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2011 AMA Pro Road Racing Miller Motorsports Park Superbike Saturday qualifying results-Hayes Crashes, Takes Provisional Pole at Miller Motorsports Park - Sport Rider Magazine

Monster Energy Graves Yamaha's Josh Hayes on overnight pole in Utah.TOOELE VALLEY, UT, MAY 28 – For the first time since the World Superbike caravan arrived at Miller Motorsports Park a direct comparison could be made to their AMA counterparts.

The last and only time the two championships shared a weekend at MMP was in 2008, and then on different layouts. The AMA Superbikes ran the 4.5-mile Full Course, while the World Superbikes used the 3.05-mile Perimeter Course. The unstated reason was tires. The Rockstar Makita Suzuki team of Ben Spies and Mat Mladin, both multi-time champions on non-control Dunlops, would surely have embarrassed the WSB riders on Pirelli spec tires. Changing courses allowed the WSB set to save face. Now, with Spies in MotoGP and Mladin home in Australia, and the AMA on control Dunlops and dumbed-down Superbikes, it was decided it was now safe for everyone to play in the same sandbox.

The results were predictable. In an informal pole of the paddock prior to practice and qualifying, the consensus opinion was that the World Superbikes would be about 1.5 secs. faster. That turned out to be low.

Monster Energy Graves Yamaha’s Josh Hayes topped the AMA field with a lap of 1:50.401 mins. The fastest World Superbike lap was turned in by Althea Racing Ducati’s Carlos Checa at 1:48.260 mins., a difference of 2.141 secs. Interestingly, Hayes would have been the tenth fastest qualifier in World Superbike, in between Yamaha WSB’s Eugene Laverty and Marco Melandri, despite being on a much slower motorcycle.

In the high altitude of MMP, where the thin air robs power, Hayes’ Yamaha tapped out at 183.94 mph on the 3500-foot front straight. Melandri’s Yamaha climbed to 193.868 mph and the fastest bike in the WSB field, Max Biaggi’s Aprilia RSV4 Factory, reached 196.043 mph.

“To look at their speeds compared to ours, it gives me an idea that we must be doing something right, because our bike’s pretty simple compared to theirs and we’re getting around OK,� Hayes said. “Hopefully Dunlop’s pretty happy with the performance that we’ve gotten out of the bikes and I’m still going to work hard and see if I can get in those elusive 49’s and see if I can narrow the gap down on those guys a little bit.�

Hayes tried hard to narrow the gap, a little too hard. He tipped over in the left hand first turn, damaging the Yamaha enough that he had to go back out on his spare.

“You know how it is; just trying hard,� he said. “Tipped over in turn one. Fortunately, I was pretty far around, at probably the apex, the slowest part of turn one before I fell. Thank God it didn’t happen on the way in, when I was still moving fast. The bike barely made it off the track into the gravel and able to pick it up and bring it in. Fortunately, we had done our work before that, so already had a few good laps in the books. And, you know, it’s kind of the way it goes. Now we get qualifying again tomorrow. Hopefully we’ll get lucky and have some good weather, but if not then I’m in good shape.�

Hayes won the 2010 AMA Superbike Championship in part by taking advantage of all available points, including those for most laps led and the pole position. This year he’s on the same mission. The provisional pole may well turn into the pole if reports of rain on Sunday prove accurate. And today’s performance will be worth an extra point.

Several times this season, Hayes has spoken the pluses and minuses of being the front-runner. Being on top of every qualifying session is a result of testing himself, he said, and trying to make sense of how seven-time AMA champion Mat Mladin did it.

“That guy before me, I’m trying to figure out how he did it,� he said. “I’m pretty happy if I’m the guy they’re always chasing, so I’m just trying to go out there and do my work. My boys do a lot of hard work on those bikes back at the shop and then they come spend a lot of time away from their families and trying to do right by them. If I’m not giving it 100%, then I don’t feel like I’m doing them justice. So try to figure out to get in the 49’s next.�

Of the four races so far this season, Hayes has only one win-the first race at Infineon Raceway-though he feels he’s on a championship path.

“Man, the results to me have looked different than how the season’s felt,� he said. “I think I’ve only been topped in a couple of sessions and never by very much time. It’s always those guys catching up to me. I feel like every session I go out and I do my work and I get to the top of the time sheets and there at the end they throw in a lap and get me by a tenth or two once in a while, here and there. I think Tommy (Hayden) topped me in one session at Infineon and he got me in one race where I really struggled. At Daytona, I led all of ‘em except the two races where they got me just at the finish line.

“To me, my season and the way I’m riding feels a little different than what it looks like I guess, because I feel like I’ve kinda been the guy at the forefront and the guys have the carrot sitting out there. I don’t have that carrot to go after, so I have to try to figure out how to do it myself and I’m still trying to figure out that out and that’s probably where some of my mistakes are going to come from.�

Rockstar Makita Suzuki teammates Blake Young and Tommy Hayden were second and third, respectively, with Hayden on the fastest AMA Superbike at 186.25 mph. Roger Lee Hayden, on the National Guard Jordan Suzuki, is at the end of the provisional front row.

Superbike Qualifying:


1. Josh Hayes (Yamaha) 1:50.401
2. Blake Young (Suzuki) 1:50.551
3. Tommy Hayden (Suzuki) 1:50.664
4. Roger Hayden (Suzuki) 1:51.196
5. Larry Pegram (BMW) 1:51.382
6. Martin Cardenas (Suzuki) 1:51.408
7. JD Beach (Kawasaki) 1:51.746
8. Chris Peris (BMW) 1:51.768
9. Geoff May (Buell) 1:51.963
10. David Anthony (Suzuki) 1:52.138



Photo Gallery: Hayes crashes, takes provisional pole at Miller Motorsports Park - Sport Rider Magazine


2011 AMA Pro Road Racing Miller Motorsports Park Superbike Saturday qualifying results-Hayes Crashes, Takes Provisional Pole at Miller Motorsports Park - Sport Rider Magazine | Digg It | Add to del.icio.us


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