The race is tomorrow, Monday
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Carlos Checa (Althea Racing Ducati) put in a 1 minute 58.315 second lap on a drying track to take his fourth Tissot Superpole win of the 2011 season and give himself the best possible starting slot for raceday on Monday.
(Flagworld’s photo album over here)
Only just behind was Jakub Smrz (Effenbert-Liberty Ducati), deposed by Checa with no time left to go faster. Yamaha World Superbike team-mates Marco Melandri and Eugene Laverty completed the front row, mastering the damp conditions well when it counted most. This is the first front row start for Melandri in WSBK racing and was particularly welcome after he struggled in some earlier sessions at a track he had never seen before first practice. Laverty has now earned three front row starts in the past three races.
Carlos Checa: “I really like this track, but the bike doesn’t so much! We had some problems that we solved and I hope for tomorrow everything is going to be fine. We’ve been working quite well in the dry, and finally when it was getting dry I was able to get more grip and that’s the main reason I was able to fight for the pole. It’s a nice surprise!”
Jakub Smrz: “Carlos is good today so he deserves pole position. I think we made a really good job today, the bike was better in the wet, there were no problems to be fast. Hopefully it will be the same in the dry and I hope to fight for the best possible position.”
Marco Melandri: “For sure I didn’t expect to be on the front row today. On a good wet we are pretty well set up and also the dry, so I had a bit of luck to have the Superpole with difficult conditions, because I could push a bit more. But for sure it’s going to be tough to make all the race like that with the tyre.”
Eugene Laverty: “It was very difficult with the wet conditions and we had to do a lot of work. But both Marco and I brought the Yamaha up in the wet. I’m confident for tomorrow in both conditions that we’re in good contention for a podium finish.”
The second row is headed by Sylvain Guintoli, Smrz’s team-mate, with the top official BMW rider on show Troy Corser who went sixth. Late faller in Superpole 3, Max Biaggi, was seventh for Aprilia Alitalia and impressive BMW Motorrad Italia Superbike rider Ayrton Badovini was eighth.
Row three is reserved for riders who missed out on Superpole 3, with Aprilia Pata veteran Noriyuki Haga going ninth overall, just ahead of Tom Sykes (Kawasaki Racing Team Superbike) who went tenth as the track dried out slowly. Aprilia Alitalia rider Leon Camier was lucky to get back into the fray after a fall early in Superpole 1, but he made it back to the pits to take his second bike into Superpole 2 and then qualify 11th overall. Leon Haslam had a tough day again on his BMW Motorrad Motorsport S1000RR, toppling over in Superpole 2 and being unable to make it further up the order than 12th.
After a surprise exit from Superpole 1 Jonathan Rea (Castrol Honda) was only 13th on the grid with his team-mate Ruben Xaus only one place behind. Former double champion James Toseland (BMW Motorrad Italia Superbike) battled against his still injured right hand to go 18th on the grid, limiting his laps in the wet conditions after he missed out on the top 16 after final regulation qualifying.
Times: 1. Checa C. (ESP) Ducati 1098R 1’58.315; 2. Smrz J. (CZE) Ducati 1098R 1’58.390; 3. Melandri M. (ITA) Yamaha YZF R1 1’58.609; 4. Laverty E. (IRL) Yamaha YZF R1 1’58.860; 5. Guintoli S. (FRA) Ducati 1098R 1’59.069; 6. Corser T. (AUS) BMW S1000 RR 1’59.262; 7. Biaggi M. (ITA) Aprilia RSV4 Factory 1’59.736; 8. Badovini A. (ITA) BMW S1000 RR 1’59.827; 9. Haga N. (JPN) Aprilia RSV4 Factory 2’00.303; 10. Sykes T. (GBR) Kawasaki ZX-10R 2’00.477; 11. Camier L. (GBR) Aprilia RSV4 Factory 2’00.643; 12. Haslam L. (GBR) BMW S1000 RR 2’01.127; 13. Rea J. (GBR) Honda CBR1000RR 2’03.232; 14. Xaus R. (ESP) Honda CBR1000RR 2’03.382; 15. Fabrizio M. (ITA) Suzuki GSX-R1000 2’03.397; 16. Waters J. (AUS) Suzuki GSX-R1000 2’04.156; 17. Lascorz J. (ESP) Kawasaki ZX-10R 1’50.195; 18. Toseland J. (GBR) BMW S1000 RR 1’50.306; 19. Aitchison M. (AUS) Kawasaki ZX-10R 1’50.646; 20. Berger M. (FRA) Ducati 1098R 1’50.717; 21. Rolfo R. (ITA) Kawasaki ZX-10R 1’51.586.
source: infrontsports.com, worldsbk.com
Checa Prevails in World Superbike Superpole Session
Herrin Wins AMA Pro Daytona SportBike Thriller
Spain’s Carlos Checa checked off another box on his “to-do” list during the second day of on-track action for The BigM Weekend presented by Lucas Oil at Miller Motorsports Park on Sunday, earning pole position for Monday’s feature races for the FIM Superbike World Championship in the Superpole session.
