Defending AMA Pro Superbike Champion Josh Hayes captured the provisional pole position during AMA Pro National Guard Superbike practice/qualifying today at Daytona International Speedway. Hayes held the top spot for most of the session, until he was surpassed in the second half by Tommy Hayden, the 2010 AMA Pro Superbike Championship runner-up. But in the final minutes, Hayes ripped his Monster Energy Graves Yamaha YZF-R1 around the 2.9-mile track in 1:38.804, which was far quicker than he went (1:40.441) during the first session at Daytona in 2010. “Last year, I think we were a second and a half slower than this in the first session. So that shows that the boys are doing good work and we’re getting up to speed quickly,” Hayes told reporters after the session. “Tommy got in a good run, and I had to try something. I actually stalled and went backwards a little bit. I came in and said, let’s go back to what we had at the beginning. I want to re-evaluate and try and few new ideas that I have as far as riding and the track, shifting just a couple of ideas that I had. “I got a little bit of a gift. The lap that I had going was not that great of a lap. I saw a bike out there that was just perfect for me to catch a draft off of in the last segment, and it pulled me around just good enough to get a couple of hundredths. It gave me just what I needed to get by Tommy. So I got kind of lucky today.” Hayden ended up second in the session with the 1:38.889 he did on his Rockstar Makita Suzuki GSX-R1000. Hayden’s teammate Blake Young was third-fastest with a 1:39.167. Larry Pegram was fourth-best with a 1:39.290 on his Foremost Insurance Pegram Racing S1000RR. Ben Bostrom slotted in at fifth with a 1:39.393 on his red and black #23 Jordan Suzuki GSX-R1000, a bit ahead of teammate Roger Hayden, who did a 1:39.660 on his National Guard Suzuki. Chris Peris, the only rider in the top 10 who did not participate in a pre-season test at Daytona, was seventh on the time sheet with a 1:40.431 on his Iron Horse BMW/ESP S1000RR. Team M4 Suzuki’s Martin Cardenas (1:40.912), BMW of San Diego/Lee’s Cycles Jeremy Toye (1:40.923) and Aussie Dave Racing’s David Anthony (1:41.097) round out the top 10. AMA Pro National Guard Superbike Championship Daytona International Speedway Daytona Beach, Florida March 10, 2011 Practice/Provisional Qualifying Results (2.9-mile course, all on Dunlop tires): 1. Josh Hayes (Yam YZF-R1), 1:38.804 2. Tommy Hayden (Suz GSX-R1000), 1:38.889 3. Blake Young (Suz GSX-R1000), 1:39.167 4. Larry Pegram (BMW S1000RR), 1:39.290 5. Ben Bostrom (Suz GSX-R1000), 1:39.393 6. Roger Hayden (Suz GSX-R1000), 1:39.660 7. Chris Peris (BMW S1000RR), 1:40.431 8. Martin Cardenas (Suz GSX-R1000), 1:40.912 9. Jeremy Toye (BMW S1000RR), 1:40.923 10. David Anthony (Suz GSX-R1000), 1:41.097 11. Chris Clark (Yam YZF-R1), 1:41.130 12. Chris Ulrich (Suz GSX-R1000), 1:41.337 13. Eric Bostrom (Kaw ZX-10R), 1:41.509 14. Shane Narbonne (Suz GSX-R1000), 1:41.803 15. Geoff May (Buell 1125RR), 1:43.290 16. Chris Trounson (Suz GSX-R1000), 1:43.592 17. Bostjan Skubic (Yam YZF-R1), 1:44.232 18. Eric Haugo (Suz GSX-R1000), 1:44.859 19. Jeffrey Lampe (Kaw ZX-10R), 1:44.967 20. Jordan Burgess (Suz GSX-R1000), 1:45.618 21. Chris Siebenhaar (Suz GSX-R1000), 1:45.745 22. Trent Gibson (Suz GSX-R1000), 1:45.782 23. Johnny Rock Page (Suz GSX-R1000), 1:46.320 24. Gary Orr (BMW S1000RR), 1:47.588 25. Skip Salenius (Yam YZF-R1), 1:48.777 26. Eric Pinson (BMW S1000RR), 1:49.435 More, from a press release issued by Daytona International Speedway: Yamaha’s Josh Hayes Takes Provisional Pole for SuperBike DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. Graves Yamaha’s Josh Hayes, the 2010 AMA Pro National Guard SuperBike champion, is beginning the 2011 season on the right note. On Thursday, Hayes captured the provisional pole for the SuperBike rounds on Friday and Saturday. The rider of the No. 1 Yamaha R1 toured the 2.9-mile road course at one minute, 38.804 seconds, 127.890 mph. “The boys worked hard and gave me what I needed to get up to speed pretty quick today,” Hayes said. Hayes hopes the provisional pole-winning effort from his team translates into the start of another championship season. “I won the championship last year and I came out of here horribly,” Hayes said. “I think I had 13th and a 6th or seventh or something. If I come out of here strong, I think it definitely would send a pretty good message across to everybody that I’m not going to start slow.” SuperBike practice was rained out on Thursday morning so the series moved directly to qualifying in the afternoon. “I thought this might play into my favor,” Hayes said. “I get up to speed pretty quick.” Tommy Hayden and Blake Young, both aboard Suzukis, and Larry Pegram on a BMW rounded out the front row. SuperBike qualifying continues on Friday morning. The first 15-lap SuperBike race is set for 4:30 p.m. on Friday followed by the second 15-lap race