championship for the Elements Canada Yamaha group, whereas Daley took a pair of fourth place finishes to take a seat in the identical spot general. The OneSpeed Suzuki rider has completed within the top-five in each profession race at Grand Bend and scored podiums in 2019 and 2022.
The most important query marks, nonetheless, shall be within the LDS Consultants Kawasaki storage and on the duo of Szoke and Trevor Dion.
Szoke battled via a number of critical well being scares and a Saturday crash to complete a exceptional third in race two at SMP, however his physique understandably felt the consequences within the dry circumstances. Grand Bend hasn’t been the fondest place for him both, having gained simply as soon as there in 2018, however the 14-time champion proved at spherical one that he’s by no means one to depend out below any circumstance.
Extra uncertainty will cling over the opposite aspect of the LDS Consultants Kawasaki storage, the place the one factor stopping Trevor Dion from operating on the entrance could also be damage. The reigning Sport Bike champion sat out spherical one after a tough crash in apply, however the hope was that he could be recovered in time for spherical two.
If that’s the case, Dion would be the subsequent in line to Dumas and Younger after qualifying on pole at Grand Bend a 12 months in the past and ending third in race one, gathering loads of observe data within the meantime because the native SOAR regional champion.
Ought to he sit out once more, although, it could open up one other enormous alternative within the Brooklin Cycle Racing Professional Rookie of the 12 months struggle, the place Paul Macdonnell leads John Fraser by simply 5 factors.
Macdonell introduced residence finishes of seventh and ninth in his debut weekend for the Acme Motorsports Yamaha program, whereas teenage sensation Fraser completed a wonderful fifth in race one earlier than mechanical points compelled him out of race two.
The ultimate battle to search for would be the one within the Constructors Championship, the place Suzuki holds a 16-point benefit over defending champs BMW.
The GSX-R squad produced 76 of a doable 90 factors in spherical one and shall be in a great spot to construct upon their lead with Dumas, Daley, and Fraser all in good type, although Younger, Guerin, and Jordan Royds will play an identical function for BMW.
As for third, Yamaha will look to fend off Kawasaki after the robust performances of Casas and Macdonell, although a hopefully wholesome duo of Szoke and Dion shall be robust to handle.
The total schedule for this weekend’s Superbike motion might be discovered on the collection’ official web site.
The submit Canadian Superbike: Dumas Leads, Younger Seeks Redemption Heading To Grand Bend appeared first on Roadracing World Journal | Bike Driving, Racing & Tech Information.
