Younger cruises by way of Q2 to take Superbike pole in Grand Bend
Grand Bend, ON – The leadup to the second spherical of the Bridgestone Canadian Superbike Championship made it appear to be a nail-biting qualifying was on the horizon, however Ben Younger made certain it was something however on Friday on the Grand Bend Motorplex.
The defending champion dominated the opening Q1 session aboard his Van Dolder’s Residence Workforce BMW, posting a time of 1:03.533 that put him a snug 0.622 seconds away from rival Alex Dumas and into the top-ten Q2 shootout.
That pattern continued into the ultimate session, nonetheless, as nobody may even come near matching the blistering tempo of Younger, who progressively pushed his manner additional and additional into the 1:02 second mark earlier than closing the day trip with a greatest time of 1:02.734, a shocking 0.532 seconds away from the subsequent rider to win his fourth consecutive BS Battery Pole Award.
Made worse for the competitors was not simply Younger’s one-lap tempo, however the truth that he constantly ran within the excessive 1:02 mark, changing into solely the second rider to ever attain that threshold after Trevor Dion smashed the lap file in 2022 behind a 1:02.371 lap.
“It was our first time on the M1000 right here – final 12 months we raced the S1000 – and we have been attempting some issues and accumulating information, so the result’s clearly very attention-grabbing,” Younger mentioned. “I hoped for near a 1:02, however we acquired effectively into the 1:02’s, so it proved to be lap for the BMW on these Bridgestone tires.”
As if Younger’s pole tempo wasn’t beautiful sufficient, it was equally surprising to see who will line up subsequent to him on Saturday, as native star Chris Pletsch earned a formidable second forward of his first ever nationwide GP Bikes Professional Superbike look.
“I actually couldn’t have requested for a greater consequence. I used to be simply attempting to see if I may get into the highest 5,” Pletsch mentioned. “I’d by no means have anticipated to be up right here subsequent to those guys, so now we simply have to hold with them tomorrow.”
The consequence can be a a lot wanted one for Honda, because the Stratford Cycle Centre Honda rider will eye his model’s first function class podium since 2015 this weekend, although it got here on the expense of Dumas who was displaced to 3rd.
The Purple Cranium Brewing/Liqui Moly Suzuki rider was in a position to enhance his time on his final flying lap throughout the road, however nonetheless 0.037 seconds wanting Pletsch as he narrowly settled for third on the grid and the final spot on row one.
Regardless of the lower than excellent qualifying order, Dumas will nonetheless carry a 21-point lead into race one on Saturday, and was glad together with his tempo as he seems to latch on to Younger early in each races and maintain his championship benefit into spherical three.
Main off the second row shall be spherical one star Sam Guerin, who put his EFC Group BMW solely 0.124 seconds off the entrance trio and firmly in podium rivalry if he can replicate his robust begins from the opening two races.
Proper subsequent to Guerin on the second row shall be veteran Jordan Szoke, who put his LDS Consultants Kawasaki a half-second off the lead row to finish the highest 5. Whereas Szoke’s single-lap tempo couldn’t match the 2 most up-to-date champions, his health has seemingly improved since spherical one, making him a certain menace for one more podium (or two) this weekend.
Beginning off the third row shall be Trevor Daley, who put in a late flyer to maneuver 0.124 seconds off Szoke and again right into a extra acquainted spot after beforehand operating exterior the top-eight for a lot of the session aboard his OneSpeed Suzuki.
As for Trevor Dion, the 2022 pole-sitter went the wrong way in 2023, being compelled onto the sidelines early in Q2 due to a mechanical difficulty. The LDS Consultants Kawasaki rookie seemingly had the tempo to problem for a entrance row spot if not pole as soon as once more, however may solely watch as a handful of riders managed to raised his time within the late levels.
Becoming a member of Daley and Dion on the top of row three shall be Tomas Casas, who fell simply wanting the 1:03 mark behind a time of 1:04.096, although nonetheless lower than a second off second place aboard his Elements Canada Yamaha.
Rounding out the top-ten in Q2 have been Jordan Royds on the IBEW BMW, lacking out on a third-row spot by simply 0.059 seconds to Casas, and Professional Sport Bike pole-sitter David MacKay, who used the additional apply time to place his ODH Snow Metropolis Cycle Kawasaki tenth on the function class grid.
Learn the complete Professional Sport Bike recap HERE:
https://www.csbk.ca/index.php/information/information/3772-mackay-snatches-sport-bike-pole-at-the-flag-in-grand-bend
Full outcomes from Superbike qualifying could be discovered on the sequence’ official web site, whereas a snapshot of the opposite classes qualifying outcomes are listed beneath.
Liqui Moly Professional Sport Bike
1. David MacKay (Kawasaki) 1:04.409
2. Matt Simpson (Yamaha) 1:04.601 (+0.192)
3. Sebastian Tremblay (Suzuki) 1:05.148 (+0.739)
4. Elliot Vieira (Ducati) 1:05.567 (+1.158)
5. Zoltan Frast (Kawasaki) 1:05.639 (+1.230)
Bickle Racing Professional Twins
1. Jeff Williams (Aprilia) 1:08.698
2. Andrew Van Winkle (Suzuki) –
Tremendous Sonic Race College Newbie Light-weight
1. Vincent Wilson (Kawasaki) 1:12.983
2. Vincent Lalande (Kawasaki) 1:13.084 (+0.101)
3. Ryan Beattie (Yamaha) 1:13.088 (+0.105)
4. Jack Beaudry (Kawasaki) 1:13.108 (+0.125)
5. Sebastian Silva (Yamaha) 1:14.586 (+1.603)
EBC Brakes Light-weight Professional/Am
1. Ryan Vanderputten (Yamaha) 1:12.375
2. Stacey Nesbitt (Kawasaki) 1:12.407 (+0.032)
3. Vincent Lalande (Kawasaki) 1:12.909 (+0.534)
4. Vincent Wilson (Kawasaki) 1:12.970 (+0.595)
5. Jack Beaudry (Kawasaki) 1:13.098 (+0.723)
