2012 Canadian Supermoto Season Comes to a
Close
Words: Jerrett Bellamy
Photos: Maelle Berodes
This past weekend the Canadian Supermoto
season came to a close with the final race of 2012 at the Shannonville
Motorsports Park in Shannonville, Ontario presented by the Supermoto Ontario
Club. Sunny skies welcomed racers from Ontario and Quebec and a great day of
racing was enjoyed by all.
The racing got started with the SM1 Semi
Pro class. Stephane Dupont lead the pack into turn 1 ahead of Marc Andre Viens
and Tommy Fortin. Sam Harris, who started 4th, made his way around
Fortin in turn 2 of the paved section. Half a lap later Harris also passed Viens
through the S’s pavement section and set his sights on the leader. Once Harris reeled in Dupont he cut to the
inside of him onto the front straight and took the lead into turn 1. As the
riders entered the dirt section Dupont took the lead back as he jumped past
Harris on the table top. Harris stayed close and passed Dupont back for the
lead on the inside of the sweeping left hand paved corner. Harris was able to
open up enough of a gap where he wouldn’t get passed back in the dirt section
and held on for the moto win.
Dupont grabbed another holeshot in moto 2
ahead of Harris Viens and Fortin. Steve Scharfe was able to get around Fortin
to secure 4th place. Harris stayed close to Dupont as the two opened
up a gap on 3rd place Viens but was unable to pass for the lead.
Dupont took the moto win and earned the overall victory over Harris and Viens.
Sam Harris (5) battling for the SM1 lead with Stephane Dupont (571)
Consistency paid off for Marc Andre Viens
as he won the SM1 National Championship. Dupont’s race win gave him 2nd
in the points and veteran racer placed 3rd overall
As the Veteran class left the line Andy
Cule won the drag race to the first corner with Frederic Belanger and Chris
Barendregt close behind. Barendregt cut to the inside of Belanger in the dirt
left hander and took 2nd place. On the next lap Cule came into the
dirt a little too hot and blew over the first berm. This allowed Barendregt to
take the lead. Cule was able to regain his lead through the left hand paved
sweeping corner. Belanger got a good run on Barendregt down the front straight
and passed Barendregt into turn one for 2nd place. Belanger mounted
a charge, caught the leader and moved into 1st place as him and Cule
entered the dirt section. Belanger would
hold the lead to the end for the win over Cule and Barendregt.
The Veteran class leaving the starting line
Belanger claimed the Veteran National
Championship with Keith Fowler 2nd and Albert Cule 3rd.
In the SM2 250cc class it was Steve Scharfe
who led the pack off the start ahead of Mathieu Gagne and Jean Philippe Benoit.
Scharfe opened up a lead and took the wire to wire victory over Gagne 2nd
and Benoit 3rd.
Steve Scharfe (75) leads Mathieu Gagne (711) in the SM2 final
The SM2 Championship went to Steve Scharfe
having only lost 1 race all season. Jean Phillipe Benoit placed 2nd
and Gagne 3rd overall.
Serge Benoit took the Novice class lead
into turn 1 ahead of Robert Masse and Patrick Corcoran. Coming into the chicane
Masse pushed the brakes a little too hard and low sided giving Corcoran 2nd
place. Corcoran and Benoit had a great battle for the lead exchanging it a hand
full of times. Evan Okopny made his way into 3rd place by powering
his 510 Husky past JeanPhilippe Benoit’s 250 allong the front straightaway.
Serge Benoit made a final pass for the lead as he jumped past Corcoran over the
dirt table top and held the lead to the finish.
Novice race winner and National Champion Serge Benoit
Consistent top finishes like this one
landed Serge Benoit the Novice National Championship win ahead of Robert Masse
2nd and his son Jean Philippe Benoit 3rd.
When the flag flew signalling the start of
the Amateur ATV race Michael Marcil jumped out to the early lead ahead of
Jonathan Jans and Jordan Molenaar. Sebastian Careau started to work his way
through the pack by passing Molenaar down the front straightaway. Careau would
then cut inside of Jans for 2nd around the left hand sweeper but
Jans would keep 2nd heading into the chicane. A lap later Careau
made the pass on Jans stick as they exited the chicane. Careau then caught
Marcil and passed for the lead in turn 2 of the paved section. Jans also made
it past Marcil to maintain 2nd place. Careau took the win with Jans 2nd
and Marcil 3rd.
