Mladin wins American Superbike opener

By John Hopkins

DAYTONA BEACH, FL -- Mat Mladin rode his Rockstar/Makita Suzuki GSX-R1000 to victory in the opening round of the AMA Pro National Guard American Superbike Championship at Daytona International Speedway on Thursday.

The Australian started from pole and endured a four-way lead battle most of the way to win his second consecutive Superbike race at Daytona and the seventh of his career. He finished 1.028 seconds clear of the Corona Extra Honda of Englishman Neil Hodgson, who just pipped Mladin's Suzuki teammate Tommy Hayden for third.

"It's nice to get any win," said Mladin after his 73rd career AMA Superbike victory, which also maintained Suzuki's winning streak in the class, which dates back to June, 2006. "I tried to go at the start but I couldn't get down to the times I wanted. The guys behind were close enough in the chicane a few times that they were able to draft past."

Mladin officially led 10 of the 15 laps around the 2.90-mile, 10-turn 'Short Course' and completed the race in 24 minutes, 39.796 seconds for an average speed of 105.8 miles per hour. Hodgson led two laps and Larry Pegram was in front three times on his Foremost Insurance/Pegram Racing Ducati 1098R, which finished fourth.

While Mladin was able to eke out a slight margin in the closing laps Hodgson and Hayden disputed second place right to the stripe, with the Honda rider drafting past the Suzuki on the run to the flag.

"I'm sorry to the Hayden family," said Hodgson, who similarly edged Tommy Hayden's brother Roger Lee at Daytona last year. "Tommy would have beaten me cleanly but he got held up in the chicane and lost his advantage over me.

"I don't think Mat had any advantage over me machinery-wise. He rode a great race."

A poor opening lap left Hayden sixth after starting second on the grid, but he was on the back of the lead group by the end of lap four.

"The bike was working very well and Mat was a little wounded today, so I thought I had my chance," Hayden said.

Mladin, who looked worn out after the race, did not confirm he was being bothered by any injuries, saying only "we've got a couple of issues."

Pegram lost touch with the leaders when a traction control sensor failed in the waning laps and he finished a solitary fourth, just over 10 seconds behind the top three.

The third Rockstar/Makita Suzuki of Blake Young drafted past Ben Bostrom's Yamaha Motor Corp. Yamaha YZF-R1 on the last lap to claim fifth. Aaron Yates was right behind them in seventh on the Jordan Suzuki GSX-R1000, complaining of major suspension problems.

Josh Hayes came back from an off-course excursion, caused by a missed shift, to salvage eighth. He just held off Michael Laverty on the Celtic Racing Suzuki GSX-R1000.

Geoff May completed the top 10 on the second Jordan Suzuki.

Saskatoon's Brett McCormick finished where he started in 21st on the Suzuki/Blackfoot/Picotte Motorsports Suzuki GSX-R1000. He was near the front of an intense battle for 15th until lap 11, when he ran off the track in turn one.

In other action on Thursday afternoon, Tyler Odom edged Joey Pascarella and Russ Wilke to win the AMA Pro SuperSport opener on his Erion Honda CBR600RR. Just 0.313 secs. covered the top three, with Pascarella second aboard his Shoei/Shift/TCX Suzuki GSX-R600 and Wilke third riding the Roadracingworld.com Suzuki.

Polesitter Josh Day was eliminated in a first turn crash with Dustin Dominguez.

Thursday action at Daytona concludes with SuperPole qualifying for the Daytona 200 feature event, which gets underway at 6:30 p.m. Eastern.

American Superbike Results
1. Mat Mladin, Suzuki GSX-R1000, 15 laps
2. Neil Hodgson, Honda CBR1000RR, +1.026 secs.
3. Tommy Hayden, Suzuki GSX-R1000, +1.026
4. Larry Pegram, Ducati 1098R, +10.115
5. Blake Young, Suzuki GSX-R1000, +16.007
6. Ben Bostrom, Yamaha YZF-R1, +16.212
7. Aaron Yates, Suzuki GSX-R1000, +16.362
8. Josh Hayes, Yamaha YZF-R1, +28.356
9. Michael Laverty, Suzuki GSX-R1000, +28.432
10. Geoff May, Suzuki GSX-R1000, +31.582
11. Jeff Wood, Suzuki GSX-R1000, +47.200
12. Aaron Gobert, Honda CBR1000RR, +57.269
13. Hawk Mazzotta, Suzuki GSX-R1000, +58.856
14. Chris Ulrich, Suzuki GSX-R1000, +58.949
15. Jeffrey Tigert, Honda CBR1000RR, +58.968
16. Scott Jensen, Suzuki GSX-R1000, +1:07.584
17. Barrett Long, Ducati 1098R, +1:07.620
18. Scott Greenwood, Suzuki GSX-R1000, +1:07.941
19. Shane Narbonne, Suzuki GSX-R1000, +1:08.045
20. Mark Crozier, Yamaha YZF-R1, +1:11.554
21. Brett McCormick, Suzuki GSX-R1000, +1:17.905
22. Brad Hendry, Ducati 1098R, +1:19.438
23. Dean Mizdal, Suzuki GSX-R1000, +1:33.792
24. Reno Karimian, Suzuki GSX-R1000, +1:33.942
25. Shawn Higbee, Buell 1125CR, 14 laps
26. Johnny Rock Page, Yamaha YZF-R1, 14
27. Josh Graham, Yamaha YZF-R1, 14
28. David Loikits, Suzuki GSX-R1000, 14
29. Davie Stone, Honda CBR1000RR, 13
30. David Anthony, Suzuki GSX-R1000, 8
31. Taylor Knapp, Suzuki GSX-R1000, 4
32. Jake Holden, Suzuki GSX-R1000, 3
33. Ryan Elleby, Suzuki GSX-R1000, 2

Time of Race: 24:39.796
Average Speed: 105.8 mph
Margin of Victory: 1.028 secs.