on Saturday at 11:15 a.m. This weekend’s motorcycle events, highlighted by the 70th Daytona 200 on Saturday afternoon, are the first two-wheel racing action on the new surface of Daytona International Speedway. The track was repaved for only the second time in history following last July’s Coke Zero 400 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race. “The new pavement is great,” Hayes said. “The track is beautiful. As far as racing goes, I don’t think it’s going to change the racing a whole lot. It’s just nice. It’s a little bit easier on you physically. You don’t have the bruised chest riding around the race track. My neck feels a whole lot better. That part is kind of nice. “Otherwise it offers the same great racing that it always did.” In other provisional qualifying, Miles Thornton on a Yamaha took the provisional pole in SuperSport with a time of one minute, 54.888 seconds, 109.986 mph. In the XR1200 provisional qualifying, Steve Rapp was fastest with a lap of two minutes, 8.317 seconds, 98.475 mph. In Daytona SportBike practice for Saturday’s Daytona 200, Jason DiSalvo aboard a Ducati was fastest with a lap 93.678 mph, one minute, 51.445 seconds. Tickets for Daytona International Speedway events are available online at http://www.daytonainternationalspeedway.com or by calling 1-800-PITSHOP. Fans can stay connected with Daytona International Speedway on Twitter (www.twitter.com/disupdates) and Facebook (www.facebook.com/DaytonaInternationalSpeedway). More, from a press release issued by Team Iron Horse BMW/ESP: Chris Peris of Team Iron Horse BMW/ESP (Tucson, AZ) rides the BMW S1000RR into 7th place in Qualifying #1 in AMA Superbike at Daytona An impressive start to the first round of the AMA Pro Racing Superbike season as Chris Peris rides the Iron Horse BMW/ESP (Tucson, AZ) S1000RR into 7th place in the first qualifying session in Daytona. As noted on the drive from Arizona to Florida by Fernando Peris, Chris Peris’ father, “Something always goes wrong during a race weekend.” Maybe it was good fortune for the talented privateer team that the bad luck ended with their transporter breaking down in Texas. After a quick assessment of time, the load was transferred into a U-haul and Evan Steel and Phil Allison arrived at Daytona at 5pm on Wednesday night, unloaded everything and passed technical inspection before the garage closed at 7pm. The first and only practice session was cancelled due to rain, so the team worked non-stop to anticipate the gearing and suspension required to have a competitive placement in the first of two qualifying sessions. It has been 3 years since Chris Peris has ridden this track, and without any testing since it has been resurfaced or data on the Iron Horse BMW/ESP S1000RR at Daytona, Peris rode a well-developed and thoughtfully set-up bike with an outstanding outcome – a best lap time of 1:40.431. The crew, Evan Steel (crew chief, ESP), Phil Allison (engine builder and technician, ESP), Dave Ciesielski (suspension/chassis technician of US MegaMax) and Willie Vass ( technician- Vass Performance) are a dynamic and skillful team that work seamlessly together to create an ultimate machine for the gifted and accomplished rider, Chris Peris. All together, this team has started its season as it had hoped and their hard work, dedication, talent and passion are paving the way for an exciting 1st round and season. This would not be possible without the support of all our amazing sponsors: BMW North America, Iron Horse Motorcycles, Peris Riding School, E-MotoTires.com, Ohlins, Kyle Racing, GPR, Driven, Hotbodies, USMegaMax.com, On The Level (OTL), RunGP, HT Moto, KurveyGirl.com, Speedcell, Top-Line Printing, BMW Motorcycle Magazine, Shoei, XpedX More, from a press release issued by Michael Jordan Motorsports: MICHAEL JORDAN MOTORSPORTS RIDERS BEN BOSTROM AND ROGER LEE HAYDEN READY FOR SUPERBIKE SEASON OPENER IN DAYTONA DAYTONA BEACH, FL (March 10, 2011) – Michael Jordan Motorsports (MJM) riders Ben Bostrom and Roger Lee Hayden, on their #23 Jordan Suzuki and #54 National Guard Jordan Suzuki GSX-R1000s, respectively, are ready to hit the high banks of Daytona International Speedway at Round 1 of the 2011 AMA Pro National Guard Superbike Championship. Pre-season testing has gone well and the riders, both new to the team for 2011, are prepared to do battle in one of the most competitive AMA Pro National Guard Superbike fields in recent memory. As a former U.S. Superbike champion and Daytona 200 winner, Ben Bostrom has to be considered a title contender on the Jordan Suzuki GSX-R1000. Bostrom, who is an avid bicyclist and in excellent fitness, is prepared to run at the front of the pack on the demanding Daytona circuit. “I’m super excited to come to the new team,” said Bostrom. “It’s good to be on a new steed; I like that. I’ve been itching to ride a Suzuki for a long time as well. I think everyone’s wanted a shot at it. It’s been a very