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Ninjette Newsbot · May 26th, 2012, 05:00 PM

World Superbike Miller Motorsports Park provisional qualifying report

Jakub Smrz runs late flyer for provisional pole, with Carlos Checa, Marco Melandri, and Max Biaggi completing front row; Hopkins 17thTOOELE, UTAH, MAY 26 – Gusting winds, cool temperatures, and a green track kept the World Superbike regulars from showing their best in Saturday afternoon provisional qualifying at Miller Motorsports Park.

Heavy morning rains gave way to cool temperatures and gusts of over 30 mph at MMP, the 3.06-mile road course set in a valley surrounded by foothills and snow-capped peaks. Team Effenbert-Liberty Racing Ducati’s Jakub Smrz took the provisional pole with a lap of 1:49.842, a time that was 1.6 seconds slower than Carlos Checa (Althea Racing Ducati) had lapped the track in first qualifying one year ago.

MMP master Checa—he won twice last year and twice in 2009—came second to Smrz today at a deficit of .070 seconds, the two Ducatis the only riders in the 49s. BMW Motorrad’s Marco Melandri improved BMW’s fortunes at Miller by qualifying a provisional third fastest. Teammate Leon Haslam had his worst race of the season here last year, with then World Superbike teammate Troy Corser finishing 13-DNF.

Aprilia’s Max Biaggi joined the crowded field at the top by lapping within .053 seconds of fellow Italian Melandri after languishing at the bottom half of field during the first half of the session.

Checa’s teammate Davide Giugliano and Smrz’s teammate Sylvain Guintoli finished fifth and sixth, respectively, making it four Ducatis in the top six.

Jonathan Rea was the first Japanese bike down in seventh, though less than a tenth from fifth fastest Giugliano. Aprilia’s Eugene Laverty was a close eighth, with Tom Sykes only .005 seconds behind Laverty. Sykes missed out on the chance to improve his time by crashing late in the session.

FIXI Crescent Suzuki’s Leon Camier was about a tenth behind Sykes and almost exactly a second up on teammate John Hopkins. Seventeenth-fastest Hopkins was making his return to World Superbike racing at Miller after having broken his foot in Monza nearly three weeks ago.

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May 26th, 2012, 05:00 PM	#1
Ninjette Newsbot All the news that's fit to excerpt Name: newsie Location: who knows? Join Date: Jun 2008 Motorcycle(s): only digital replicas Posts: Too much.	[sportrider - latest stories] - World Superbike Miller Motorsports Park provisional q World Superbike Miller Motorsports Park provisional qualifying report Jakub Smrz runs late flyer for provisional pole, with Carlos Checa, Marco Melandri, and Max Biaggi completing front row; Hopkins 17thTOOELE, UTAH, MAY 26 – Gusting winds, cool temperatures, and a green track kept the World Superbike regulars from showing their best in Saturday afternoon provisional qualifying at Miller Motorsports Park. Heavy morning rains gave way to cool temperatures and gusts of over 30 mph at MMP, the 3.06-mile road course set in a valley surrounded by foothills and snow-capped peaks. Team Effenbert-Liberty Racing Ducati’s Jakub Smrz took the provisional pole with a lap of 1:49.842, a time that was 1.6 seconds slower than Carlos Checa (Althea Racing Ducati) had lapped the track in first qualifying one year ago. MMP master Checa—he won twice last year and twice in 2009—came second to Smrz today at a deficit of .070 seconds, the two Ducatis the only riders in the 49s. BMW Motorrad’s Marco Melandri improved BMW’s fortunes at Miller by qualifying a provisional third fastest. Teammate Leon Haslam had his worst race of the season here last year, with then World Superbike teammate Troy Corser finishing 13-DNF. Aprilia’s Max Biaggi joined the crowded field at the top by lapping within .053 seconds of fellow Italian Melandri after languishing at the bottom half of field during the first half of the session. Checa’s teammate Davide Giugliano and Smrz’s teammate Sylvain Guintoli finished fifth and sixth, respectively, making it four Ducatis in the top six. Jonathan Rea was the first Japanese bike down in seventh, though less than a tenth from fifth fastest Giugliano. Aprilia’s Eugene Laverty was a close eighth, with Tom Sykes only .005 seconds behind Laverty. Sykes missed out on the chance to improve his time by crashing late in the session. FIXI Crescent Suzuki’s Leon Camier was about a tenth behind Sykes and almost exactly a second up on teammate John Hopkins. Seventeenth-fastest Hopkins was making his return to World Superbike racing at Miller after having broken his foot in Monza nearly three weeks ago. Photo Gallery: World Superbike Miller Motorsports Park provisional qualifying report - Sport Rider Magazine World Superbike Miller Motorsports Park provisional qualifying report \| Digg It \| Add to del.icio.us Click here for full story... __________________________________________________ I'm a bot. I don't need no stinkin' signature...