Canadian SuperBike 2001 - Round 3 - Edmonton
| Steve Crevier held pole position after Saturday timed qualifying and gained a valuable 10 points toward the Championship. Qualifying points are awarded to the top 3 of the 4 front row starters. Owen Weichel, the points leader after round #2 found himself on the front row but outside the points as he secured 4th place in timed qualifying. This put both the Factory Kawasaki ZX7RR rider and the Factory Honda rider tied going into the Saturday Final with 106 points each.
Also joining Crevier on the front row were, Francis Martin on the Suzuki Canada GSXR1000 and Frank Trombino on the Yamaha Canada YZR1000R1. Local favourite and National series rookie, Brian Nielson qualified on the 2nd row on his YZF1000R1 Yamaha. When the flag dropped Crevier took the lead and was never overtaken. The current champion took his 2nd win of the series and thus regained the championship points lead from his Kawasaki mounted rival. Suzuki mounted Francis Martin put forth a challenge to Crevier, as youth rivaled experience, yet Martins very fast Suzuki was unable to make a pass. Francis Martin, the 1999 Superbike Champion, has been recovering from an injury, and lost contact with the leader after the 10th lap. Martin and the Scott Miller Tuned Suzuki finished 3 seconds behind Crevier and his Honda RC 51 on this 1.8 mile course. Owen Weichel, also riding with injuries, finished a 3rd on the Kawasaki 7X7RR Superbike. This gives Crevier and his Honda RC 51 a 13 point lead in the Parts Canada Series Championship. Feel good story of the day has to be national rookie pro Brian Nielsons strong 4th place finish on his Yamaha YZF1000R1. Riding in front of his home crowd Nielson showed that he could run with
Canada's best as the people of Edmonton experienced their 1st National Superbike race in possibly 20+ years. Finishing in 5th place was Benoit Pilon also on Yamaha YZF1000R1 Frank Trombino fell during the race while in 2nd place, and Francis Martin went on to victory riding his Jamie Bruins tuned GSXR1000 Suzuki. Looking very strong during the race, Francis finally got the results expected of him and the motorcycle in the Open Class, with the New for 2001 GSXR. Coming up very short of expectations in the previous rounds, this victory has breathed new life into the Suzuki Sportbike effort. Jeff Williams found himself once again the bridesmaid on his Honda CBR929, while keeping the Honda Canada Open Sportbike effort in title contention, after the fall of the current points leader. Benoit Pilon took the final Podium on his Yamaha YZF1000R1. Pilon, the 1999 Open Sportbike Champion secured valuable championship points for the Yamaha sponsored team as they get ready for the next round at the Autodrome in ST. Eustache, Quebec.
Pilon's home track. |