Ben Spies
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.”
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WSB Valencia – qualifying 2
1 19 Spies B. (USA) Yamaha YZF R1 1′34.709 WSB Valencia Superpole 1 19 Spies B. (USA) Yamaha YZF R1 1′33.270 |
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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) Fabien Foret, Yamaha World Supersport Team, (8th, 1’37.013) Wilco Zeelenberg, Yamaha World Supersport Team Manager |
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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