Jordan Szoke, seen here at Mosport in 2007, posted the fastest lap time during the annual Parts Canada Superbike Pirelli Tire Test at Jennings GP in Florida earlier this week. Photo: Rob O'Brien/cdnsuperbike.com

Two-time defending Parts Canada Superbike champion Jordan Szoke showed he’s in no hurry to give up his crown during the Pirelli tire test held at JenningsGP this week.

The Canadian Kawasaki Motors factory rider took his Kawasaki ZX-10R around the 2.01-mile track in one minute, 14.740 seconds late in the afternoon on Wednesday to end the two days of testing with the fastest overall time. Szoke and fellow Parts Canada Superbike Championship teams and riders begin their season next month and return to Mosport for rounds three and four of the series, July 18-20.

Calgary’s Chris Peris was second fastest in Wednesday’s afternoon session, and overall, with a 1:15.166 aboard the Team Suzuki / Blackfoot / Picotte Racing Suzuki GSX-R1000.

Third was Kevin Lacombe of Granby, Que., who turned a lap at 1:15.610 on his Team Toyota Yamaha Fast Company Racing Yamaha YZF-R1. Lacombe also had the third best lap of the test overall, a 1:15.170 set Wednesday morning.

Running Pirelli’s latest qualifying tire at the end of Wednesday afternoon’s session, Szoke came close to beating the overall track record of 1:14.51 set by Geoff May on an M4 EMGO Suzuki GSX-R1000 in February, 2007.

“I’m a little disappointed,” said the Brantford, Ont. rider. “I’d have liked to break the lap record, but for our second day on a brand new bike it’s pretty awesome.”

Making his debut with the Suzuki squad, Peris carved 1.5 secs. out of his best effort from Wednesday morning. Like Szoke he put in his fastest lap right near the end of the afternoon session, although he was using a Pirelli race tire.

“I’m still kind of getting a feel for the Pirelli tires and we tested a bunch of stuff on the bike,” Peris said. “There’s still so much left in the bike. Hopefully I can get some more track time on it before we get to the opening round.”

Szoke’s Canadian Kawasaki Motors teammate Brett McCormick recorded the fourth best lap on Wednesday afternoon right at the end of the session with a 1:16.133. That was easily the Saskatoon rider’s best effort of the two-day Pirelli test.

Fifth fastest was Rock Forest, Que.’s Francis Martin on another of the Team Suzuki / Blackfoot / Picotte Racing entries with a 1:16.800. Matt McBride of Mississauga, Ont. was next up with a 1:17.497 on the third of the Suzuki GSX-R1000s.

Calgary’s Jeremy Stepper rounded out the Superbike competitors with a 1:19.287 on his Stepper Custom Homes Suzuki.

While most riders elected to concentrate on their Superbikes Wednesday afternoon, Lacombe was quickest of the Yoshimura Pro 600 Sport Bike competitors with a lap at 1:15.725 on the Fast Company-prepared YZF-R6. That was just off Szoke’s fastest from the morning, and of the test, a 1:15.687 on his Kawasaki ZX-6R.

McCormick turned a 1:16.998 on his ZX-6R Wednesday afternoon and McBride managed a 1:17.547 aboard his Team Suzuki / Blackfoot / Picotte Racing Suzuki GSX-R600.

Andrew Nelson of Kars, Ont. recorded a 1:18.693 on his Canadian Thunder class NCR Ducati 848. His best time of the test was a 1:18.220 on Wednesday morning.