Parts Canada Superbike Championship, Round #1 - Calabogie Motorsport Park
2-4 finish for BnE Racing at season opener
May 25, 2009
CALABOGIE, Ont.— Pro6 Cycle-sponsored BnE Racing wrapped up Round #1 action yesterday at Canada's best roadracing facility, Calabogie Motorsports Park, with solid performances on their Yamaha R6s in the Amateur Sport Bike class.
BnE Racing teammates Efram Ellenbogen (Belleville #81) and Billy Shields (Unionville, Ont. #45) secured pole and 4th on the grid in Saturday's sunny qualifying session. Conditions on race-day Sunday were ideal with sun and 23C weather warming the heaving 20-turn, 5.05-km circuit. Ellenbogen rose early on to lead most of the 10-lap race before he was overtaken but gathered valuable most-laps-led points. He finished in second place following a five-second jump-start penalty applied to the provisional second-place finisher. "My mistake was leading [race winner] Cody [Matechuk] without studying his pace first," said Ellenbogen.
Teammate Shields started well and was in third place into T1 of L1 but was overtaken on L3, slipping to seventh at one point behind surprising hard chargers from the rear but picked his way back to a fourth-place finish with surgical passes under throttle exiting Calabogie's "Wicked" T19.
Round #2 of the national Parts Canada Superbike Championship Amateur Sport Bike class will be held at Quebec's Mirabel ICAR circuit June 11-14 with BnE Racing in attendance.
Contact: [email protected]
BnE Racing thanks anchor sponsor Pro6 Cycle of Toronto, Dunlop Tires, Hindle Exhaust Systems, Bickle Racing, Highside Healthcare, Eurocorsa Performance, Vortex Racing, Mimic race bodies, Hybrid Racing of Ottawa and Yamaha Motor Canada for continuously improving the R6 model line.
CALABOGIE, Ont.— Pro6 Cycle-sponsored BnE Racing wrapped up Round #1 action yesterday at Canada's best roadracing facility, Calabogie Motorsports Park, with solid performances on their Yamaha R6s in the Amateur Sport Bike class.
BnE Racing teammates Efram Ellenbogen (Belleville #81) and Billy Shields (Unionville, Ont. #45) secured pole and 4th on the grid in Saturday's sunny qualifying session. Conditions on race-day Sunday were ideal with sun and 23C weather warming the heaving 20-turn, 5.05-km circuit. Ellenbogen rose early on to lead most of the 10-lap race before he was overtaken but gathered valuable most-laps-led points. He finished in second place following a five-second jump-start penalty applied to the provisional second-place finisher. "My mistake was leading [race winner] Cody [Matechuk] without studying his pace first," said Ellenbogen.
Teammate Shields started well and was in third place into T1 of L1 but was overtaken on L3, slipping to seventh at one point behind surprising hard chargers from the rear but picked his way back to a fourth-place finish with surgical passes under throttle exiting Calabogie's "Wicked" T19.
Round #2 of the national Parts Canada Superbike Championship Amateur Sport Bike class will be held at Quebec's Mirabel ICAR circuit June 11-14 with BnE Racing in attendance.
Contact: [email protected]
BnE Racing thanks anchor sponsor Pro6 Cycle of Toronto, Dunlop Tires, Hindle Exhaust Systems, Bickle Racing, Highside Healthcare, Eurocorsa Performance, Vortex Racing, Mimic race bodies, Hybrid Racing of Ottawa and Yamaha Motor Canada for continuously improving the R6 model line.
Parts Canada Superbike Championship, Round #2 - ICAR at Mirabel
Double DNFs follow strong qualifier for BnE Racing
June 13, 2009
Qualifying report
MIRABEL, P.Q.— Pro6 Cycle-sponsored BnE Racing completed qualifying today at Circuit ICAR on the grounds of Mirabel International Airport, 40 kilometers northwest of Montreal during Round 2 action in the Amateur Sportbike division of the national Parts Canada Superbike Championship.
Team riders Efram Ellenbogen and Billy Shields secured 3rd and 4th positions on the grid for tomorrow's race. Both riders are easily within striking distance of the polesitter and No. 2 qualifier.
