Copyright 2003, Roadracing World Publishing, Inc.

Friday’s Provisional AMA Superbike Qualifying Results:

1. Kurtis Roberts, Honda RC51, 1:27.383
2. Mat Mladin, Suzuki GSX-R1000, 1:27.731
3. Jason Pridmore, Suzuki GSX-R1000, 1:27.815
4. Aaron Yates, Suzuki GSX-R1000, 1:27.972
5. Miguel Duhamel, Honda RC51, 1:28.312
6. Ben Bostrom, Honda RC51, 1:28.681
7. Ben Spies, Suzuki GSX-R750, 1:28.734
8. Giovanni Bussei, Ducati 998RS, 1:29.220
9. Jordan Szoke, Suzuki GSX-R1000, 1:29.362
10. Josh Hayes, Suzuki GSX-R1000, 1:30.441
11. Geoff May, Suzuki GSX-R1000, 1:30.653
12. Chris Caylor, Suzuki GSX-R750, 1:30.659
13. Shawn Higbee, Suzuki GSX-R1000, 1:30.671
14. Steve Rapp, Suzuki GSX-R1000, 1:30.787
15. Vincent Haskovec, Suzuki GSX-R1000, 1:30.845
16. John Dugan, Suzuki GSX-R1000, 1:31.345
17. John Haner, Suzuki GSX-R750, 1:31.587
18. Jake Holden, Suzuki GSX-R750, 1:31.696
19. Mike Ciccotto, Suzuki GSX-R1000, 1:31.801
20. J.J. Roetlin, Suzuki GSX-R750, 1:31.905
21. Greg Moore, Suzuki GSX-R1000, 1:32.211
22. Chris Ulrich, Suzuki GSX-R750, 1:32.267
23. Chris Voelker, Ducati 996, 1:32.335
24. Scott Jensen, Suzuki GSX-R1000, 1:32.681
25. Troy Green, Yamaha YZF-R1, 1:32.710


More, from a press release issued by Mat Mladin Motorsports:

AMERICAN SUPERBIKE PROVISIONAL FRONT ROW FOR MLADIN AT MID-OHIO

Lexington, Ohio, USA (Friday, 25 July) – After being the fastest rider on the circuit during the morning’s opening practice session, Australia’s Mat Mladin was pushed back to second in the closing minutes of the first qualifying session for this weekend’s Double-Header AMA Chevy Trucks US Superbike Championship being held at the Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course in Lexington, Ohio.

Mladin, the current points leader in this years 18-race championship, recorded a fastest time of 1-min 27.731-secs during the one-hour timed session before being edged off the top spot by Erion Honda’s Kurtis Roberts who set the quickest time of 1:27.383 with four minutes of the session remaining.

Third fastest was privateer rider Jason Pridmore (Attack Suzuki, 1:27.815) who split the Yoshimura Suzuki pair of Mladin and Aaron Yates, with Yates being the last rider to dip into the 1:27s with a 1:27.972

“It was fairly difficult out there today,” said Mladin. “The track is definitely bumpier than when we were here last year and I think it will be very difficult, if not impossible, to get near my lap record time from a couple of years ago. The tyre situation is still critical. After having a few options to choose from two weeks ago at Laguna, we arrive here with a reduced selection. I set my time on what could be our race tyre. It was a bit warm this afternoon and with tomorrow’s final session being in the morning, track conditions may be a little cooler and offer something for us.”

Mladin arrives at Mid-Ohio holding a slender, yet important, six-point lead in the series over Team Kawasaki’s Eric Bostrom with 12-rounds now completed. This weekend, Bostrom is hampered by injuries that he received at the Laguna Seca round of the World Superbike Championship two weeks ago and opted out of today’s qualifying session in preference to tomorrow’s final session. Yates lies third in the championship, eleven points adrift of Mladin.

Qualifying for this weekend’s Double-Header Superbike round concludes tomorrow morning, before the first of two 26-lap AMA Superbike races takes place later in the afternoon.


QUALIFYING, Friday – Top 10
1. Kurtis Roberts (Erion Honda) 1:27.383 mins
2. Mat Mladin (Yoshimura Suzuki) 1:27.731
3. Jason Pridmore (Attack Suzuki) 1:27.815
4. Aaron Yates (Yoshimura Suzuki) 1:27.972
5. Miguel DuHamel (American Honda) 1:28.312
6. Ben Bostrom (American Honda) 1:28.681
7. Ben Spies (Yoshimura Suzuki) 1:28.734
8. Giovanni Bussei (Ducati Austin) 1:29.220
9. Jordan Szoke (Corona Extra Suzuki) 1:29.362
10. Josh Hayes (Attack Suzuki) 1:30.441


MID-OHIO SPORTS CAR COURSE – FAST FACTS

Circuit length: 3.86km / 2.40 miles
2002 Pole position: Nicky Hayden (American Honda) 1:27.130
Lap Record: Mat Mladin (Team Yoshimura Suzuki) 1:26.498 (2001)

2003 AMA Chevy Trucks US Superbike Championship (points after 12 of 18 rounds)
1. M Mladin (356); 2. E Bostrom (350); 3. A Yates (345); 4. K Roberts (321); 5. B Bostrom (320); 6. M DuHamel (303); 7. S Higbee (252); 8. J Pridmore (251); 9. L Pegram (211); 10. V Haskovec (199).