Sebastian Careau (82) leads Jordan Molenaar through the dirt section
Jean Charles Desjardan’s 6th
place finish on the day was enough to maintain his points lead and claim the
Amateur ATV National Championship. Michael Marcil placed 2nd and
Pierre Tanguay rounded out the podium in 3rd.
The Open Amateur holeshot went to Stephane
Dupont ahead of Albert Cule, Mike Maloney and Keith Fowler. Dupont quickly
opened up a lead which he would hold uncontested the entire race. Behind him
Mathieu Gagne passed Fowler for 4th over the dirt double jump. Evan
Okopny passed Serge Benoit for 6th by knifing inside of Benoit in
the first dirt corner. Dupont took the win over Cule and Maloney.
Stephane Dupont (571) on his way to winning the Open Amateur final
Dupont’s boosted his points lead as he
claimed the Open Amateur National Championship. Frederic Belanger rounded out
the season 2nd overall and Mike Maloney was 3rd.
Dany Fiset led the Pro ATV riders off the
start of their 1st moto. Fiset was followed by Mikael Lanthier and
Sylvain Arseneault. Fiset led the majority of the race but suffered a
mechanical failure that kept him from finishing the moto. Lanthier inherited
the lead and took the win over Arsenault. Also battling mechanical problems,
Mathieu Robitaille placed 3rd.
Moto 2 started much like moto1 with Fiset
taking the lead from the start this time ahead of Arseneault and Lanthier.
Robitaille was unable to make the start of the race with his ongoing mechanical
problems. Fiset was able to stretch out a lead which he held to the end to take
the win with Arseneault 2nd and Lanthier 3rd. Lanthier’s
1-3 moto finishes placed him 1st overall with Arseneault and Fiset 2nd
and 3rd respectively.
Dany Fiset leading the Pro ATV moto 2
Lanthier’s win gave him the ATV Pro
National Championship. Robitaille’s struggles dropped him to 2nd and
Arseneault placed 3rd.
When the Pro Bikes left the line for their
moto 1 it was Max Sylvestre who made it to turn1 first followed by Andy Cule and
Michael Martel. Martel would quickly jump past Cule in the dirt section for 2nd
place. The battle of the race came from Paul Rouillard and Cule as the fought
for 3rd place. Rouillard would eventually get by Cule when he
executed a nice block pass in the dirt section. Martel stayed with Sylvestre
but was unable to attempt a pass. Sylvestre took the moto 1 win with Martel 2nd
and Rouillard 3rd.
Max Sylvestre leading Pro moto 1
In moto 2 it was Martel who would take the
early lead ahead of Sylvestre, Rouillard and Cule. Sylvestre made his move into
first buy muscling into the inside line of pavement turn 2. At the end of the
front straight Martel tried to retake the lead under braking but ended up
pushing wide. This allowed Rouillard into 2nd place dropping Martel
to 3rd. The top 3 riders stayed very close making for an exciting
race. On the last lap coming into the chicane, Rouillard nearly ran into the
back of Sylvestre. Rouillard went a little wide but was able to keep from going
down or losing his position. Sylvestre held on for the win over Rouillard and
Martel. Sylvestre took the overall victory. Rouillard’s 2nd moto
bumped him into 2nd overall and Martel placed 3rd.
Paul Rouillard (18) chasing Max Sylvestre (77) for the lead in moto 2
Martel’s consistent top finishes earned him
his first ever Pro National Champiionship. Rouillard also had a great season
finishing 2nd overall only 7 points behind Martel. Sylvestre missed
one round due to injury but was still able to finish 3rd in the
points championship.
2012 was a great first season for the
Supermoto Ontario Club. A big thank you to all those involved in making the
events a success and to all the riders and spectators for coming out and
supporting Supermoto. If you are interested in Supermoto please visit the club
website www.supermotoontario.com
and see what it takes to get involved with Supermoto Racing. See you in 2013!