Weather conditions were sunny and 24C for the 4:30 pm qualifier on this tight, flat, 2.8-kilometer grooved-concrete track lined with guardrails. Both riders were impressed with track grip and the physically demanding course layout featuring hairpins, straights and two chicanes -- all while cargo and military jets land and take off in the near background.
Race report
Front-row starts for Pro6 Cycle-sponsored BnE Racing riders Billy Shields and Efram Ellenbogen were squandered in spectacular fashion yesterday at Circuit ICAR during warm, sunny Round 2 action in the Parts Canada Superbike Championship, Amateur Sportbike division.Ellenbogen flubbed his start from 3rd on the grid after improperly engaging 1st gear pre-green. He charged through the pack from 12th position mid-L1 before losing traction exiting T14 onto the front straight. Bike and rider were saved by air-fencing.Shields, with a huge gap behind him for what promised to be a 3rd place finish, pushed the front exiting T2 of L8 of 14. "I thought I could restart my bike and possibly hold my position but a small pool of engine oil beneath the crankcase meant game over for me," he said. "Two DNFs certainly earns us underdog status in our bid for the championship. Look for elements of utter desperation from here on in. We sorta have to play the win-it-or-bin-it card now to have a shot at this thing, which makes things more interesting."
Round 3 of the Parts Canada Superbike Championship takes place June 25-28 at Race City, Calgary with BnE Racing in attendance.
The team travels to Shannonville this weekend for Round 3 action in the regional R.A.C.E. Superseries roadracing championship.
Contact: [email protected]
BnE Racing thanks anchor sponsor Pro6 Cycle of Toronto, Dunlop Tires, Hindle Exhaust Systems, Bickle Racing, Highside Healthcare, Eurocorsa Performance, Vortex Racing, Mimic race bodies, Hybrid Racing of Ottawa and Yamaha Motor Canada for continuously improving the R6 model line.
Qualifying report
MIRABEL, P.Q.— Pro6 Cycle-sponsored BnE Racing completed qualifying today at Circuit ICAR on the grounds of Mirabel International Airport, 40 kilometers northwest of Montreal during Round 2 action in the Amateur Sportbike division of the national Parts Canada Superbike Championship.
Team riders Efram Ellenbogen and Billy Shields secured 3rd and 4th positions on the grid for tomorrow's race. Both riders are easily within striking distance of the polesitter and No. 2 qualifier.
Weather conditions were sunny and 24C for the 4:30 pm qualifier on this tight, flat, 2.8-kilometer grooved-concrete track lined with guardrails. Both riders were impressed with track grip and the physically demanding course layout featuring hairpins, straights and two chicanes -- all while cargo and military jets land and take off in the near background.
Race report
Front-row starts for Pro6 Cycle-sponsored BnE Racing riders Billy Shields and Efram Ellenbogen were squandered in spectacular fashion yesterday at Circuit ICAR during warm, sunny Round 2 action in the Parts Canada Superbike Championship, Amateur Sportbike division.Ellenbogen flubbed his start from 3rd on the grid after improperly engaging 1st gear pre-green. He charged through the pack from 12th position mid-L1 before losing traction exiting T14 onto the front straight. Bike and rider were saved by air-fencing.Shields, with a huge gap behind him for what promised to be a 3rd place finish, pushed the front exiting T2 of L8 of 14. "I thought I could restart my bike and possibly hold my position but a small pool of engine oil beneath the crankcase meant game over for me," he said. "Two DNFs certainly earns us underdog status in our bid for the championship. Look for elements of utter desperation from here on in. We sorta have to play the win-it-or-bin-it card now to have a shot at this thing, which makes things more interesting."
Round 3 of the Parts Canada Superbike Championship takes place June 25-28 at Race City, Calgary with BnE Racing in attendance.
The team travels to Shannonville this weekend for Round 3 action in the regional R.A.C.E. Superseries roadracing championship.
Contact: [email protected]
BnE Racing thanks anchor sponsor Pro6 Cycle of Toronto, Dunlop Tires, Hindle Exhaust Systems, Bickle Racing, Highside Healthcare, Eurocorsa Performance, Vortex Racing, Mimic race bodies, Hybrid Racing of Ottawa and Yamaha Motor Canada for continuously improving the R6 model line.
