By John Hopkins
SHUBENACADIE, N.S. – Dartmouth, N.S.’s Darin Marshall led all 12 laps to win the ARL Thunder & Sportsman Invitational that supported the third round of the Mopar Canadian Superbike Championship at Atlantic Motorsport Park on Sunday.
Riding a Honda CBR600RR, Marshall finished 5.892 secs. ahead of the Suzuki SV650 ridden by John Russell of Lawrencetown, N.S. Kris Mount, also from Lawrencetown, completed the podium with his Honda.
Truro’s Gary MacKinnon had crossed the line third on his SV650 but he was penalized three positions for a jump start.
“I knew that John had good pace this morning,” said Marshall. “So off the start I just put my head down and tried to turn in a bunch of fast laps.”
Indeed, Marshall set the race’s fastest lap, a 1:12.085 on his second tour.
Nicolas Hurley caused some anxious moments off the start when he stalled his Suzuki on the front row, but everyone made it by cleanly and Hurley got away at the back of the pack. The Marystown, N.L. worked his way up to third and set the second fastest lap of the race (1:12.406) before a crash on lap seven ended his day.
Connor Warnell of Dartmouth, N.S. won the ARL Mini Roadracing Invitational at AMP in what was a family fued for the first half of the 12-lap race. Connor and his dad Philip traded the top spot before the youngster was able to pull away for a 4.606-sec. victory over Philip. Both rode Honda CBR250Rs.
In a good dice down to the wire Calgary’s Sean Smith passed Leah MacInnis of Charlottetown in the Carousel on the final lap to claim third spot. Smith was also on a CBR250R while MacInnis rode a Kawasaki.
ARL Thunder & Sportsman Invitational Results (12 laps)
1.Darin Marshall, Dartmouth, N.S. (Honda CBR600RR) 14:32.030
2. John Russell, Lawrencetown, N.S. (Suzuki SV650) +5.892
3. Kris Mount, Lawrencetown, N.S. (Honda) +26.078
4. Blaine Pellerine, Ardoise, N.S. (Yamaha) +29.458
5. Rob Forsyth, Dartmouth, N.S. () +43.764
6. Gary MacKinnon, Truro, N.S. (Suzuki SV650) +21.982*
7. Roddy MacDonald, York, P.E.I. (Ducati) +1:01.563
8. Patrick Clarke, Sackville, N.B. () +1 Lap
9. Jason Mount, Dartmouth, N.S. () +1 Lap
Did Not Finish
Dean Dort, Oakfield, N.S. (Suzuki SV650) 10 Laps
Nicolas Hurley, Marystown, N.L. (Suzuki GSX-650R) 6 Laps
ARL Mini Roadracing Invitational Results (12 laps)
1.Connor Warnell, Dartmouth, N.S. (Honda CBR250R) 16:45.147
2. Philip Warnell, Dartmouth, N.S. (Honda CBR250R) +4.606
3. Sean Smith, Calgary, Alta. (Honda CBR250R) +11.994
4. Leah MacInnis, Charlottetown, P.E.I. (Kawasaki) +12.342
5. Jake Shaw-O’Leary, Falmouth, N.S. (Honda CBR125R) +1 Lap
6. Frank Risteen, Shediac Cape, N.B. (Honda CBR125R) +1 Lap
Did Not Finish
Ballie Ives, Hants County, N.S. (Honda CBR250R) 8 Laps
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