| Spies takes incredible third consecutive pole in Valencia | | In a drama filled day of incidents Ben Spies again proved his incredible riding skills, taking his third consecutive pole position start in the 2009 championship and smashing the Ricardo Tormo lap record in the process. Spies was the fastest rider in the morning qualifying session with a time of 1'34.709, team-mate Sykes was slower onto the pace, qualifying in 16th position. Spies is the first rider to score three consecutive poles at the beginning of the World Championship season since Scott Russell in 1994.
Spies bike suffered a fault at the end of the second Superpole, leaving him no choice but to head out on the back-up bike for the final session. The different bike set-up proved to be a winning combination, Spies set a blistering pace and qualified on pole position with a time of 1'33.270, setting a new lap record in the process. The Superpole session did not go so well for team-mate Sykes, he initially qualified in 6th position on race tyres however as other riders changed to qualifiers he was bumped down the field with no time to go out again.
Ben Spies, Yamaha World Superbike Team (1st, 1'33.270) "The first session was good for us. We still have some things we're working through but even now the race pace seems good and we seem fast and that's what matters. Superpole was good, we went out and got through the first two sessions and was going well until the end of the second session when we had a problem with the bike and had to switch to the back-up bike. When I got out there I knew the set-up was good and actually think we've found something for the race tomorrow. Obviously we don't get points for pole but it's good to get three in a row. I guess in the end it's about having a couple more feet on everyone else just for that start. "
Tom Sykes, Yamaha World Superbike Team, (17th, 1'35.203) "This morning was a steady session because we had some things to work out. I shouldn't really have been that low on the Superpole, I started on a race tyre and had an ok time and thought I was quite safe in the top six, unfortunately the other riders switched to qualifiers. It's difficult because now you can get stuck behind riders in the race that you wouldn't normally be behind and wouldn't be a problem. So we've got a lot of work to do tomorrow, I was hoping we were going to have a good position to start but it doesn't look that way now."
Massimo Meregalli, Yamaha World Superbike Team Manager "we had a good result one side of the garage, the other side a bit less. Unfortunately Tom lost the ability to do the2nd and 3rd superpole sessions. Ben did a really good lap, he broke the old lap record and he also had a really good race pace. As usual we will make some more changes overnight and check everything in the morning ready to race." |
WSB Valencia - qualifying 2
1 19 Spies B. (USA) Yamaha YZF R1 1'34.709 2 55 Laconi R. (FRA) Ducati 1098R 1'34.714 3 3 Biaggi M. (ITA) Aprilia RSV4 Factory 1'34.775 4 84 Fabrizio M. (ITA) Ducati 1098R 1'34.817 5 71 Kagayama Y. (JPN) Suzuki GSX-R 1000 K9 1'34.839 6 11 Corser T. (AUS) BMW S1000 RR 1'34.851 7 41 Haga N. (JPN) Ducati 1098R 1'34.908 8 9 Kiyonari R. (JPN) Honda CBR1000RR 1'34.939 9 76 Neukirchner M. (GER) Suzuki GSX-R 1000 K9 1'34.955 10 23 Parkes B. (AUS) Kawasaki ZX 10R 1'34.968 11 24 Roberts B. (AUS) Ducati 1098R 1'34.997 12 96 Smrz J. (CZE) Ducati 1098R 1'35.051 13 65 Rea J. (GBR) Honda CBR1000RR 1'35.117 14 7 Checa C. (ESP) Honda CBR1000RR 1'35.139 15 67 Byrne S. (GBR) Ducati 1098R 1'35.236 16 66 Sykes T. (GBR) Yamaha YZF R1 1'35.270 17 111 Xaus R. (ESP) BMW S1000 RR 1'35.416 18 56 Nakano S. (JPN) Aprilia RSV4 Factory 1'35.416 19 91 Haslam L. (GBR) Honda CBR1000RR 1'35.437 20 121 Hopkins J. (USA) Honda CBR1000RR 1'35.556 21 25 Salom D. (ESP) Kawasaki ZX 10R 1'35.718 22 33 Hill T. (GBR) Honda CBR1000RR 1'35.890 23 31 Muggeridge K. (AUS) Suzuki GSX-R 1000 K9 1'35.909 24 100 Tamada M. (JPN) Kawasaki ZX 10R 1'36.030 25 99 Scassa L. (ITA) Kawasaki ZX 10R 1'36.119 26 94 Checa D. (ESP) Yamaha YZF R1 1'36.581 27 86 Badovini A. (ITA) Kawasaki ZX 10R 1'36.745 28 77 Iannuzzo V. (ITA) Honda CBR1000RR 1'36.813 29 15 Baiocco M. (ITA) Kawasaki ZX 10R 1'36.826 30 88 Resch R. (AUT) Suzuki GSX-R 1000 K9 1'37.820
WSB Valencia Superpole
