Rockstar Makita Yoshimura Suzuki’s Ben Spies claimed the provisional AMA Superbike pole position during qualifying Friday at Barber Motorsports Park, in Birmingham, Alabama. Riding his Dunlop-shod GSX-R1000, Spies, the two-time and defending Champion in the class, lapped the 2.36-mile road course in 1:23.880, breaking his own lap record of 1:24.094, which he set last season. And Spies did it all in spite of missing three recent test sessions while he recovered from minor knee surgery. Spies told reporters that he put an extra emphasis on his qualifying Friday due to a chance of rain Friday night and into Saturday morning, when the second and final Superbike qualifying session is scheduled. Spies’ teammate and chief rival Mat Mladin was just a fraction of a second behind Spies with a lap at 1:23.944. Eric Bostrom posted the third-quickest time, a 1:25.106, on his factory Yamaha YZF-R1. Tommy Hayden put a third Rockstar Makita Yoshimura Suzuki GSX-R1000 on the provisional front row with a lap of 1:25.154. AMA Superbike Championship Presented by Parts Unlimited Barber Motorsports Park Birmingham, Alabama April 18, 2008 Provisional Qualifying Results: 1. Ben Spies (Suz GSX-R1000), Dunlop, 1:23.880 2. Mat Mladin (Suz GSX-R1000), Dunlop, 1:23.944 3. Eric Bostrom (Yam YZF-R1), Dunlop, 1:25.107 4. Tommy Hayden (Suz GSX-R1000), Dunlop, 1:25.154 5. Jason DiSalvo (Yam YZF-R1), Dunlop, 1:25.327 6. Jamie Hacking (Kaw ZX-10R), Dunlop, 1:25.569 7. Neil Hodgson (Hon CBR1000RR), Dunlop, 1:25.774 8. Roger Hayden (Kaw ZX-10R), Dunlop, 1:26.351 9. Geoff May (Suz GSX-R1000), Dunlop, 1:26.447* 10. Aaron Yates (Suz GSX-R1000), Dunlop, 1:26.536 11. Miguel Duhamel (Hon CBR1000RR), Dunlop, 1:26.554 12. Matt Lynn (Hon CBR1000RR), Dunlop, 1:26.755 13. Chris Peris (Suz GSX-R1000), Dunlop, 1:27.406* 14. Jordan Szoke (Kaw ZX-10R), Pirelli, 1:27.647* 15. Robertino Pietri (Suz GSX-R1000), Pirelli, 1:27.760* 16. Brett McCormick (Kaw ZX-10R), Pirelli, 1:28.375* 17. Ben Thompson (Suz GSX-R1000), Dunlop, 1:28.648 18. Taylor Knapp (Suz GSX-R1000), Pirelli, 1:28.688* 19. Barrett Long (Duc 1098), 1:28.934 20. Ryan Elleby (Suz GSX-R1000), Pirelli, 1:29.048* 21. Matt McBride (Suz GSX-R1000), Pirelli, 1:29.205* 22. Scott Jensen (Suz GSX-R1000), Pirelli, 1:29.222 23. Dean Mizdal (Suz GSX-R1000), Dunlop, 1:29.344 24. Francis Martin (Suz GSX-R1000), Pirelli, 1:29.395* 25. Keith Marshall (Suz GSX-R1000), Pirelli, 1:30.091 26. Santiago Villa (Suz GSX-R1000), Pirelli, 1:30.641* 27. Johnny Rock Page (Yam YZF-R1), Dunlop, 1:30.783 28. Reno Karimian (Suz GSX-R1000), 1:32.073 29. Scotty Van Hawk (Suz GSX-R1000), 1:32.924 * = known to be riding a Superstock-spec motorcycle