Parts Canada Superbike Championship, Round #3 - Race City at Calgary
BnE Racing now Top 5 overall
June 30, 2009
CALGARY, Alta. — Pro6 Cycle-sponsored BnE Racing completed Round #3 action of the Parts Canada Superbike Championship Sunday at Race City collecting valuable points with 4th- and 7th-place finishes aboard their Yamaha R6s in the Amateur Sport Bike class.
Newcomers to the famously tight circuit -- slated to become part of the local garbage dump after this season -- Ontario-based teammates Efram Ellenbogen and Billy Shields found the 3.2-km track challenging.Ellenbogen, who was consistently Top 3 or better during pre-qualifying sessions, tucked the front in T3 of L3 of qualifying but still managed 6th spot on the starting grid. "I was lucky to get in that one decent lap before I mangina'd in T3. It's a very fast and bumpy track to learn in a few days so fiddling with suspension settings and tire pressures was time-consuming. A second-row start isn't bad and we really needed a couple of strong finishes out here, and we got them,"said Ellenbogen.
"Pretty much the whole track became a handful for me after Saturday morning," said Shields, referring to a T3 practice-session highside induced after slicing through a fresh rad-water crash patch. "I was hoping for a longer time frame between my relatively gentle highside at ICAR of 16 days ago, and this one. And these monkey-like squirrels that pop out of holes and dart onto the track, stop, and calmly survey the area on their hind legs just added, for me, a bizarre variable. I was happy to qualify 10th and finish 7th after landing hard Saturday morning, that's for sure. Mosport will be much easier by comparison."
Race day was sunny and windy. Both riders launched well down the 270-kph, 1.2-km front straight (which also serves as the local drag strip) and gained positions throughout the 14-lap race.
Ellenbogen and Shields now sit 3rd and 5th overall in championship points in the Amateur Sportbike class with three rounds to go. Action from Race City will be broadcast on TSN/TSN HD Tuesday July 21 at 1 p.m. EST and repeated Saturday July 25 at 4 a.m. EST.
Round #4 of the national Parts Canada Superbike Championship will be held at Mosport International Raceway July 17-19. This event will also occasion the 1st annual Motorcycle Road Racers Reunion. Conceived by long-time race announcer Pat Gonsalves, the Saturday luncheon will present 11 "Masters of Mosport," including "Crazy" Frank Mrazek, Lang Hindle, Michel Mercier and sidecar teammates Greg Cox and Bill Davidson. All racers are encouraged to attend the event, which will include a silent auction/safety fundraiser. Tickets are $50 and must be purchased in advance. Contact www.mosport.com.
Contact: [email protected]
BnE Racing thanks anchor sponsor Pro6 Cycle of Toronto, crewman Jason Sterling, Roz-Gar Racing, Bickle Racing, Mimic race bodies, Hindle Racing, Highside Healthcare, Eurocorsa Performance, Vortex Racing, Hybrid Racing of Ottawa and Yamaha Motor Canada for continuously improving the R6 model line.
CALGARY, Alta. — Pro6 Cycle-sponsored BnE Racing completed Round #3 action of the Parts Canada Superbike Championship Sunday at Race City collecting valuable points with 4th- and 7th-place finishes aboard their Yamaha R6s in the Amateur Sport Bike class.
Newcomers to the famously tight circuit -- slated to become part of the local garbage dump after this season -- Ontario-based teammates Efram Ellenbogen and Billy Shields found the 3.2-km track challenging.Ellenbogen, who was consistently Top 3 or better during pre-qualifying sessions, tucked the front in T3 of L3 of qualifying but still managed 6th spot on the starting grid. "I was lucky to get in that one decent lap before I mangina'd in T3. It's a very fast and bumpy track to learn in a few days so fiddling with suspension settings and tire pressures was time-consuming. A second-row start isn't bad and we really needed a couple of strong finishes out here, and we got them,"said Ellenbogen.
