AMA SuperBikes: Road America

Despite crash Spies claims fourth consecutive pole position

(AMA Pro Racing Release) While his session was anything but ideal, Rockstar Makita Yoshimura Suzuki's Ben Spies ultimately claimed his fourth consecutive pole position, the 20th of his AMA Superbike career, this morning at Road America.

During a frantic session that was 25 minutes long, with no split grouping, and a four-mile course to contend with, there was little room for error. Or so it seemed.

Halfway through the session, Spies crashed at speed, low siding and sliding into the gravel in Turn 13. The Texan jumped back to his feet and caught a lift back to the paddock in time to click off one last lap on his backup bike. Not surprisingly, he wasn't quite able to improve his mark following the spill on his 'B' machine, but fortunately for Spies he laid down a 2:12.260 on his second flying lap this morning, a time that would not be bettered during the session.

Spies' teammate, Mat Mladin, looked capable of doing so on his final lap, but in the end fell just short at 1:12.431.

No other rider even threatened to break into the '12s. Yamaha USA's Eric Bostrom qualified third fastest at 2:13.781 while Jamie Hacking, who is riding high on the strength of four straight podium finishes, rounds out the front row at 2:13.872.

Later today Spies will seek his seventh consecutive AMA Superbike race win, which would be a new series record. The trends seem to be in his favor, as every Superbike race winner this season has started on pole.

Spies was unavailable for comment immediately afterwards as he left to get stitched up prior to this afternoon's 16-lap race.