Monster Energy Graves Yamaha’s Josh Hayes captured the AMA Pro National Guard Superbike pole position today with a time of 2:11.333 around the 4.05-mile natural road course called Road America. Not only was Hayes’ time the fastest and 1.6 seconds faster than any other rider in the field, it was fast enough for a new AMA Pro Superbike lap record for the track. This marked the first time that a rider on a current-specification AMA Pro Superbike has broken an outright lap record from the previous era of AMA Pro Superbikes, which were more heavily modified and ridden by men like seven-time AMA Pro Superbike Champion Mat Mladin and three-time AMA Pro Superbike Champion Ben Spies. Mladin held the previous Road America Superbike lap record at 2:11.541, which he did in 2007. The now-retired racer went faster, 2:11.208, during Race Two at Road America in 2006, but AMA Pro Racing only counts laps turned during qualifying as lap records. Subway Superbike Doubleheader/AMA Pro Road Racing National Guard Superbike Road America Elkhart Lake, Wisconsin June 2, 2012 Provisional Combined Qualifying Results (all on Dunlop tires): 1. Josh Hayes (Yam YZF-R1), 2:11.333 2. Blake Young (Suz GSX-R1000), 2:12.908 3. Josh Herrin (Yam YZF-R1), 2:13.079 4. Ben Bostrom (Suz GSX-R1000), 2:13.537 5. Roger Hayden (Suz GSX-R1000), 2:13.698, crash 6. Geoff May (EBR 1190RS), 2:13.844 7. Steve Rapp (Kaw ZX-10R), 2:13.866 8. Larry Pegram (BMW S1000RR), 2:14.070 9. Danny Eslick (EBR 1190RS), 2:14.153 10. Chris Clark (Suz GSX-R1000), 2:14.667 11. Chris Fillmore (KTM RC8 R), 2:14.770 12. David Anthony (Suz GSX-R1000), 2:14.914 13. Jason Farrell (Kaw ZX-10R), 2:15.723 14. Robertino Pietri (Suz GSX-R1000), 2:15.812 15. Stefan Nebel (KTM RC8 R), 2:15.932 16. Chris Ulrich (Suz GSX-R1000), 2:16.623 17. Jordan Burgess (Suz GSX-R1000), 2:19.141 18. Reese Wacker (Suz GSX-R1000), 2:19.886 107% of Fast Time: 2:20.526 19. Trent Gibson (Suz GSX-R1000), 2:20.550 20. Greg Fryer (Yam YZF-R1), 2:23.825 21. Tony Porter (Kaw ZX-10R), 2:27.045 22. Johnny Rock Page (Suz GSX-R1000), no times recorded More, from a press release issued by Yamaha: Blue Hayes: Monster Energy/Graves/Yamaha’s Josh Hayes Vaporizes Five-Year-Old SuperBike Lap Record At Road America; Fourth Pole In A Row For Mississippi Madman Elkhart Lake, WI June 2, 2012 After flirting with the track record in earning the provisional pole yesterday, Monster Energy/Graves/Yamaha rider Josh Hayes broke the all-time SuperBike track record at Road America and earned a valuable bonus point for winning the pole. It was the fourth pole position in as many tries this season for the two-time reigning SuperBike Champion. Hinting that he thought he had a realistic shot at the record after yesterday’s provisional qualifying, Josh proved to be prophetic as he clicked off the record-breaking lap of 2:11.33 on lap 8, which was at about the halfway point of the laps he ran in this morning’s final qualifying session aboard his #1 crossplane-crankshaft Yamaha YZF-R1. “I’m obviously happy to break the track record because it speaks well of what we’re doing out there,” Josh said. “But, the most important thing is the race, so my focus, as always, is on winning.” Josh Herrin, rider of the #2 Monster Energy/Graves/Yamaha R1, kept himself in the top three in final qualifying and will also start on the front row for this afternoon’s and tomorrow afternoon’s races. “We’ve got a good race setup, and I’m ready to go,” commented Josh. The SuperBike rookie’s confidence is pinned right now, coming off the momentum he gained by finishing second in last weekend’s SuperBike race at Miller Motorsports Park. SuperBike Race 1 is scheduled for this afternoon at 3:15 CST, and SuperBike Race 2 will go green on Sunday at 3:30 PM CST. For news, results, and other team info, be sure to check out Yamaha’s Facebook page.