Young leads SuperBikes at Barber

From AMA Pro Racing

BIRMINGHAM, AL - Friday's first round of AMA Pro Road Racing qualifying at Barber Motorsports Park produced some indicators for the weekend of championship deciders and also produced one slight surprise. 

In AMA Pro National Guard SuperBike qualifying all eyes were on championship contenders Josh Hayes and Tommy Hayden, but it was Hayden's Rockstar Makita Suzuki teammate Blake Young that set the pace and took the provisional pole position for the doubleheader weekend. Young set a time of 1:25.775.

Young was feeling pretty good in his second event weekend back after missing a number of races following a testing accident at Barber Motorsports Park. 

"I came here to win," said Young. "I know there is a championship going on and I want to help Tommy but my crew have worked really hard for me all year and I would love to reward their hard work with a couple of wins." 

Making his own on-track statement, Hayden wound up second with a time of 1:25.939 and the resurgent John Hopkins continued his good form from New Jersey Motorsports Park with the third quickest time (1:26.027) on his M4 Monster Energy Suzuki.

Championship points leader Hayes was fourth with a time of 1:26.126 on his Team Graves Yamaha with Jake Holden right behind him, substituting for Ben Bostrom on the Pat Clark Motorsports Palms Casino Yamaha. Bostrom suffered some rib injuries after his accident in the second race at New Jersey and as he prepared for the Barber race, he discovered he couldn't race.

In AMA Pro Daytona SportBike qualifying, Josh Herrin took the top spot after posting the quickest time in the morning practice. Herrin ran a lap of 1:28.578 on his Team Graves Yamaha. Herrin and his championship rivals all ran in the top three or four and at one point were one-two-three in the session.

Points leader Danny Eslick had a fall during the qualifying session and had to revert to his spare GEICO Powersports Suzuki and ended up third with a time of 1:28.912. Martin Cardenas ended up fourth fastest with a time of 1:28.961 on his M4 Monster Energy Suzuki. Taking second in the session was Project 1 Atlanta Yamaha rider Clinton Seller who turned a solid lap of 1:28.885.

Keene, ON's Jodi Christie was 18th aboard the Jodi Christie Racing / Durham Honda Powerhouse Honda CBR600RR.

In SuperSport, West Division Young Gun champion Joey Pascarella made things exciting as he and East Division Young Gun champion J.D. Beach battled throughout the 40-minute qualifying session. Each took turns at the top of the time sheets until late in the session Pascarella posted a sensational lap of 1:29.984 on his DNA Energy Drink Yamaha. As he went for an even better time Pascarella had a fall at the end of the session going into turn one. The damage was mostly superficial.

Beach had never seen the track until this weekend and as usual is on a very rapid rate of familiarization. He took his Rockwall Engineering Yamaha to a time of 1:30.647. New Jersey race two winner James Rispoli was third on his ANT-Racing.com Suzuki with a time of 1.31.037.

Raphael Archambault of St-Colomban, QC placed 15th riding his Archambault Racing / Centre Hamel Honda CBR600RR.

SuperBike Qualifying Results
1. Blake Young (Rockstar ·Makita ·Suzuki) Suzuki GSX-R1000 1:25.775
2. Tommy Hayden (Rockstar ·Makita ·Suzuki) Suzuki GSX-R1000 +0.164
3. John Hopkins (M4 Monster Energy Suzuki) Suzuki GSX-R1000 +0.252
4. Josh Hayes (Team Graves Yamaha) Yamaha YZF-R1 +0.351
5. Jake Holden Yamaha YZF-R1 +0.503
6. Larry Pegram (Foremost Insurance ·Pegram Racing) Ducati 1098R +0.838
7. Taylor Knapp (RidersDiscount.com) Suzuki GSX-R1000 +0.849
8. Jake Zemke (National Guard Jordan Suzuki) Suzuki GSX-R1000 +0.905
9. Eric Bostrom (Cycle World Attack Performance Yoshimura Suzuki) Suzuki GSX-R1000 +1.089
10. Brett McCormick (Jordan Suzuki) Suzuki GSX-R1000 +1.116
11. Geoff May (Erik Buell Racing) Buell 1125RR +1.150
12. Jeff Wood (Vesrah Suzuki) Suzuki GSX-R1000 +1.825
13. Chris Peris (Team Iron Horse BMW ·ESP) BMW S1000RR +1.884
14. Chris Ulrich (M4 Monster Energy Suzuki) Suzuki GSX-R1000 +2.447
15. Chris Clark (Pat Clark Motorsports) Yamaha YZF-R1 +2.569
16. Shane Narbonne (Celtic Racing) Suzuki GSX-R1000 +2.636
17. Trent Gibson (Gibson Motorsports) Suzuki GSX-R1000 +4.285
18. Ricky Corey (RCR Yamaha) Yamaha YZF-R1 +4.623
19. Sean Dwyer (Vicious Cycle Racing) Suzuki GSX-R1000 +5.528
20. Johnny Rock Page (Aussie Dave Racing) Suzuki GSX-R1000 +6.178
21. Skip Salenius (Run 1 Racing Motorsports) Yamaha YZF-R1 +6.382
22. Eric Haugo (Cycledivaonoline.com) Suzuki GSX-R1000 +6.613