Knapik Nabs EMRA Alberta SBK Crown

The Edmonton Motorcycle Racing Association hosted the final Regional event of their 2014 Season at Castrol Raceway’s road course, the “Honda Xtreme Weekend.” The big winner was Expert Justin Knapik, who took Championships in The Riverside Superbike, Open Sportbike and Fast 25.  Piloting his regular Kawasaki ZX-10R sponsored by Echo Cycle, EX Audio, Empire Tires and On Track Performance, Knapik also became the first rider to lap the 13 turn, 2.1 km venue in under one minute and twenty seconds:  Knapik’s Ninja set an unofficial best of 1.19.7 during the fast 25 event.

“It was a great day, everything went mostly according to plan,” smiled Knapik after his victory lap.  After a wonderfully sunny day Saturday, conditions were cool and variable for the final Sunday of the Edmonton season, with occasional rain squalls. 

“I really want to thank everyone from the club, the Marshals, everyone from the track,” continued Knapik.  “This is our first season at the new road course, and we all want the best with the new track.  Also, I really want to thank my wife for all her support, especially at the start of the season when I was recovering from surgery.”

The best race of the day was the final event, Expert Superbike, where Knapik was chased for all ten laps by EMRA Club President Ian Wall.  Mounted on a Dunlop shod, Argyle Motorsport backed Suzuki GSX-R1000, Wall was just over a second back at the finish after a tense chase.

Third at the finish of Superbike was the Xtreme Honda CBR1000RR of Scott Paras, best of the rest. Hard-charging Yamaha R1 mounted Shane Caravan won the Intermediate Superbike portion of the race, as well as the class title, chased by runner up Darel Mesher (BMW) and Nick Sosniuk (Suz).

Wall pulled ahead early in Expert Open Superbike, then controlled the pace as rain arrived.  Paras was second, clear of third placed Jesse Coombe’s Kawasaki ZX-10R Ninja.  Knapik chose to pit after the warm-up lap, but was safely set in the points and earned the class title.  Carvan hustled from the second row to challenge the Experts, winning both the Intermediate Open Sportbike race and Championships.

Conditions were warmer earlier in the program, for the combined Fast 25 race, where Knapik built a safe early lead from runner-up Wall.  In a race where the entry opportunity is based simply on lap times, Amateur Caravan once again showed well, staying close to the leaders with his Yamaha.

Top Middleweight racer was Expert 600 Supersport competitor Kyle Buckley, who cleared of to win the race and crown with his Suzuki GSX-R600.  Bucley also took both race and title in Expert 600 Superbike.

Neil Carlson was second in both 600cc Pro classes aboard a Kawasaki ZX-6R Ninja.  Robert Guy earned third in Supersport  on another GSX-R, while Jon Bullee was third in Superbike. In Intermediate level 600 Supersport action, Darryl McGavigan was both victor and 2014 Champion on his Suzuki, followed by the Yamaha R6s of Alex Schramm and Ryan Boddy.