Motourage

The Atlantic Roadracing League is gearing up for the busiest two weeks of its five-month race calendar. The next two weeks will see Atlantic Motorsports Park in Shubenacadie, NS and surrounding areas explode with racers from all over the country as ARL holds Round 4 of its Atlantic Championship and then plays host to the final rounds of the Parts Canada Superbike Championship the following weekend.

July 30 – August 1 will see ARL holding Round 4 of the Atlantic Championship at the 1.6 mile (2.5 km) Atlantic Motorsport Park. This will be the second year ARL has organized Round 4 of its regional series to be held the weekend prior to its national event. This is to allow away riders to come down a week early and get as much track time in as they can, plus it gives spectators a great chance to get into the swing of things before the big national the following week. So, far away riders have taken full advantage of this opportunity, also relishing the chance to soak up some of that famed East Coast hospitality.

The following weekend, August 5 – 8, will see the country’s best riders make their annual pilgrimage east for the Atlantic stop on the Parts Canada Superbike tour. This time, things are slightly different. Traditionally, the east coast stop on the tour was the penultimate stop on the calendar; though this time it will be the final stop. All season a championship battle has been brewing and is set to come to a boil at AMP in August. All five national titles are still up for grabs, and if the past is any indication, AMP will provide some great races to decide the final title standings.

Adding to the excitement is a strong mix of fast local riders looking to show well in their home event. The east coast is home to some of Canada’s fastest riders with multi-time Canadian Champion Don Munroe hailing from Bedford, NS – just 40 minutes from AMP. One of the main reasons ARL keeps organizing the Atlantic stop of the Parts Canada Superbike Championship is to provide its riders with a chance to showcase their talent on the national level without having to travel halfway across the countr – something that is not feasible for most local riders. This is a great opportunity for all local riders to show well against the country’s best and leave their mark on the National series – one we sincerely hope everyone takes advantage of.

With established national stars Jordan Szoke, Jodi Christie, Francis Martin, Alex Welsh, Steven Nickerson, Raphael Archambault and co. all ready and rearing to go, the stage is set for some great racing. Throw in local fast men Todd Scott, Andrew Dunlap, Ron Munroe, Charlie Legere, Austin Shaw-O’Leary and Mark Goodwin and things get even more exciting.

On Saturday, May 8, Steeves Motorsports dusted off their gear and took to Atlantic Motorsports Park in Shubenacadie, Nova Scotia for their first test of 2010.  Under overcast skies and in cool weather, rider Terry Steeves set out to shake down the bike and begin the process of learning a new machine.

Though conditions were not ideal, Terry managed to log 61 laps on the 1.6-mile circuit. With very little set up adjustment, unfamiliar tires, a new motorcycle and low track temperature, Steeves set a best lap of 1:12.9, three seconds off his personal best time around AMP. The team is happy with this considering everything mentioned, plus the fact it was Steeves first time back on track after his broken neck last July.

The team will once again be back on track this coming weekend, May 14-16, for Round 1 of the Atlantic Championship by the Atlantic Roadracing League.

As always, Steeves Motorsports would like to thank their sponsors: Importations Thibault, Vicious Cycle, Suomy, Pro Cycle, Suzuki, Pirelli, Slim Gyms Fitness for Men, Eject Helmet Removal Systems, Dionne Signs and Brad Boutilier Photo and Press.

Be sure to follow the Steeves Motorsports team on Twitter and Facebook for the latest updates and photos.