Yoshimura Suzuki’s Ben Spies earned the AMA Superbike pole position during qualifying Saturday afternoon with a new lap record time of 1:23.105 around Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca, in Monterey, California. More important to Spies than the lead starting position, however, was the bonus Championship point that came with it. That point pulled Spies, the defending AMA Superbike Champion, to two points behind his teammate and rival Mat Mladin. If the point had gone to Mladin it would have set up a scenario where Mladin could have finished second to Spies in Sunday’s race and still won his seventh AMA Superbike title. Now, if Spies and Mladin finish in the top two spots (as they have for the majority of the season), whoever comes out on top in the season finale will win the 2007 AMA Superbike Championships, one of the closest in recent memory. “I down right needed the point to secure what we needed to do tomorrow, to make it simple, basically,” said Spies, who eclipsed his own lap record of 1:23.407. “We did our job today and we’re looking forward to tomorrow.” Third-fastest in qualifying was Jake Zemke with a time of 1:24.196 on his American Honda CBR1000RR, and Aaron Yates turned the fourth-fastest time on his Jordan Suzuki GSX-R1000. 2007 AMA Superbike Championship Presented by Parts Unlimited Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca Monterey, California September 15, 2007 Provisional Group Two Qualifying Results: 1. Ben Spies (Suz GSX-R1000), Dunlop, 1:23.105 2. Mat Mladin (Suz GSX-R1000), Dunlop, 1:23.411 3. Jake Zemke (Hon CBR1000RR), Dunlop, 1:24.196 4. Aaron Yates (Suz GSX-R1000), Dunlop, 1:24.266 5. Roger Hayden (Kaw ZX-10R), Dunlop, 1:24.388 6. Jamie Hacking (Kaw ZX-10R), Dunlop, 1:24.670 7. Jake Holden (Suz GSX-R1000), Dunlop, 1:25.001* 8. Ben Bostrom (Yam YZF-R1), Dunlop, 1:25.078* 9. Luca Scassa (MV Agusta F4-1000R 312), Dunlop, 1:25.094 10. Eric Bostrom (Yam YZF-R1), Dunlop, 1:25.143 11. Jason DiSalvo (Yam YZF-R1), Dunlop, 1:25.275 12. Geoff May (Suz GSX-R1000), Pirelli, 1:25.502* 13. Tommy Hayden (Suz GSX-R1000), Dunlop, 1:25.515 14. Jamie Stauffer (Yam YZF-R1), Dunlop, 1:26.186 15. Matt Lynn (MV Agusta F4-1000R 312), Dunlop, 1:26.406 16. Doug Chandler (Hon CBR1000RR), Pirelli, 1:26.503 17. Ben Thompson (Suz GSX-R1000), Dunlop, 1:27.051 18. James Ellison (Hon CBR1000RR), Dunlop, 1:27.228 19. Larry Pegram (Duc 999R), Dunlop, 1:27.264 20. Robertino Pietri (Suz GSX-R1000), Pirelli, 1:27.281* 21. Chris Ulrich (Suz GSX-R1000), Pirelli, 1:27.769* 22. James Randolph (Suz GSX-R1000), 1:27.874 23. Chris Siglin (Suz GSX-R1000), Dunlop, 1:28.122* 24. Gary Mason (Suz GSX-R1000), Pirelli, 1:28.379* 25. Jeff Tigert (Hon CBR1000RR), Dunlop, 1:28.385 26. John Haner (Suz GSX-R1000), Dunlop, 1:28.441 27. David Weber (Suz GSX-R1000), Dunlop, 1:28.795 28. Scott Jensen (Suz GSX-R1000), Pirelli, 1:28.841 29. Cory Call (Suz GSX-R1000), 1:28.975 30. Dominic Jones (Suz GSX-R1000), Pirelli, 1:29.372 31. Dean Mizdal (Suz GSX-R1000), Dunlop, 1:29.519 32. Johnny Rock Page (Yam YZF-R1), Dunlop, 1:29.674* 108% of Fast Time: 1:29.753 Did Not Qualify: 33. Santiago Villa (Suz GSX-R1000), Dunlop, 1:29.998* 34. James King (Suz GSX-R1000), 1:31.079 35. Chad Rolland (Suz GSX-R1000), 1:31.909 36. Ivan Garza (Suz GSX-R1000), Dunlop, 1:32.304 37. Sahar Zvik (Suz GSX-R1000), no times * known to be on a Superstock-spec motorcycle