In wet but drying conditions, Checa clocked a time of 1:58.315/92.78 mph around the 3.048-mile Outer Course at MMP on his No. 7 Althea Ducati 1098R, snatching the pole from Jakub Smrz of the Czech Republic on the final lap. Smrz’ No. 96 Team Effenbert/Liberty Racing Ducati clocked in at 1:48.683. Marco Melandri, making his first appearance at MMP on the No. 33 factory Yamaha YZF-R1, will start third after posting a lap at 1:58.609, and his teammate Eugene Laverty (No. 58) will fill out the front row with a qualifying time of 1:58.860. Smrz’ teammate Sylvain Guintoli, BMW’s Troy Corser, defending World Champion Max Biaggi and Ayrton Badovini will complete the second row on the grid. The top six riders were covered by 0.947 second.
Checa, who won both races here while riding a Honda in 2008 and led both races last year for the Althea Ducati team before succumbing to mechanical woes, is well suited to the Utah track but has his sights set on redemption after his double heartbreak of 2010.
“I really like this track,” he said, “but the bike doesn’t so much! We had some problems that we solved and I hope for tomorrow everything is going to be fine. We’ve been working quite well in the dry, and finally when it was getting dry I was able to get more grip, and that’s the main reason I was able to fight for the pole. It’s a nice surprise!”
The AMA Pro National Guard Superbike Championship held its final qualifying today for Monday’s feature race in rainy weather. Chris Peris demonstrated his skill in the wet by posting the fastest time of the session on his No. 8 Iron Horse Racing BMW S1000RR at 2:06.705/86.942mph, but defending series champ Josh Hayes’ provisional qualifying time of 1:50:401/99.782 on his No. 1 Monster Energy Graves Yamaha YZF-R1 from Saturday will put him on the pole for Monday’s race. Blake Young will start second on his No. 79 Rockstar Makita Suzuki GSX-R1000, lining up alongside fellow Suzuki riders Tommy Hayden (No. 22 Rockstar Makita) and Roger Hayden (No. 54 National Guard Jordan).
The AMA Pro Daytona Sportbike Championship’s feature race was the last session on track today, and it was worth the wait. On degrading wet-weather tires in drying conditions, Josh Herrin emerged victorious on his No. 8 Monster Energy Graves Yamaha YZF-R6 with a 0.161-second margin of victory after a last-lap pass on the No. 9 Celtic Racing Ducati 848 of P.J. Jacobson to cap a titanic late-race battle between the two young riders. Cameron Beaubier took the final podium position on his No. 116 GP Bike Parts Racing Yamaha, ahead of Cory West (No. 57 Vesrah Suzuki GSX-R600) and Dane Westby (No. 5 M4 Suzuki).
Cory Alexander captured his first career victory in the AMA Pro Motorcycle-Superstore.com SuperSport Championship early on Saturday, riding his No. 5 Vesrah Suzuki GSX-R600 to a dominant 18.873-second margin of victory in a very wet race that was marked by a number of crashes. Colombia’s David Gaviria finished second on his No. 700 Team LTD Yamaha YZF-R6, with Travis Ohge taking the final podium spot on his No. 40 GP Bike Parts Yamaha. Tomas Puerta (No. 40 Team LTD Yamaha) and 17-year-old Elena Myers (No. 21 Suzuki Scoop Fans Suzuki) completed the top five.
In final qualifying for the AMA Pro Vance & Hines XR1200 Championship, Joe Kopp set the fastest time in wet conditions at 2:17.178/80.304 on his No. 3 Latus Motors Racing Harley-Davidson XR1200, but Saturday’s provisional times will keep Michael Barnes on the pole position with his No. 34 Drag Specialties/Vance & Hines entry.
Monday will be the final day of activity for The BigM Weekend presented by Lucas Oil, with the two feature races for the Superbike World Championship and single races for the AMA Pro National Guard American SuperBike and Vance & Hines XR1200 classes taking place. The first World Superbike race will start at noon, followed by the AMA Pro Vance & Hines XR1200 race at 1:20 p.m., the AMA Pro National Guard Superbike Championship race at 2:00 p.m. and the final World Superbike race at 3:30 p.m.
The military is a big part of the weekend, with a Tribute Field of 2,011 American flags erected in the track’s infield, the Zions Bank Military Acre featuring interactive displays from all branches of the military and a flyover of an Air National Guard KC-135 Stratotanker during opening ceremonies on Monday. All current and veteran military members are eligible for a 50-percent discount on event tickets, this weekend and every weekend.
In addition, there will be a myriad of activities for families to enjoy, including karting at the Miller Kart Track, rides on MMP’s new Zip Line, Jeep rides on MMP’s rock-crawling course, a paddock party/autograph session prior to Saturday’s concert, pit walks, vendors, other musical performances, stunt bike demonstrations from Britton and BMW Motorrad’s Chris Pfeiffer and Chris “Teach” McNeill, carnival rides, numerous vendors and plenty of good food.
To obtain tickets for or information about The BigM Weekend presented by Lucas Oil, visit the event-specific website at www.BigMWeekend.com or call 435-277-RACE (7223). For information regarding Miller Motorsports Park, visit the track’s website at www.MillerMotorsportsPark.com.
source:
Miller Motorsports Park