Copyright 2005, Roadracing World Publishing, Inc.

Five-time and defending AMA Superbike Champion Mat Mladin ended the first day of the annual AMA team test at Daytona International Speedway Monday with the quickest time of all riders.

Piloting his 2005-model Yoshimura Suzuki GSX-R1000 Superbike around the recently revised, 2.95-mile infield road course, Mladin turned a 1:42.107.

The AMA Superbike lap record on the previous, 3.56-mile road course was a 1:46.835, set by Eric Bostrom on a factory Ducati 999 Superbike in 2004.

“Obviously, for quite a while, we were just out there learning the racetrack,” Mladin told Roadracingworld.com. “The racetrack was pretty green and pretty dirty, especially in that new section, and everyone did 20 laps or so figuring out which way it went.

“We started getting going a little bit, went around in circles, got more familiar with the new bike (and) tried a few different tires this afternoon. Tomorrow, we will probably get into some more work and start testing a few parts and things, 2005 stuff.”

Second-fastest overall was Miguel Duhamel on his Honda CBR1000RR “kit” Superbike with a 1:42.278. Duhamel and his new American Honda teammate Jake Zemke split their time Monday between their CBR1000RR Superbikes and CBR600RR Formula Xtreme machines.

Damon Buckmaster showed his wrist, injured for much of the 2004 season, was healed as he led all Superstock riders with a 1:42.679 on his Graves Yamaha YZF-R1.

2003 World Superbike Champion Neil Hodgson was pleasantly surprised with the fifth-fastest time of the day on his brand new Parts Unlimited Ducati Austin 999F05. Hodgson admitted that he had trouble holding his Superbike wide open as he got re-acclimated to Daytona’s bumpy high banks.

In addition to re-learning the Daytona track, Hodgson, like teammate Eric Bostrom, reacquainted himself with Dunlop tires Monday.

The fastest Supersport rider Monday was Yamaha’s Jason DiSalvo, who turned a 1:44.320 on his updated YZF-R6. DiSalvo said the bike had better brakes and more power.

Michael Jordan Motorsports (MJM) Suzuki’s Jason Pridmore, Steve Rapp and Montez Stewart shared one, Superstock-spec 2005 GSX-R1000 all day.

MJM Suzuki team owner Michael Jordan spent the entire day at the racetrack watching from pit lane and the infield with rocker Kid Rock and Detroit Red Wing Chris Chelios.

Team M4 EMGO Suzuki’s Vincent Haskovec, Superstock GSX-R1000, and Geoff May, Supersport GSX-R600, worked on finding baseline set-ups with their new bikes and new Pirelli tires.

Kawasaki’s Tommy Hayden and Roger Lee Hayden concentrated on their new ZX-6RR Supersport bikes Monday while five visitors from Kawasaki Japan looked on.

The only crashers on the day were Yoshimura Suzuki’s Aaron Yates and lone Erion Honda rider Alex Gobert. Yates highsided his 2005 GSX-R1000 Superbike exiting the new, first-gear, turn five left-hander, and Gobert lost the front going into turn one while testing fork settings. Neither Yates nor Gobert suffered any injury.

The test will continue through Wednesday, January 5.

Monday’s Best Lap Times (as supplied by AMA Pro Racing):

1. Mat Mladin, Suz GSX-R1000 Superbike, 1:42.107
2. Miguel Duhamel, Hon CBR1000RR Superbike, 1:42.278
3. Damon Buckmaster, Yam YZF-R1 Superstock, 1:42.679
4. Ben Spies, Suz GSX-R1000 Superbike, 1:42.854
5. Neil Hodgson, Duc 999F05 Superbike, 1:43.166
6. Vincent Haskovec, Suz GSX-R1000 Superstock, 1:43.401
7. Jake Zemke, Hon CBR1000RR Superbike, 1:43.585
8. Jason Pridmore/Steve Rapp/Montez Stewart, Suz GSX-R1000 Superstock, 1:43.639
9. Jason DiSalvo, Yam YZF-R1 Superstock, 1:43.767
10. Aaron Yates, Suz GSX-R1000 Superstock, 1:43.799
11. Jason DiSalvo, Yam YZF-R6 Supersport, 1:44.320
12. Eric Bostrom, Duc 999F05 Superbike, 1:44.332
13. Aaron Gobert, Yam YZF-R1 Superstock, 1:44.345
14. Tommy Hayden, Kaw ZX-6RR Supersport, 1:44.654
15. Jake Zemke, Hon CBR600RR Formula Xtreme, 1:44.875
16. Josh Hayes, Kaw ZX-10R Superbike, 1:45.009
17. Roger Lee Hayden, Kaw ZX-6RR Supersport, 1:45.996
18. Damon Buckmaster, Yam YZF-R6 Supersport, 1:46.254
19. Michael Barnes, Yam YZF-R6 Supersport, 1:46.342
20. Geoff May, Suz GSX-R600 Supersport, 1:46.578
21. Miguel Duhamel, Hon CBR600RR Formula Xtreme, 1:46.697
22. Alex Gobert, Hon CBR600RR Formula Xtreme, 1:47.259
23. Aaron Gobert, Yam YZF-R6 Supersport, 1:47.558
24. Taylor Knapp, Yam YZF-R6 Supersport, 1:48.627
25. Ben Attard, Kaw ZX-6RR Formula Xtreme, 1:48.766
26. Mike Ciccotto, Buell XB12R Formula Xtreme, 1:49.236
27. Ben Spies, Suz GSX-R600 Supersport, 1:49.501
28. Matt Lynn, Suz GSX-R1000 Superbike, 1:49.535
29. Matt Lynn, Suz GSX-R1000 Superstock, 1:51.722
30. Dan Bilansky, Buell XB12R Formula Xtreme, 1:54.107


Top Speeds (as recorded on one factory team’s radar gun):

1. Jake Zemke, Hon CBR1000RR Superbike, 191.3 mph
2. Eric Bostrom, Duc 999F05 Superbike, 191.0 mph
3. Mat Mladin, Suz GSX-R1000 Superbike, 190.3 mph
4. Ben Spies, Suz GSX-R1000 Superbike, 188.2 mph
5. Neil Hodgson, Duc 999F05 Superbike, 188.1 mph
6. Aaron Yates, Suz GSX-R1000 Superbike, 188.0 mph
7. Steve Rapp, Suz GSX-R1000 Superstock, 186.0 mph
8. Jason Pridmore, Suz GSX-R1000 Superstock, 184.8 mph
9. Josh Hayes, Kaw ZX-10R Superbike, 184.3 mph
10. Damon Buckmaster, Yam YZF-R1 Superstock, 183.2 mph
11. Alex Gobert, Hon CBR600RR Formula Xtreme, 175.0 mph
12. Jason DiSalvo, Yam YZF-R6 Supersport, 171.5 mph
13. Matt Lynn, Suz GSX-R1000, 171.1 mph
14. TIE, Aaron Gobert, Yam YZF-R6 Supersport/Tommy Hayden, Kaw ZX-6RR Supersport, 170.1 mph
16. Roger Lee Hayden, Kaw ZX-6RR Supersport, 169.6 mph
17. Geoff May, Suz GSX-R600 Supersport, 166.4 mph