WSBK 2009: Ben Spies takes Superpole on debut

We’d never have picked it, but Texan Ben Spies exploded into a clear pole position with a lap time of 1′31.069 in his first World Superbike race meet - at a track he’s never ridden before. What a debut! Aprilia’s Max Biaggi stunned by whipping his RSV4 straight into second place on the grid, and English Honda rider Jonny Rea was left shaking his head in third after looking all day like the man to beat.

The brutal Superpole format knocked out some big names early, with Nori Haga exiting after a disappointing second session and ending up with a fourth row start in 13th position. Troy Corser was another surprise second-session knockout - it was later revealed that Team BMW had assumed that Corser would make it through into the final eight on race tyres and not qualifiers; big mistake - Corser, the most experienced rider in the SBK paddock and winner of more Superpoles than anyone in the sport, will have to start tomorrow’s races from a disastrous 17th on the grid.

Other casualties of the heated second session included Shakey Byrne, Yukio Kagayama, Sykes, Neukirchner and Nakano. It’s clear that Superpole’s new format in 2009 is a great entertainer and a sport in itself - with so many riders proving so competitive, nothing can be assumed, and teams will suffer greatly from underestimating their opposition in the knockout rounds.

Well done to Spies - his lap time would have been a top ten fastest race lap in last year’s MotoGP race at Phillip Island. It’s an ominous start to the season, and the consistently fast pace he showed throughout the last couple of days must put him in an excellent position to take out the two races tomorrow. We picked him to make a shot at the title in his international debut season, but we had no idea he’d make his presence felt so early on.

Final grid positions:

1. Ben Spies USA Yamaha Italia YZF R1 1min 31.069s
2. Max Biaggi ITA Aprilia Racing RSV-4 1min 31.402s
3. Jonathan Rea GBR HANNspree Ten Kate Honda CBR1000RR 1min 31.596s
4. Jakub Smrz CZE Guandalini Racing Ducati 1098R 1min 31.600s
5. Michel Fabrizio ITA Ducati Xerox 1098R 1min 31.837s
6. Leon Haslam GBR Stiggy Motorsport Honda CBR1000RR 1min 32.112s
7. Carlos Checa ESP HANNspree Ten Kate Honda CBR1000RR 1min 32.537s
8. Regis Laconi FRA DFX Corse Ducati 1098R 1min 32.649s

9. Shinya Nakano JPN Aprilia Racing RSV-4 1min 31.843s
10. Ryuichi Kiyonari JPN Ten Kate Honda CBR1000RR 1min 31.860s
11. Yukio Kagayama JPN Alstare Suzuki GSX-R 1000K9 1min 31.867s
12. Tom Sykes GBR Yamaha Italia YZF R1 1min 31.881s
13. Noriyuki Haga JPN Ducati Xerox 1098R 1min 31.907s
14. Max Neukirchner GER Alstare Suzuki GSX-R 1000K9 1min 31.916s
15. Shane Byrne GBR Sterilgarda Ducati 1098R 1min 32.119s
16. Broc Parkes AUS Kawasaki SRT ZX-0R 1min 32.719s

17. Troy Corser AUS BMW Motorrad S1000RR 1min 32.873s
19. Roberto Rolfo ITA Stiggy Motorsport Honda CBR1000RR 1min 32.997s
19. Ruben Xaus ESP BMW Motorrad S1000RR 1min 33.152s
20. Tommy Hill GBR HANNspree Althea Honda CBR1000RR 1min 33.363s

Following grid positions decided by Qualifying 2

21. Brendan Roberts AUS Guandalini Racing Ducati 1098R 1min 33.588s
22. Makoto Tamada JPN Kawasaki SRT ZX-10R 1min 33.709s
23. Ayrton Badovini ITA PSG-1 Kawasaki ZX-10R 1min 34.174s
24. David Salom ESP Team Pedercini Kawasaki ZX-10R 1min 34.194s
25. Karl Muggeridge AUS Celani Suzuki GSX-R1000 1min 34.341s
26. Luca Scassa ITA Team Pedercini Kawasaki ZX-10R 1min 34.390s
27. Vittorio Iannuzzo ITA SCI Honda CBR1000RR 1mins 35.767s
28. Matteo Baiocco ITA PSG-1 Kawasaki ZX-10R 1min 36.363s

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