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Calgary, AB. January 22, 2008
A top contender for the 2009 Parts Canada Superbike Championship has just been announced, with young Brett McCormick joining Picotte Performance - Blackfoot - Team Suzuki, to ride in both the Superbike and the Yoshimura Pro 600 Sport Bike classes aboard Suzuki GSX-R1000 and GSX-R600 machines.
Confirmation of the 2009 plans has generated a buzz amongst the partners that augurs well for the team. Pat Chambers, president of Blackfoot Motorsports was particularly pleased with the development: “I am thrilled to be back for 2009 with my partners from past years, Suzuki Canada and Pascal Picotte. I feel that we can provide the best possible team infrastructure for our rider, and having Brett McCormick as our sole rider just adds to the quality of our effort. Brett is certainly the most promising rider in Canada today. He is mature, intelligent and a quick learner, we will provide him with the best possible support, and I am sure that 2009 will be his and our year!”
Suzuki Canada shares in the excitement and the anticipation, as expressed by Mark Jeffery, General Manager of the Motorcycle, ATV and Marine Division: “We are very glad to come back in 2009 with our partners from last year. We know and appreciate the people, and the work we have accomplished together in the past years will serve us well in 2009. Economic conditions have meant that we will now focus on one rider, and I know that we have picked the right one. Brett is quick, and will get even quicker as the season progresses. This is the continuation of a great partnership and I look forward to a fruitful season in both classes.”
Brett McCormick, the new rider on the team and second-year racer on superbikes, is preparing for the most important season of his young career. “It is certainly going to be an exciting season for me. Pascal has a great deal of racing and tuning experience at the top level, and I know I will learn a lot from him over the season.”
We can expect to see Brett improve over the season, as his knowledge and experience grow. He has also set himself realistic objectives: “I will focus on speed and winning in the first part of the season, and let the points take care of themselves. By mid-season, we will see where we are and race accordingly. Now I need to get in racing shape before the season starts, so I will run at some track days in California, then test at Jennings with the team, and maybe race once or twice before the season starts up here.”
Picotte Performance principal and Team Manager Pascal Picotte shares the enthusiasm and optimism of his partners: “Brett is clearly the most gifted young rider to come up in Canada in recent years. Our job is to give him the tools and direction to win races as well as championships. The all-new GSX-R1000 looks like a winner, while the GSX-R600 is based on the 2008 model, which we had made into a race winner last year. As a team, we have the tools and the resources to get the job done, and it is now up to us to turn this potential into real results. I can’t wait!”
Team and Series sponsor Parts Canada is also glad to see the addition of such a strong contender to the field. Parts Canada's James Danyluk welcomes the arrival of the team. “From a Series point of view, we need to build up the number of potential race winners in both classes, and a McCormick-Suzuki combination does look like a real contender for wins in both classes, as well and the Championships. Brett is sure to join the other top riders and potential winners who make our series so interesting in all classes. We are glad to have him with us for 2009 and many years to come.”
The 2009 season will kick off at Calabogie, near Ottawa, from May 21 to 24. Go to www.cdnsuperbike.com for the rest of the 2009 schedule and more information on the series.
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