"Pretty much the whole track became a handful for me after Saturday morning," said Shields, referring to a T3 practice-session highside induced after slicing through a fresh rad-water crash patch. "I was hoping for a longer time frame between my relatively gentle highside at ICAR of 16 days ago, and this one. And these monkey-like squirrels that pop out of holes and dart onto the track, stop, and calmly survey the area on their hind legs just added, for me, a bizarre variable. I was happy to qualify 10th and finish 7th after landing hard Saturday morning, that's for sure. Mosport will be much easier by comparison."
Race day was sunny and windy. Both riders launched well down the 270-kph, 1.2-km front straight (which also serves as the local drag strip) and gained positions throughout the 14-lap race.
Ellenbogen and Shields now sit 3rd and 5th overall in championship points in the Amateur Sportbike class with three rounds to go. Action from Race City will be broadcast on TSN/TSN HD Tuesday July 21 at 1 p.m. EST and repeated Saturday July 25 at 4 a.m. EST.
Round #4 of the national Parts Canada Superbike Championship will be held at Mosport International Raceway July 17-19. This event will also occasion the 1st annual Motorcycle Road Racers Reunion. Conceived by long-time race announcer Pat Gonsalves, the Saturday luncheon will present 11 "Masters of Mosport," including "Crazy" Frank Mrazek, Lang Hindle, Michel Mercier and sidecar teammates Greg Cox and Bill Davidson. All racers are encouraged to attend the event, which will include a silent auction/safety fundraiser. Tickets are $50 and must be purchased in advance. Contact www.mosport.com.
Contact: [email protected]
BnE Racing thanks anchor sponsor Pro6 Cycle of Toronto, crewman Jason Sterling, Roz-Gar Racing, Bickle Racing, Mimic race bodies, Hindle Racing, Highside Healthcare, Eurocorsa Performance, Vortex Racing, Hybrid Racing of Ottawa and Yamaha Motor Canada for continuously improving the R6 model line.
Parts Canada Superbike Championship, Round #4 - Mosport International Raceway
BnE Racing continues front-running pace
July 21, 2009
BOWMANVILLE, Ont. — Pro6 Cycle-sponsored BnE Racing completed Round #4 action of the Parts Canada Superbike Championship this past weekend at Mosport International Raceway. Competing in the Amateur Sportbike class, teammates Efram Ellenbogen and Billy Shields finished 3rd and 4th with each rider learning valuable lessons and solidifying their championship points standings at 3rd and 5th overall.
“After two blown motors during the trackdays leading up to the race it seemed at the time that I wasn’t going to make it out for this one,” said Ellenbogen. “But we persevered and never stopped coming up with alternatives and I’m indebted to some very special people. Vinny, for tirelessly wrenching on the bikes. Mark Gibson, for the sacrificial lamb. Rahul Dua, for the 2007 loaner. And, of course, Jorge Marques, who loaned me the bike that got me back on the podium, where I belong. Despite all the challenges this week, I was very pleased to be in the Top 3 right off the bat during practice sessions, and to remain there for the whole event. Why I didn't win? First off, I got the hole-shot and promptly ran wide out of T2 on L1, letting both Cody and Seb go by. Secondly, I hadn't practiced draft-passing enough to get by someone a little slower than me, so I bungled that a couple of times, keeping me trapped behind Seb into T8. Lastly, the lapped traffic just seemed to always be parked at the apex of crucial turns, allowing Seb to eke out a small cushion everytime I'd caught him up. I am thrilled to have run a 1.25.256, just a touch off of the new lap record, besting the old record by 0.744 seconds.”
But for a few lappers providing some excitement, Shields crossed the finish line in 4th with huge gaps fore and aft. “In a word, ‘Damn!’ I didn’t realize until the third lap that there was no way to catch the three guys ahead of me. The plan was to hang back, be patient, stalk and capitalize on their errors but I left way too much room in the opening laps—about 15 bike lengths—and lost touch with their slipstreams up Mosport’s long backstraight. I realize that now but I didn’t at the time. I was all alone in 4th and became complacent and just rode the remainder of the race as if I was trackdaying. I should have pushed but fear of crashing is still creating some drag and I’ve got to get over that,” said Shields, who sustained a broken left ankle last round at Calgary’s Race City. “The other lesson learned is that I’ve got to ride at least one hot lap in pre-qualifying practice because, as they sometimes do, race officials cuirously opted to cancel qualifying leaving me with a second-row start. Mathematically, I can’t win the championship now but a race victory would be a satisying consolation and I believe it’s possible. The racers ahead of me are all fast but, as we’ve seen, none are unbeatable.”
