BOWMANVILLE, ON – (Aug. 8, 2018) Back in 1978, John Long and his BMW R90S flat twin made history winning the first ever Canadian Superbike race at Mosport, now Canadian Tire Motorsport Park (CTMP). Long and his bike return to the legendary track August 10-12, as Canada’s top motorcycle road racers compete in the Superbike Doubleheader and the national Mopar Canadian Superbike Championship season finale, with Long serving as Grand Marshall for the weekend.
Now 67, Long, of Miami, Fla., won the race 40 years ago after trailing Canadian Lang Hindle for every lap except the white flag lap – a coil failure stopped the Canadian rider with one lap to go. Long rode a cautious race, mostly by himself just behind Hindle. “It turned out the frame (on my bike) had a big crack in one of the gussets under the tank,” explains Long. “I decided I couldn’t win that race, because I couldn’t go the back straight wide open. I thought I had the corners covered pretty well, I had raced (at CTMP) a number of times, but that weave was a real problem. I’m very excited to return to Canadian Tire Motorsport Park as a Grand Marshal after all these years.”
Current Superbike star Jordan Szoke, of Lynden, Ontario will be back looking to secure his fourth consecutive (and record 13th overall), Mopar Pro Superbike Championship riding his BMW Motorrad S1000RR. National titles will also be awarded in Liqui Moly Pro Sport Bike, Magneti Marelli Amateur Superbike, Parts Canada Amateur Sport Bike and the Lightweight Sport Bike Series, all part of a full slate of weekend racing action.
Off-track, Jordan Szoke’s Extreme Show returns to perform a high-adrenaline freestyle motocross show on Saturday and Sunday. Unlike traditional motocross, freestyle places more emphasis on the abilities of the daredevil riders who perform mesmerizing jumps over a stretch of up to 75-feet. On Saturday night the Toronto Motorcycle Film Festival presents the Outdoor Movie Night featuring award-winning film Dream Racer. Honda, BMW and Harley-Davidson will also be offering demo rides Saturday and Sunday. Honda will also be running its Junior Red Riders program for 6- to 12-year-olds to learn how to ride in an environment that is designed to be safe, fun and community-focused. All these off-track features are included with event admission.
Weekend Super Tickets ($50), General Camping ($40) and RV Camping ($60) are available to purchase at the gate. Children 16 and under are free when accompanied by a paying adult. For more information or to purchase tickets visit online at canadiantiremotorsportpark.com, call the Canadian Tire Motorsport Park Hotline at 1-800-866-1072, or email info@ctmpark.com.
From: Dave Drimmie, Canadian Tire Motorsport Park / dave@ctmpark.com / (416) 835-6601
About Canadian Tire Motorsport Park
Since 1961, Canadian Tire Motorsport Park has been the leading racing and automotive performance facility in Canada, hosting series’ ranging from international sports cars to NASCAR on the renowned 3.957-kilometre Grand Prix track. The state-of-the-art facility provides an engaging space suitable for any event; whether you’re here for the on-track racing action or a personal celebration, CTMP offers the flexibility and capacity to accommodate any event.
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