proven motorcycle. We’ve had a couple of tests granted, it rained and was cold but it didn’t matter. The bike still shined and it gave a lot of hope. I say it’s my season; I’m fine to say that. The bike is good and the team is fantastic. The rider will make sure he does the equal job and there’s no reason we shouldn’t be at the front winning.” After a less-than-competitive year in the 2010 World Superbike Championship, Roger Lee Hayden is happy to be back in the U.S. with a team that he knows will give him the best shot at winning races. The 2007 AMA Supersport champion has gained valuable experience on superbikes since his championship season, and is motivated to win races and run for the championship. “I’m really looking forward to the season,” said Hayden. “Last year was not a very fun season for me. Actually, the last couple of years haven’t been that great. I’ve come into the season with a lot of motivation and really excited. From the get-go with the team, from the first test, I felt we really gelled well and the bike was pretty good right out of the box. We just had to change some things and make the bike a little bit racier. The team is good and the bikes won some races last year. I really want to do well on a superbike, and this is my best opportunity.” ABOUT MICHAEL JORDAN MOTOR SPORTS: Legendary NBA star Michael Jordan formed Michael Jordan Motor Sports in 2004 as a result of his passion for motorcycle racing. His mission is to bring a new level of excellence and style to the motorcycle racing industry. For more information on MJM, please visit www.23race.com, www.twitter.com/23race and ~http://www.facebook.com/23race~. Michael Jordan Motorsports is proud to partner with: Jordan Brand (a division of Nike), National Guard, American Suzuki, Upper Deck, Hanes, Gatorade, Bazzaz, MMI – Motorcycle Mechanics Institute, Vortex Racing Components, Gemini Racing, K-Tech Suspension-Orient Express Racing, Maxima Racing Oils, K & N Air Filters, Dainese Leathers, AGV Helmets, Ancra Tie-downs, Chicken Hawk Racing Tire Warmers, Armour Bodies, DID Chains, FMF Racing Exhaust, Factory Pro Dyno, Roclun International, STAR Motorcycle School, Motion Pro Tools, Zero Gravity Windscreens, with transportation provided by Eastside Trucking. More, from a press release issued by Team M4 Suzuki: CARDENAS ON PROVISIONAL SECOND ROW AT DAYTONA Reigning AMA Pro Daytona SportBike champion Martin Cardenas opened his AMA Pro Superbike career for M4 Suzuki by registering a second-row provisional qualifying performance at Daytona International Speedway on Thursday. The Colombian is proving a quick study on the team’s powerful GSX-R1000 racebike, clocking a 1:40.912 around the intimidating high-speed venue to rank eighth best for the day. “It was okay,” Cardenas said. “It wasn’t a great qualifying — not a great time — but we’re going to change some things for tomorrow and hopefully go a little bit quicker. Daytona is a very fast and very strange place. It’s not a typical track but each time I get on the Superbike I feel a little bit more comfortable. We have to adjust the suspension a little bit to get some more traction and we’re planning on doing that and going faster tomorrow.” Teammate Chris Ulrich has similar thoughts as he expects to climb up the order on Friday as well. Ulrich experimented with a pair of set-ups in the day’s sole session and ended up running 12th fastest at 1:41.337. Ulrich remarked, “We went in with two different set-ups. The first one was a little bit stiffer than ideal for the track conditions but we managed to go okay on it. We also tried a pretty radical second set-up but it just didn’t work out. It’s a little frustrating to be in the position that we’re in, but I feel like my execution is good and we’re going to look at the data overnight and come back with some changes to help solve my problems tomorrow. We have some issues but we have a clear direction where to go. “It’s Daytona — anything can happen. Daytona is like its own planet. There is no track like this in the world; it’s just a different place. The main goal is to try to get out of here with some good points, but we’re going to improve and be a lot stronger tomorrow.” Dane Westby got his first session as a member of M4 Suzuki under his belt during Thursday’s Daytona SportBike free practice. Like his Superbike-mounted teammates, the ’09 Daytona 200 runner-up is aiming to work his way up the charts as the weekend progresses, running 16th best in the practice with a best time of 1:54.457 aboard his GSX-R600. Teammate Santiago Villa was right on Westby’s heels, posting the session’s 18th fastest time at 1:55.003. Thursday’s half day of provisional qualifying and practice action allowed M4 Suzuki to ease back into form to kick off the 2011 season, but the pressure ratchets up considerably tomorrow. Friday will feature final qualifying for the 70th running of the Daytona 200 and the 2011 AMA Superbike season opener.