The Mosport races will be broadcast on TSN/TSN HD Aug. 25/26 at 1 p.m. EST and repeated Saturday Aug. 28/29 at 4 a.m. EST.Round #5 of the national Parts Canada Superbike Championship will be held at Atlantic Motorsport Park in Shubenacadie, N.S., Aug. 6-9. Round #4 of the Ontario-based regional R.A.C.E. Superseries takes place this weekend at Shannonville Motorsport Park.
Contact: [email protected]
BnE Racing thanks anchor sponsor Pro6 Cycle of Toronto, crewmen Vinnie Gallant and Brad Clarke, Highside Healthcare, Bickle Racing, Mimic race bodies, Hindle Racing, Eurocorsa Performance, Vortex Racing, Hybrid Racing of Ottawa and Yamaha Motor Canada for continuously improving the R6 model line.
BOWMANVILLE, Ont. — Pro6 Cycle-sponsored BnE Racing completed Round #4 action of the Parts Canada Superbike Championship this past weekend at Mosport International Raceway. Competing in the Amateur Sportbike class, teammates Efram Ellenbogen and Billy Shields finished 3rd and 4th with each rider learning valuable lessons and solidifying their championship points standings at 3rd and 5th overall.
“After two blown motors during the trackdays leading up to the race it seemed at the time that I wasn’t going to make it out for this one,” said Ellenbogen. “But we persevered and never stopped coming up with alternatives and I’m indebted to some very special people. Vinny, for tirelessly wrenching on the bikes. Mark Gibson, for the sacrificial lamb. Rahul Dua, for the 2007 loaner. And, of course, Jorge Marques, who loaned me the bike that got me back on the podium, where I belong. Despite all the challenges this week, I was very pleased to be in the Top 3 right off the bat during practice sessions, and to remain there for the whole event. Why I didn't win? First off, I got the hole-shot and promptly ran wide out of T2 on L1, letting both Cody and Seb go by. Secondly, I hadn't practiced draft-passing enough to get by someone a little slower than me, so I bungled that a couple of times, keeping me trapped behind Seb into T8. Lastly, the lapped traffic just seemed to always be parked at the apex of crucial turns, allowing Seb to eke out a small cushion everytime I'd caught him up. I am thrilled to have run a 1.25.256, just a touch off of the new lap record, besting the old record by 0.744 seconds.”
But for a few lappers providing some excitement, Shields crossed the finish line in 4th with huge gaps fore and aft. “In a word, ‘Damn!’ I didn’t realize until the third lap that there was no way to catch the three guys ahead of me. The plan was to hang back, be patient, stalk and capitalize on their errors but I left way too much room in the opening laps—about 15 bike lengths—and lost touch with their slipstreams up Mosport’s long backstraight. I realize that now but I didn’t at the time. I was all alone in 4th and became complacent and just rode the remainder of the race as if I was trackdaying. I should have pushed but fear of crashing is still creating some drag and I’ve got to get over that,” said Shields, who sustained a broken left ankle last round at Calgary’s Race City. “The other lesson learned is that I’ve got to ride at least one hot lap in pre-qualifying practice because, as they sometimes do, race officials cuirously opted to cancel qualifying leaving me with a second-row start. Mathematically, I can’t win the championship now but a race victory would be a satisying consolation and I believe it’s possible. The racers ahead of me are all fast but, as we’ve seen, none are unbeatable.”
The Mosport races will be broadcast on TSN/TSN HD Aug. 25/26 at 1 p.m. EST and repeated Saturday Aug. 28/29 at 4 a.m. EST.Round #5 of the national Parts Canada Superbike Championship will be held at Atlantic Motorsport Park in Shubenacadie, N.S., Aug. 6-9. Round #4 of the Ontario-based regional R.A.C.E. Superseries takes place this weekend at Shannonville Motorsport Park.
