Spies continues Superpole heroics

From the World Superbike Championship

Ben Spies (Yamaha World Superbike) notched up his fourth successive World Superbike Championship Superpole crown in a row at the Assen TT Circuit on Sunday, a record for a start of the season run, and just two poles away from Doug Polen’s all-time record of six during the 1991 season.

The Texan once again made the session his own, powering to a time of 1 minute 37.626 seconds and pulverizing the previous record held by Troy Bayliss in 1:38.355.

“It went good," Spies said. "Row one is good for us but I wish they gave points for this, it’s a couple more feet ahead on the starting line and you have an advantage.

"I’m really happy with the bike on race tires. Obviously the times are a little slower but the balance for me is better. The bike’s working good, the team’s making headway and it’s getting better every session so I think it’s going to be a good battle tomorrow. Assen is a great track and has got a lot of history, so I’m having fun.”

The Yamaha man was pushed hard all the way however as he strove to improve on the 1:38.765 time of Jakub Smrz (Guandalini Ducati), who will start alongside. The front row also sees Britain’s Leon Haslam (Stiggy Racing) in third place, once again the top Honda runner, and championship leader Noriyuki Haga (Ducati Xerox) in fourth.

“We did a really good Superpole and the team did a great job," Smrz said. "My bike is perfect, now we have to concentrate on the races tomorrow, because the last two weekends were not really lucky for me. We worked well on the race set-up, which seems to be OK. Now I just have to make a good start and follow the leaders or stay up at the front.”

Fifth position went to Michel Fabrizio (Ducati Xerox), ahead of Max Neukirchner (Suzuki Alstare), the German looking quick on race pace, with Carlos Checa (Hannspree Ten Kate Honda) seventh, while Tom Sykes (Yamaha World Superbike) had a positive run for eighth after his two crashes on Saturday.

There was disappointment for Max Biaggi (Aprilia Racing), who will start from the third row, together with Regis Laconi (Ducati), who expected a better position after lapping on top form in qualifying, while Troy Corser lines his BMW Motorrad machine up on the fourth row.

Man of the moment Cal Crutchlow (Yamaha World Supersport) grabbed his third World Supersport pole position in three races with a superb time of 1:40.313, which he set right at the end of the session and knocking half a second off the previous mark.

The gap between Crutchlow and his closest rivals was considerable, with Joan Lascorz (Kawasaki Motocard.com) half a second down, and championship co-leader Kenan Sofuoglu (Hannspree Ten Kate Honda) six-tenths behind.

Another Honda, the Parkalgar version of round two winner Eugene Laverty, completed the front row.

Fabien Foret (Yamaha World Supersport) took the fifth slot ahead of Australian Garry McCoy (Triumph Be1 Racing) and Michele Pirro (Yamaha Lorenzini), who also crashed. Andrew Pitt (Hannspree Ten Kate Honda) had to settle for 10th place.

Maxime Berger (Ten Kate Honda) set a new lap record of 1:41.108 in qualifying to take the top slot of the grid for tomorrow’s second round of the Superstock 1000 FIM Cup. The Frenchman had already shown himself to be on form in free practice and left no space for his rivals in the sole grid-deciding session.

Italian Davide Giugliano (Unionbike MV Agusta), Sylvain Barrier (Garnier Yamaha) of France and championship leader Claudio Corti (Suzuki Alstare) completed the front row.

In Superstock 600, Danilo Petrucci (Yamaha Trasimeno) continued his great early season form with pole position at Assen and a new best lap of 1:44.376.

Superbike Times
1. Spies B. (USA) Yamaha YZF-R1 1:37.626
2. Smrz J. (CZE) Ducati 1098R 1:37.765
3. Haslam L. (GBR) Honda CBR1000RR 1:38.072
4. Haga N. (JPN) Ducati 1098R 1:38.202
5. Fabrizio M. (ITA) Ducati 1098R 1:38.215
6. Neukirchner M. (GER) Suzuki GSX-R1000 1:38.353
7. Checa C. (ESP) Honda CBR1000RR 1:38.640
8. Sykes T. (GBR) Yamaha YZF-R1 1:38.790
9. Kagayama Y. (JPN) Suzuki GSX-R1000 1:38.288
10. Biaggi M. (ITA) Aprilia RSV4 Factory 1:38.441
11. Rea J. (GBR) Honda CBR1000RR 1:38.510
12. Laconi R. (FRA) Ducati 1098R 1:38.521
13. Muggeridge K. (AUS) Suzuki GSX-R1000 1:38.802
14. Byrne S. (GBR) Ducati 1098R 1:38.811
15. Corser T. (AUS) BMW S1000 RR 1:38.906
16. Kiyonari R. (JPN) Honda CBR1000RR 1:39.079