@JCRacing20 • @cdnsuperbike • Keene, ON —August 19, 2015 — The final two rounds of the 2015 Mopar Canadian Superbike Championship took place at Canadian Tire Motorsport Park this past weekend, with Jodi Christie ending the season second in Hindle Pro Sport Bike points and third in Mopar Pro Superbike points aboard his Honda Canada/Accelerated Technologies equipment.
Jodi and the team arrived at CTMP with a mathematical chance of retaining the Canadian Superbike Championship for the year, but the focus was on the Hindle Pro Sport Bike class, where Jodi was just 10 points behind leader Kenny Riedmann. Taking qualifying and bonus points into account, 108 points were up for grabs over the weekend doubleheader. During the first official day of practice and qualifying, thunderstorms resulted in just a few dry laps of practice, and qualifying was postponed to Saturday. Jodi eventually qualified second on the Honda CBR600RR in Pro Sport Bike, and with very little Superbike practice still managed fifth on the grid with his CBR1000RR SP for the Superbike class.
In Saturday’s drama-filled Sport Bike final, Jodi was part of a three-rider lead group right from the first lap. The three ran nose-to-tail for the entire race, and on the final lap it was Riedmann with the win and Jodi in second place. The result left Jodi further behind in the point standings, but still with a chance of winning the championship on Sunday. The Superbike feature on Saturday was just as exciting, with as many as five riders in a drafting pack for the lead almost the entire 20-lap race. Jodi ran as high as second several times, and at the checkered flag finished in third; Jordan Szoke won the race, clinching the 2015 Mopar Canadian Superbike Championship.
The team worked diligently on Saturday night to find every last bit of speed for Sunday’s championship finales, making improvements to both bikes. On Sunday morning, Jodi was quickest in the Sport Bike practice and second-quickest in Superbike practice. In the Sport Bike final, it was again a group of riders contesting the lead, with as many as six riders in the lead pack for much of the race. Jodi looked in good shape to challenge for the lead in the closing laps, but unfortunately an electrical problem slowed his CBR600RR on the last lap and he dropped to seventh at the flag. Kenny Riedmann won the race, and locked up the 2015 Hindle Pro Sport Bike Championship, with Jodi finishing in second for the year.
Just as in Saturday’s Superbike race, Jodi was in the thick of a four-rider scrap for the lead in the opening laps of Sunday’s feature and led several times at the start/finish line. While challenging for the lead at the end of the Mario Andretti Straight on lap 8, however, he caught a false neutral and crashed in the high-speed corner, fortunately unhurt. The DNF meant Jodi would finish third in year-end points.
Jodi Christie: It was a trying weekend at CTMP, I rode my best in each race and had some great battles! Coming off a rough weekend and a difficult year in my eyes, I just have to thank the people working so hard to allow me to chase my dreams of racing motorcycles for yet another season: All of my team members for doing everything in their power to provide me with bikes that I am confident on; Honda Canada, who has been backing me since 2009 and without their continued support I wouldn’t be here racing; and all of my sponsors for making this year’s effort possible. I am so proud to represent them all and have the best bikes possible!
I had a very fun weekend at CTMP and look forward to racing here again next season. As for this summer, it’s time for a few fun races at Flat Track Canada and MMRS, and then I plan to have a strong off-season and come back with an even more competitive program for 2016!
John Sharrard – Crew Chief, Accelerated Technologies: It was a difficult end to a difficult season. In Saturday’s Pro Sport Bike race, Jodi was held up by a competitor who jumped the start on a very fast motorcycle. Trying to draft and pass our main rival Kenny Riedmann on the Triumph, Jodi was repeatedly passed by this competitor who was later assessed a five-second penalty. We finished a frustrating second in the race. Later, in Superbike, it was a four-rider war for the lead with Jodi, Kenny, Jordan and newcomer Alex Welsh on the new Yamaha R1 battling for the lead. Alex fell partway through the event and left Jodi to finish a very close third place.
Saturday night, our crew worked deep into the night implementing some changes that we thought would help us on Sunday. In Sunday morning’s practice, Jodi was clearly the quickest in the 600 session and very nearly quickest in Superbike. The changes were working. In the Sport Bike race, Jodi was battling for the lead when two laps from the end we had an aftermarket component fail that affected our charging system, ruining our battery. The battery started to die and the bike began to lose power as the fuel injection system failed. Jodi finished a disheartened seventh. We were all confident he was about to win that 600 race. Later in the afternoon, Jodi got a great start in Superbike and quickly moved to the front. He passed Jordan and Kenny numerous times, leading most of the laps we witnessed. Then, passing again for the lead off the ultra-fast back straightaway, Jodi ran wide after missing a shift, and lost the front end, crashing unhurt but completely destroying our second superbike. He was riding brilliantly at the time and his CBR1000RR SP was also working phenomenally well, able to draft and pass the BMW and Kawasaki equipment.
Finishing second overall in Sport Bike and third in Superbike is still a great accomplishment, and we couldn’t have done it without the help of Honda Canada and our other fantastic sponsors. Thanks to each and every one of them for their support, it makes a huge difference to our program. Also I’d like to thank the entire Accelerated Technologies crew: Wes, Andrew, Peter, Michael, Roz, Gary and Olivia. I think they are the smartest, hardest-working group at the track and together we put great equipment on the grid that we can all be proud of. And of course, thanks to Jodi for riding his heart out every time he throws a leg over one of the bikes.
Watch Saturday’s Mopar Pro Superbike final: https://youtu.be/RzT8SavZD90
Watch Sunday’s Mopar Pro Superbike final: https://youtu.be/67DTlwiD0eE
About Jodi Christie Racing: Jodi Christie Racing competes in the Mopar Canadian Superbike Championship with support from Honda Canada, Accelerated Technologies, Cameron Cycle, Hindle Exhaust, Bazzaz, Dunlop, Pro 6 Cycle, AiM Sports Data Acquisition, DID Chains, Orient Express, Blue Streak Racing, Motion Pro, Elka Suspension, Motovan, Motul Oil, Zero Gravity, Drift, NGK, Sunstar, Joe Rocket Leathers, Shoei Helmets, Mikey Moto, Bickle Racing, Woodcraft Technologies, Armour Bodies, GBRacing, Vortex, TCX Boots, Ride Rich, K-Tech, Wes Lake, Andrew & Peter Trevitt, and Gary & Roslyn Christie. Follow the team on Facebook (JodiChristieRacing) or Twitter and Instagram (@JCRacing20). For more information about the Canadian Superbike Series and to watch the races online, visit www.csbk.ca.
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