Contact: [email protected]
BnE Racing thanks anchor sponsor Pro6 Cycle of Toronto, crewmen Vinnie Gallant and Brad Clarke, Highside Healthcare, Bickle Racing, Mimic race bodies, Hindle Racing, Eurocorsa Performance, Vortex Racing, Hybrid Racing of Ottawa and Yamaha Motor Canada for continuously improving the R6 model line.
Parts Canada Superbike Championship, Round #5 - Atlantic Motorsport Park
Strong finishes for Pro6 Yamahas
August 13, 2009
SHUBENACADIE, N.S. —BnE Racing would like to emphasize the word “finishes” in that headline. With its sinking and rising corners, off-camber turns, blind entries, fork-bottoming bumps and tank-slapping backstraight, the 11-turn, 2.6-km track at Nova Scotia’s historic Atlantic Motorsport Park is a testing ground for in-control out-of-control riding.
Before this past weekend, BnE Racing teammates Billy Shields and Efram Ellenbogen had failed to complete a single race in three attempts at the often-treacherous circuit, perhaps the most physically demanding on the Parts Canada Superbike Championship tour. Both riders crashed out miserably last year (Turns 7 and 2, respectively). Last weekend, both riders completed the race in Top-5 form in the Amateur Sportbike class.
For Shields, the weekend was bittersweet. Turning a superpole-style 1:10.9 in just his second lap of Saturday’s qualifier – good for second overall – Shields pitted for the remainder of the session to conserve his tires, and waited to see if anyone other than polesitter Cody Matechuk could bump him. In the end, only one other rider bested his time (by 1/100th of a second) so Shields secured his third front-row start of the season. He finished the race in 3rd place – his best result of the year – but was unfortunately assessed a jump-start penalty following a small clutch creep prior to the green light; the gaffe moved him to an official 5th-place finish. “I wanted to ensure that I was in first gear so let the clutch out a little and thought, ‘Uh, maybe I shouldn’t have done that.’ Had I seen the jump-start placard during the race I might have pushed harder to make up for that five-second penalty but the front-straight at AMP was a clutter of signs, so it was tough to pick that one out. I’m pleased overall, though, to be taking my Yamaha and myself home in one piece, unlike previous attempts. I do love this track.”
Ellenbogen arrived at AMP battling a case of sinusitus so the physically demanding nature of the circuit was a challenge. With three front-row starts this year, Ellenbogen was sixth-fastest in qualifying and was 5th across the finish line but was accorded 4th place following Shields’ jump-start penalty. “I don’t want to make excuses but being able to breathe properly is somewhat key at this track’” he says. “Being a little under the weather did slow me up but I was really happy to beat my personal best lap time last year (1:11.8) with a best-lap race time of 1:10.7. I was sorry for Billy’s jump start – that’s not how I like retain bragging rights.” [more?]
Coinciding with the national race weekend at AMP was the Atlantic Roadracing League’s Amateur Superbike race. Ellenbogen did not ride in this one but Shields, 44, qualified in second position and finished in 2nd place, 10 seconds behind Alberta’s indefatigable pubescent phenom Cody Matechuk, who has all but locked up this year’s national Amateur Sportbike championship and is certainly poised for a factory ride in 2010.
With one more round to go, Ellenbogen and Shields sit 3rd and 5th in overall national championship points, with Shields just five points shy of 4th place in the overall points chase.
The 2009 Parts Canada Superbike Championship concludes September 3-6 at the season finale at Shannonville Motorsport Park.
Round #6 of the regional R.A.C.E. Superseries roadracing championship takes place this weekend at SMP with BnE Racing in attendance.
Contact: [email protected]
BnE Racing thanks anchor sponsor Pro6 Cycle of Toronto, Highside Healthcare, Bickle Racing, Mimic race bodies, Hindle Racing, Eurocorsa Performance, Vortex Racing, Hybrid Racing of Ottawa and Yamaha Motor Canada for continuously improving the R6 model line.
SHUBENACADIE, N.S. —BnE Racing would like to emphasize the word “finishes” in that headline. With its sinking and rising corners, off-camber turns, blind entries, fork-bottoming bumps and tank-slapping backstraight, the 11-turn, 2.6-km track at Nova Scotia’s historic Atlantic Motorsport Park is a testing ground for in-control out-of-control riding.
