The premier class of Bridgestone Canadian Superbike Championship racing will return with a title sponsor from 2023, as GP Bikes will back the feature Pro Superbike category this season.
The Whitby-based powersports retailer and motorcycle specialists are the first sponsor of the main Superbike class since 2019, and are excited to partner with the biggest stars in the Bridgestone CSBK paddock and the quest for the annual Canada Cup.
Founded in nearby Ajax in 2000, GP Bikes initially began “with 5 used motorcycles, a 1200 square foot facility in Ajax, one employee, and a dream,” and has since grown into one of Canada’s biggest and most renowned motorcycle distributors. The company moved to Whitby in 2011, expanding their facility to over 40,000 feet and are still expanding further today.
Aside from offering a range of other powersports products, GP Bikes also sells Ducati, Triumph, KTM, Husqvarna, and Honda machines, consistently ranking as one of the top Ducati and Triumph dealers in the country. Currently, they are expanding their lineup to include BMW and MV Agusta motorcycles.
Now well-established in the consumer market, GP Bikes and president Jerry Ordanis are hoping to grow their brand in the Canadian racing world.
“GP Bikes is thrilled to be partnering more closely with the Bridgestone Canadian Superbike Championship in 2023, in what should be a thrilling season in the GP Bikes Pro Superbike class for both riders and fans,” said Ordanis.
As the top level of national motorcycle racing in Canada, the now-titled GP Bikes Pro Superbike class is home to all of the sport’s biggest names, including two-time and defending champion Ben Young, his rival and 2021 champion Alex Dumas, and 14-time crown winner Jordan Szoke.
One of the lone “original” classes that has stayed on the CSBK calendar since its launch in 1980, the feature category has seen 16 different riders take the coveted #1 plate across 43 seasons, with Szoke’s mark of 14 and Kawasaki’s 16 the most among them.
The new sponsorship will come at the perfect time for GP Bikes as well, with the 2023 campaign expected to be one of the best in Pro Superbike history. The hopeful return of Szoke, partnered with his new rookie teammate Trevor Dion, and the renewed battle between Young and Dumas will be just some of the storylines to watch this summer.
Outside of the feature Superbike class, GP Bikes will also be sponsoring Liqui Moly Pro Sport Bike title contender and fan-favourite Elliot Vieira as he joins Ducati in 2023. A double race winner and third-overall finisher in 2022, Vieira will look to capture his first Pro title this season with the help of GP Bikes’ support.
The Bridgestone Canadian Superbike Championship season will officially kick off at Shannonville Motorsport Park on May 19-21, with eleven feature GP Bikes Pro Superbike races, all broadcast on TSN, between now and September to decide the Canada Cup winner and the National, overall number one plate.
- From Professional Motorsports Productions
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