Mopar Pro Superbike team Couturier Racing is contesting the disqualification of team rider Kevin Lacombe in Sunday’s Pro Superbike race at Canadian Tire Motorsport Park for the use of illegal fuel.
For 2012, the Canadian Superbike Championship mandated the use of unleaded fuel, and competitors have had the choice of using their own unleaded pump fuel or Sunoco 260 GT Plus, which was available from Brooklin Cycle at each event. But at Sunday morning’s rider’s meeting at CTMP, teams in the Pro Superbike class were informed that they would be supplied with 20 litres of the Sunoco fuel by the series, which they must use in competition for that day’s final round of the series. The decision to make the fuel mandatory for Sunday’s race was due to recent concerns that some teams were possibly using unsanctioned race fuel.
Race samples taken from the top five bikes at the conclusion of Sunday’s race were all the correct colour of the supplied fuel – with the exception of Lacombe’s Couturier Racing BMW S1000RR. Stephane Couturier, head of Couturier Racing, said the team tried the Sunoco fuel during morning practice but “the bike overheated in practice (with the spec fuel)… I don’t want to kill my rider or anybody following him, so I had to choose to either go home or take a chance with the pump gas (that the team ran all year).”
A source within the series indicated that the decision to disqualify Lacombe was based on the fact that his team had not complied by running the provided fuel. Couturier appealed the ruling within two days of the event via a formal e-mail to series organizers.
With Lacombe’s DQ, Pro Superbike rookie Bodhi Edie was officially moved to a third place standing in Sunday’s race.
As per CSBK rules, the series will appoint a three-person independent board to hear the appeal and make a final decision. Inside Motorcycles will report back with results of the appeal process. A date has not yet been set.
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