Christie Takes RACE Titles at Shannonville

By Colin Fraser and Frank C Wood

The 2014 RACE Superseries wrapped up at Shannonville Motorsport Park on Sunday, September 28, with newly crowned MOPAR CSBK National overall Champion Jodi Christie winning both the Superbike Feature and the Pro 600 Sport Bike races to clinch both Regional class titles.

In Superbike, Christie was aboard his regular Accelerated Technologies Honda CBR1000RR, most recently used to such good affect at the New Jersey AMA Pro round in the USA two weeks ago.  Christie grabbed the hole shot from pole, and then pulled clear of the field to earn the win and crown.

Behind Christie, a good dice quickly developed between the new Sturgis Cycle Aprilia RSv4 1000 of Kenny Riedmann, the OCM Racing Kawasaki ZX-10R Ninja of Franklin Dominguez and the Brampton Powersports Honda CBR1000RR of 2013 Superseries number one Kris Garvie.

The trio battled hard throughout the shortened, ten lap final, with Dominguez holding the runner-up spot for several laps before Riedmann retook second.  At the finish of the Feature, Riedmann was second with Dominguez and Garvie close behind.

Hindle Pro Sport Bike National Champ Riedmann, typically mounted on a Triumph 675 triple, was on hand to test the v-4 Aprilia for the first time.  His team are considering campaigning the Aprilia in the MOPAR Superbike Nationals next season, alongside their number one plated 2015 Triumph. 

Fifth in the Feature belonged to the Yamaha YZF-R6 of Elie Daccache, followed by Jim Proulx on his well-travelled Powersports Yamaha YZF-R1.

In 600 class Pro Sport Bike action, the class sponsored by Pro 6 Cycle and Dunlop tires, Christie took a less smooth path to the win in the 2014 title.  In the morning warm-up, in near perfect track and weather conditions, Christie was running at lap record pace but slipped his rear wheel off the edge of the track heading for turn one.  Christie then tumbled up the track and into the run-off, lucky to escape injury.  However his Honda CBR600RR was in fairly rough shape, done for the weekend.

So Christie gridded for the 600cc class final on a Honda CBR60RR borrowed from Dave Buckland, the machine just used in a previous Amateur event.  Although he had not tried the bike before, Christie was soon dicing for second with Garvie’s Fast Company CBR600RR when a red flag was required. Meanwhile, Daccache had built a sizeable lead on his Yamaha.

Newly crowned Bell Helmets Amateur Sport Bike National Champion Tomas Casas had been on the move in his first ever Pro level start, working his way to third and catching the leaders.  But Casas crashed the OCM Racing/Peterborough Cycle Salvage Yamaha from the lead group exiting the turn ten hairpin, and the race was stopped to attend to the youngster.  Casas suffered a suspected broken wrist.

When the race restarted, Christie got into a good fight for first against Daccache.  The pair traded the lead in dramatic fashion, but Christie prevailed with his borrowed bike at the flag, Daccache right behind.  Third went to Garvie, Marco Sousa fourth in the class on his Z1 Cycle Tech Suzuki GSX-R600.

Stacey Nesbitt earned both the Amateur 600 Sport Bike and Amateur Superbike class titles aboard her regular OCM Racing Honda CBR600RR.