1 19 Spies B. (USA) Yamaha YZF R1 1'33.270 2 55 Laconi R. (FRA) Ducati 1098R 1'33.955 3 41 Haga N. (JPN) Ducati 1098R 1'34.082 4 84 Fabrizio M. (ITA) Ducati 1098R 1'34.259 5 71 Kagayama Y. (JPN) Suzuki GSX-R 1000 K9 1'34.755 6 76 Neukirchner M. (GER) Suzuki GSX-R 1000 K9 1'34.903 7 65 Rea J. (GBR) Honda CBR1000RR 1'35.056 8 7 Checa C. (ESP) Honda CBR1000RR 1'35.346 9 9 Kiyonari R. (JPN) Honda CBR1000RR 1'34.536 10 91 Haslam L. (GBR) Honda CBR1000RR 1'34.655 11 96 Smrz J. (CZE) Ducati 1098R 1'34.684 12 67 Byrne S. (GBR) Ducati 1098R 1'34.742 13 23 Parkes B. (AUS) Kawasaki ZX 10R 1'34.823 14 11 Corser T. (AUS) BMW S1000 RR 1'34.863 15 24 Roberts B. (AUS) Ducati 1098R 1'35.082 16 121 Hopkins J. (USA) Honda CBR1000RR 1'35.251 17 66 Sykes T. (GBR) Yamaha YZF R1 1'35.203 18 3 Biaggi M. (ITA) Aprilia RSV4 Factory 1'35.204 19 111 Xaus R. (ESP) BMW S1000 RR 1'35.806 20 56 Nakano S. (JPN) Aprilia RSV4 Factory 1'35.416 21 25 Salom D. (ESP) Kawasaki ZX 10R 1'35.718 22 33 Hill T. (GBR) Honda CBR1000RR 1'35.890 23 31 Muggeridge K. (AUS) Suzuki GSX-R 1000 K9 1'35.909 24 100 Tamada M. (JPN) Kawasaki ZX 10R 1'36.030 25 99 Scassa L. (ITA) Kawasaki ZX 10R 1'36.119 26 94 Checa D. (ESP) Yamaha YZF R1 1'36.581 27 86 Badovini A. (ITA) Kawasaki ZX 10R 1'36.745 28 77 Iannuzzo V. (ITA) Honda CBR1000RR 1'36.813 29 15 Baiocco M. (ITA) Kawasaki ZX 10R 1'36.826 30 88 Resch R. (AUT) Suzuki GSX-R 1000 K9 1'37.820
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Crutchlow takes superb pole in flawless Valencia qualifying
Cal Crutchlow powered his YZF-R6 to an impressive second pole position start in a row in the Valencia sunshine today. The British rider was rarely out of the top two for the session putting in consistently quick laps to take pole 0.16 seconds ahead of local Spanish rider Lascorz (Kawasaki).
Crutchlow's team-mate Fabien Foret struggled to find the ideal race pace but improved over the qualifying session to take a place on the 2nd row of the grid in 8th position for tomorrow's World Supersport race.
Cal Crutchlow, Yamaha World Supersport Team, (1st, 1'35.865) "we had a good session today, I think we're still showing what we can do. We've always said the bike is good over a couple of laps so hopefully we'll be able to maintain that over race distance. I'm looking forward to the race, I think we've got a good pace to be able to stay up there and there's no reason why we can't be running at the front and we'll see what happens. I think Lascorz is probably the main threat, it's his home circuit and he's fast here but I'm not going to count out West, Pitt or Laverty either!"
Fabien Foret, Yamaha World Supersport Team, (8th, 1'37.013) "We stuck on one tyre for the session and in hindsight and it looks like another one may have been better for more front feeling and confidence for me. It's ok though, I'm on the second row for tomorrow and I feel confident I can find the race pace to stay with the front ."
Wilco Zeelenberg, Yamaha World Supersport Team Manager "it was a good qualifying session and I'm as happy as I was yesterday. It's good to be on pole and to have two of those laps being flying laps from Cal. We found some things to improve at the end of the session for Cal and Fabien but Fabien struggled a bit to get the pace and the speed. He's on the 2nd row though and that's where he started from in Qatar and Cal is on pole like Qatar so let's see what happens tomorrow."
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WSS Valencia qualifying
1 35 Crutchlow C. (GBR) Yamaha YZF R6 1'35.865 2 26 Lascorz J. (ESP) Kawasaki ZX-6R 1'36.033 3 13 West A. (AUS) Honda CBR600RR 1'36.664 4 21 Fujiwara K. (JPN) Kawasaki ZX-6R 1'36.754 5 51 Pirro M. (ITA) Yamaha YZF R6 1'36.812 6 8 Aitchison M. (AUS) Honda CBR600RR 1'36.910 7 14 Lagrive M. (FRA) Honda CBR600RR 1'36.918 8 99 Foret F. (FRA) Yamaha YZF R6 1'37.013 9 1 Pitt A. (AUS) Honda CBR600RR 1'37.063 10 127 Harms R. (DEN) Honda CBR600RR 1'37.188 11 54 Sofuoglu K. (TUR) Honda CBR600RR 1'37.220 12 77 Veneman B. (NED) Suzuki GSX-R600 1'37.290 13 50 Laverty E. (IRL) Honda CBR600RR 1'37.403 14 55 Roccoli M. (ITA) Honda CBR600RR 1'37.457 15 69 Nannelli G. (ITA) Triumph Daytona 675 1'37.667 16 105 Vizziello G. (ITA) Honda CBR600RR 1'37.702 17 24 McCoy G. (AUS) Triumph Daytona 675 1'37.744 18 5 Pradita T. (INA) Yamaha YZF R6 1'37.866 19 117 Praia M. (POR) Honda CBR600RR 1'37.984 20 83 Holland R. (AUS) Honda CBR600RR 1'38.244 21 30 Günther J. (GER) Honda CBR600RR 1'38.245 22 9 Dell'Omo D. (ITA) Honda CBR600RR 1'38.334 23 7 Vostárek P. (CZE) Honda CBR600RR 1'38.512 24 28 Vos A. (NED) Honda CBR600RR 1'38.581 25 96 Smrz M. (CZE) Triumph Daytona 675 1'38.768 26 32 Lai F. (ITA) Honda CBR600RR 1'38.935 27 88 Guerra Y. (ESP) Yamaha YZF R6 1'39.826 28 78 Geronimi S. (AUS) Suzuki GSX-R600 1'42.025
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