Suzuki Alstare Brux’s Yukio Kagayama led the first World Superbike practice Friday afternoon with a lap of 1:51.356 around the 3.0-mile Outer Course at Miller Motorsports Park, but competition was tight in the session as the top 15 riders were all within one second of the best time. BMW Motorrad Motorsport’s Troy Corser showed that taking a race off was good for his injured arm as he recorded the second-best lap, a 1:51.360, late in the session on his S1000 RR. After leading most of the session, HANNspree Ten Kate Honda’s Carlos Checa slipped to third at the end with a 1:51.374 on his CBR1000RR. American Ben Spies put in fast laps at the beginning and the end of the session on his Sterilgarda Yamaha Motor Italia YZF-R1 but ended up fourth with a 1:51.378, just 0.022 second behind Kagayama. Ten Kate Honda’s Ryuichi Kiyonari was also quick through the session and finished fifth in the order with a lap of 1:51.387. In addition to Corser’s performance, the session included surprisingly strong results from Team Sterilgarda Ducati’s Shane Byrne (1:51.473) and Team Pedercini Kawasaki’s Luca Scassa (1:51.473). Xerox Ducati teammates Noriyuki Haga (1:51.799) and Michel Fabrizio (1:51.836) ended up eighth and ninth, respectively. Jamie Hacking, riding in place of Kawasaki’s injured Makoto Tamada, was 10th-fastest with a 1:51.865 on his Showa-suspended ZX-10R. Gregorio Lavilla, who is riding in place of Guandalini Racing’s injured Brendan Roberts, crashed his Ducati 1098RS in the Clubhouse Corner with about 22 minutes left in the session. He was seen walking away from the crash scene. The Superbike class will have its first qualifying session later Friday afternoon. FIM Superbike World Championship Miller Motorsports Park Tooele, Utah May 29, 2009 Provisional Practice Results (all on Pirelli tires): 1. Yukio Kagayama (Suz GSX-R1000), 1:51.356 2. Troy Corser (BMW S1000 RR), 1:51.360 3. Carlos Checa (Hon CBR1000RR), 1:51.374 4. Ben Spies (Yam YZF-R1), 1:51.378 5. Ryuichi Kiyonari (Hon CBR1000RR), 1:51.387 6. Shane Byrne (Duc 1098RS), 1:51.473 7. Luca Scassa (Kaw ZX-10R), 1:51.705 8. Noriyuki Haga (Duc 1098F09), 1:51.799 9. Michel Fabrizio (Duc 1098F09), 1:51.836 10. Jamie Hacking (Kaw ZX-10R), 1:51.865 11. Jakub Smrz (Duc 1098RS), 1:51.953 12. Max Biaggi (Apr RSV4 Factory), 1:51.989 13. Jonathan Rea (Hon CBR1000RR), 1:52.004 14. Broc Parkes (Kaw ZX-10R), 1:52.026 15. Karl Muggeridge (Suz GSX-R1000), 1:52.351 16. Gregorio Lavilla (Duc 1098RS), 1:52.486, crash 17. Fonsi Nieto (Suz GSX-R1000), 1:52.562 18. Leon Haslam (Hon CBR1000RR), 1:52.609 19. Jake Zemke (Hon CBR1000RR), 1:52.624 20. Ruben Xaus (BMW S1000 RR), 1:52.696 21. Tommy Hill (Hon CBR1000RR), 1:52.763 22. Shinya Nakano (Apr RSV4 Factory), 1:52.839 23. Tom Sykes (Yam YZF-R1), 1:52.878 24. David Salom (Yam YZF-R1), 1:53.417 25. Lorenzo Lanzi (Duc 1098RS), 1:53.613 26. Erwan Nigon (Yam YZF-R1), 1:54.580
Top 15 Within One Second In First World Superbike Practice At Miller
Top 15 Within One Second In First World Superbike Practice At Miller
© 2009, Roadracing World Publishing, Inc. By David Swarts.