The Bridgestone Canadian Superbike Championship has tweaked the point-scoring process for all national classes this season, dropping the qualifying point format beginning in 2025.
Since the original scoring system introduced in the 1980’s, CSBK has awarded points to the top four qualifiers in each category, with pole position claiming four points in a 4-3-2-1 format.
Beginning immediately in 2025, there will be no points awarded after qualifying, with only race points on offer across all classes.
This comes just one year after the removal of the “lap led” bonus point, and now brings the Bridgestone CSBK scoring system fully in line with the point structure seen across most FIM sanctioned series’ such as MotoGP.
Qualifying points were initially handed out to the top four finishers in each heat race, which was the original method of determining the grid for the feature race. The national series switched to time qualifying in 2000, but maintained the point bonuses through 2024 as an extra incentive for the four best qualifiers.
However, numerous rule changes over the last few seasons – including the adoption of the FIM style “staggered 3-3-3” grid as opposed to the old “in-line 4-3-4” method – have negated the need for any additional qualifying points.
Last season, Canada Cup winner Ben Young gained 15 points in the GP Bikes Pro Superbike class from his qualifying efforts, an inconsequential amount as he secured the championship by 64 points.
No title battles from 2024 would have been impacted by the change, as the smallest gap in the national series – which saw Laurent Laliberte-Girard claim the Amateur Sport Bike crown by just four points over Serge Boyer – would have actually seen Laliberte-Girard increase his margin to eleven points without qualifying bonuses.
This change will not affect the BS Battery Pole Position Award, which awards non-championship points to riders in the feature GP Bikes Pro Superbike class based on their season-long qualifying results.
The 2025 campaign will open in just under two weeks as round one heads to Shannonville Motorsport Park, May 16-18, just an hour east of Kingston, Ontario.