Before this past weekend, BnE Racing teammates Billy Shields and Efram Ellenbogen had failed to complete a single race in three attempts at the often-treacherous circuit, perhaps the most physically demanding on the Parts Canada Superbike Championship tour. Both riders crashed out miserably last year (Turns 7 and 2, respectively). Last weekend, both riders completed the race in Top-5 form in the Amateur Sportbike class.
For Shields, the weekend was bittersweet. Turning a superpole-style 1:10.9 in just his second lap of Saturday’s qualifier – good for second overall – Shields pitted for the remainder of the session to conserve his tires, and waited to see if anyone other than polesitter Cody Matechuk could bump him. In the end, only one other rider bested his time (by 1/100th of a second) so Shields secured his third front-row start of the season. He finished the race in 3rd place – his best result of the year – but was unfortunately assessed a jump-start penalty following a small clutch creep prior to the green light; the gaffe moved him to an official 5th-place finish. “I wanted to ensure that I was in first gear so let the clutch out a little and thought, ‘Uh, maybe I shouldn’t have done that.’ Had I seen the jump-start placard during the race I might have pushed harder to make up for that five-second penalty but the front-straight at AMP was a clutter of signs, so it was tough to pick that one out. I’m pleased overall, though, to be taking my Yamaha and myself home in one piece, unlike previous attempts. I do love this track.”
Ellenbogen arrived at AMP battling a case of sinusitus so the physically demanding nature of the circuit was a challenge. With three front-row starts this year, Ellenbogen was sixth-fastest in qualifying and was 5th across the finish line but was accorded 4th place following Shields’ jump-start penalty. “I don’t want to make excuses but being able to breathe properly is somewhat key at this track’” he says. “Being a little under the weather did slow me up but I was really happy to beat my personal best lap time last year (1:11.8) with a best-lap race time of 1:10.7. I was sorry for Billy’s jump start – that’s not how I like retain bragging rights.” [more?]
Coinciding with the national race weekend at AMP was the Atlantic Roadracing League’s Amateur Superbike race. Ellenbogen did not ride in this one but Shields, 44, qualified in second position and finished in 2nd place, 10 seconds behind Alberta’s indefatigable pubescent phenom Cody Matechuk, who has all but locked up this year’s national Amateur Sportbike championship and is certainly poised for a factory ride in 2010.
With one more round to go, Ellenbogen and Shields sit 3rd and 5th in overall national championship points, with Shields just five points shy of 4th place in the overall points chase.
The 2009 Parts Canada Superbike Championship concludes September 3-6 at the season finale at Shannonville Motorsport Park.
Round #6 of the regional R.A.C.E. Superseries roadracing championship takes place this weekend at SMP with BnE Racing in attendance.
Contact: [email protected]
BnE Racing thanks anchor sponsor Pro6 Cycle of Toronto, Highside Healthcare, Bickle Racing, Mimic race bodies, Hindle Racing, Eurocorsa Performance, Vortex Racing, Hybrid Racing of Ottawa and Yamaha Motor Canada for continuously improving the R6 model line.
Parts Canada Superbike Championship, Round #6 - Shannonville Motorsport Park
BnE Racing denies retirement rumours
September 9, 2009
SHANNONVILLE, Ont. — Pro 6 Cycle-sponsored BnE Racing completed the 2009 Parts Canada Superbike Championship season this past weekend at Shannonville Motorsport Park. Teammates Efram Ellenbogen and Billy Shields had excellent starts in the Amateur Sportbike race, with Ellenbogen grabbing the holeshot and leading the first two laps while Shields, starting from the second row, was able to squeeze past his rowmates and run with the leading four at the front.
But not for long. On lap 2 of 14, with a growing gap behind him, Shields entered Turn 3, a fast right-hander, and ultimately lost grip in the front and slid off the track. “I felt traction in the front end starting to let go and I remember thinking, ‘Hang in there, we’re almost through the turn,’ but I could feel the weight of the bike loading up on my knee. It was gone. When we came to a rest I could see that my right clip-on was bent straight down. My race was over.”
