Photo supplied by Paul Macdonell

By Erika Rolling

Super Bike Racing

Grande Prairie man wins CSBK Team of the Year Award

Nov 7, 2023 | 10:52 AM

Following a successful debut season on the racetrack, Grande Prairie’s Paul Macdonell is looking forward to the year ahead for Canadian superbike racing.

Macdonell’s rookie season was more than he could’ve asked for, winning the CSBK Team of the Year Award, with Burlington, Ontario based Acme Motorsports Yamaha.

2023 CSBK Team of the Year Award – Paul Macdonell and Acme Motorsports Yamaha

He says his summer was lots of flying back and forth between Grande Prairie and eastern Canada for racing and work.

“I never really got much of any practice time in between. I would just show up to a national race and try and put down the fastest laps that I put down.”

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He says winning the CSBK Team of the Year Award was unexpected.

“It’s a big deal. I had never heard of it up until I was called up to receive the award, but there’s a lot of big names on this one, so I’m pretty proud to have been able to take that one home.”

Macdonell says he was in the running for the CSBK Rookie of the Year Award for the majority of the racing season, but fell out of contention in the last race.

For 2024, the Bridgestone Canadian Superbike Championship will be expanding to Western Canada, coming to Edmonton’s RAD Torque Raceway.

Macdonell believes he played a big role in expanding the upcoming season to the western side of the country.

“This series hasn’t come back to Alberta since 2015. I think my influence and presence this year brought them back and showed there is interest here.”

He says he is trying to put Grande Prairie on the map in the superbike racing world.

“Next year I’m hoping to get some local support and be able to do this again.”

He is trying to find a new team for the 2024 season to be more local. Macdonell had a number of local sponsors this past year including; SpeedPro Signs, Bluewave Energy, Speedy Glass, and Rebel Fit Nutrition.