Hayes ends Mladin streak

From AMA Pro Racing

SONOMA, CA - Josh Hayes (No. 4 Yamaha Motor Corp. USA Yamaha R1) claimed his first career win in AMA Pro National Guard American Superbike competition at Infineon Raceway in Sonoma, CA on Saturday.

Polesitter Mat Mladin (No. 7 Rockstar/Makita Yoshimura Suzuki GSX-1000R) , Hayes, Tommy Hayden (No. 22 Rockstar/Makita Yoshimura Suzuki GSX-1000R) and Ben Bostrom (No. 2 Yamaha Motor Corp. USA Yamaha R1) started the race from the front row and took the green flag joined at the hip into turn one. Mladin led the first and second laps before a dramatic pass of Mladin by Bostrom going into turn one on lap three gave the Petaluma, CA native the lead.

Hayes quickly followed Bostrom past Mladin and the Yamaha duo continued their third-lap drive through turn 10 before Bostrom low sided at turn 11 and handed the lead over to his teammate. Hayes led the remainder of the 22-lap race before finishing 6.135 seconds ahead of the field. Despite the wreck, Bostrom recovered to finish ninth.

"It was a pretty good day," said Hayes. "I think the pace was slower than any of us expected and the heat played a role. I was feeling things out (at first) and I saw Ben being aggressive and then he had his miscue. Mat had some problems; it was not his race today. We all have bad races and Mat had his. I expect tomorrow that will not be an issue for Mat." 

Hayes' win was the first for a non-Suzuki in AMA Pro National Guard American Superbike in 55 races, since Jake Zemke won on a Honda on June 18, 2006 in race two at Miller Motorsports Park, and was the first win for Yamaha at Infineon since 2001.

Second place finisher Hayden never lost sight of the frontrunners and after losing a position to eventual third place finisher Larry Pegram (No. 72 Foremost Insurance/Pegram Racing Ducati 1098R) on lap 11 in turn six. Hayden was able to pass Pegram in turn 9A on lap 18 and made the pass stick but could never close the gap on Hayes to less than six seconds by the end of the race. 

"It went pretty well for me," said Hayden. "I got a good start behind Mat and I was happy with that. I thought I would sit there and let him try and pull me along for a while. That's usually a good plan. But it looked like he was fighting things hard today. Ben came by quick and I knew he had a little bit more speed (than Mladin). As the race went on it got hot and greasy, but it didn't get a whole lot worse. I was able to do the same lap times and it looked like it got easier for me. I just got through it and wanted to bring it home second. Josh had a big lead and I didn't have anything for him today."

For Pegram, the result equaled his season best finish of third in race two at Fontana.

"The race went good, everybody was sliding around and greasy," said Pegram. "Everybody had to dial it down a notch. I passed Tommy, and then had the best pass of my life when I passed Mat on the outside of turn six in the carousel. After that, things got pretty slippery and I'm really happy to be up on the podium today."

Aaron Yates (No. 23 Jordan Suzuki GSXR-R1000) ran in the top five all day and finished fourth, his second highest finish of the season coming after his podium finish at Barber Motorsports Park. Mladin, the only winner in the American Superbike competition before this weekend, faded to fifth on lap 12 and was able to maintain the position until the finish.  

"Obviously, I've had better days," said Mladin. "That's racing. We just didn't hit on the set-up today. We've had seven wins in a row, and we can't complain. We've done a fantastic job. We'll try to keep it together and get back up there tomorrow."

The green flag for Sunday's AMA Pro National Guard American Superbike race two will drop at 4:00 p.m. local time.

Results
1. Josh Hayes Yamaha Motor Corp. USA Yamaha YZF-R1 22 Laps
2. Tommy Hayden Rockstar · Makita · Suzuki Suzuki GSX-R1000 +6.135
3. Larry Pegram Foremost Insurance · Pegram Racing Ducati Ducati 1098R +8.054
4. Aaron Yates Jordan Suzuki Suzuki GSX-R1000 +9.249
5. Mat Mladin Rockstar · Makita · Suzuki Suzuki GSX-R1000 +24.755
6. Taylor Knapp Taylor Knapp Racing Suzuki GSX-R1000 +29.522
7. David Anthony Aussie Dave Racing Suzuki GSX-R1000 +36.688
8. Chris Ulrich Roadracingworld.com · Suzuki Suzuki GSX-R1000 +49.130
9. Ben Bostrom Yamaha Motor Corp. USA Yamaha YZF-R1 +51.251
10. Cory Call MDK Motorsports Suzuki GSX-R1000 +1:22.985
11. Mark Crozier Four Feathers Racing Suzuki GSX-R1000 +1:23.820
12. Scott Jensen Moto Garage Racing Suzuki GSX-R1000 +1:24.188
13. Hawk Mazzotta Aussie Dave Racing Suzuki GSX-R1000 +1:29.258
14. Aaron Gobert Team Trifoglio Racing Honda CBR1000RR 21 Laps
15. Geoff May National Guard Jordan Suzuki Suzuki GSX-R1000 +26.568
16. Dean Mizdal M Racing Suzuki GSX-R1000 +49.680
17. Eric Haugo Moto Garage Racing Yamaha YZF-R1 +50.438
18. Johnny Rock Page Johnny Rock Page Yamaha YZF-R1 +1:14.045
19. Brad Puetz SRK Racing Suzuki GSX-R1000 +1:22.317
20. Ryan Elleby Four Feathers Racing Yamaha YZF-R1 19 Laps
21. Jake Holden Holden Racing Honda CBR1000RR 6 Laps
22. Mark Simon X Dot Racing Suzuki GSX-R1000 +21:14.218
23. Neil Hodgson Corona Extra Honda Honda CBR1000RR 4 Laps
Race Time: 36:01.241
Margin of Victory: 6.135
Best Race Lap: Josh Hayes (1:37.153)