But Ellengbogen remained in the thick of it. He was shuffled from the lead to second place and then to third for what seemed a certain podium finish.
It was not to be. On lap 9, with a huge gap behind him, Ellenbogen entered Turn 3 and ultimately lost traction, sliding off the track, leaving scrapes in the asphalt directly on top of those left by Shields earlier. “I was trying to make up time into T3 every lap because I was strong through there. I guess I asked a little too much of the front Pirelli too many times. It's too bad to end the season on a low note, but getting the holeshot and fastest race lap is some consolation.”
Both Ellenbogen and Shields also DNF’d at Circuit ICAR, but with just four of six races completed the pair still finish 4th and 6th overall. “If we had both finished those races, then there’s a good chance we’d be 3rd and 4th overall. But ‘ifs’ aren’t really good for anything…except maybe some serious motivation as we look to the future,” says Shields, adding that there is absolutely no basis to rumours that he and Ellenbogen are so disgusted with themselves that they have decided retire from the sport. “These rumours are ridiculous, not true.”
Both riders are eager to finalize arrangements for their 2010 pro rookie season.
BnE Racing prepares for its final campaign of this season – the regional finale at Shannonville, Sept. 26-28. Ellenbogen has already clinched both the Amateur 600 and Superbike championships with Shields well-positioned to finish 2nd overall in both classes.
Contact: [email protected]
BnE Racing thanks anchor sponsor Pro6 Cycle of Toronto, Highside Healthcare, Bickle Racing, Mimic race bodies, Hindle Racing, Eurocorsa Performance, Vortex Racing, Hybrid Racing of Ottawa and Yamaha Motor Canada for continuously improving the R6 model line.
SHANNONVILLE, Ont. — Pro 6 Cycle-sponsored BnE Racing completed the 2009 Parts Canada Superbike Championship season this past weekend at Shannonville Motorsport Park. Teammates Efram Ellenbogen and Billy Shields had excellent starts in the Amateur Sportbike race, with Ellenbogen grabbing the holeshot and leading the first two laps while Shields, starting from the second row, was able to squeeze past his rowmates and run with the leading four at the front.
But not for long. On lap 2 of 14, with a growing gap behind him, Shields entered Turn 3, a fast right-hander, and ultimately lost grip in the front and slid off the track. “I felt traction in the front end starting to let go and I remember thinking, ‘Hang in there, we’re almost through the turn,’ but I could feel the weight of the bike loading up on my knee. It was gone. When we came to a rest I could see that my right clip-on was bent straight down. My race was over.”
But Ellengbogen remained in the thick of it. He was shuffled from the lead to second place and then to third for what seemed a certain podium finish.
It was not to be. On lap 9, with a huge gap behind him, Ellenbogen entered Turn 3 and ultimately lost traction, sliding off the track, leaving scrapes in the asphalt directly on top of those left by Shields earlier. “I was trying to make up time into T3 every lap because I was strong through there. I guess I asked a little too much of the front Pirelli too many times. It's too bad to end the season on a low note, but getting the holeshot and fastest race lap is some consolation.”
Both Ellenbogen and Shields also DNF’d at Circuit ICAR, but with just four of six races completed the pair still finish 4th and 6th overall. “If we had both finished those races, then there’s a good chance we’d be 3rd and 4th overall. But ‘ifs’ aren’t really good for anything…except maybe some serious motivation as we look to the future,” says Shields, adding that there is absolutely no basis to rumours that he and Ellenbogen are so disgusted with themselves that they have decided retire from the sport. “These rumours are ridiculous, not true.”
Both riders are eager to finalize arrangements for their 2010 pro rookie season.
BnE Racing prepares for its final campaign of this season – the regional finale at Shannonville, Sept. 26-28. Ellenbogen has already clinched both the Amateur 600 and Superbike championships with Shields well-positioned to finish 2nd overall in both classes.
Contact: [email protected]
BnE Racing thanks anchor sponsor Pro6 Cycle of Toronto, Highside Healthcare, Bickle Racing, Mimic race bodies, Hindle Racing, Eurocorsa Performance, Vortex Racing, Hybrid Racing of Ottawa and Yamaha Motor Canada for continuously improving the R6 model line.
