Christie repeats as Sport Bike champ

By John Hopkins

BOWMANVILLE, Ont. – Jodi Christie clinched his second straight K&N Performance Filters Pro Sport Bike title in style with his fourth win of the year on his Jodi Christie Racing / Accelerated Technologies Honda CBR600RR at Canadian Tire Motorsport Park on Saturday.

The Keene, Ont. racer battled all the way with polesitter Raphael Archambault aboard the Team Archambault Racing / Picotte Motorsport / G Suspension Suzuki GSX-R600, eventually beating the Terrebonne, Que. rider by 0.444 secs.

“It was a great race,” Christie said. “I was trying to play it cool with the championship in mind. But I was going to go for the win if it was feasible to make a move safely.

“This is a huge accomplishment for me, and I can’t express how fortunate I am to be out there racing a motorcycle.”

Archambault started from pole and led the most laps of the race, but admitted a shifting problem hampered his efforts.

“I had a couple of issues with my downshifts,” he said. “On one lap I got stuck in fifth gear through corner 10 [which leads onto the front straight] and it cost me the race. I just didn’t have any drive onto the straight.”

In another exciting battle, Kleinburg, Ont.’s Frank Trombino on the Acme Slate Suzuki GSX-R600 edged the Royal Distributing / Elka Suspension Honda CBR600RR of Beaconsfield, Que. racer Michael Leon for third.

Leon made a move for the spot into the last turn on the final lap but slid wide, allowing Trombino back inside. As Leon tried to control his bike it shot sideways and actually hit Trombino’s Suzuki on the run to the flag.

Trombino now leads Archambault by just 11 points in the battle for second spot in the Pro Sport Bike standings heading into Sunday’s season finale.

In another close fight, James Collins on the Acme Slate Yamaha YZF-R6 passed the Ripley Racing Honda CBR600RR of Bill Card in the final turn to snatch fifth spot.

Race Results

Point Standings