AMA Pro National Guard Superbike Barber Motorsports Park June 18 Provisional Race One Results (started dry, finished wet, all on Dunlop tires): 1. Martin Cardenas (Suz GSX-R1000), 21 laps 2. Ben Bostrom (Suz GSX-R1000), -0.137 second 3. Blake Young (Suz GSX-R1000), -2.019 seconds 4. Josh Hayes (Yam YZF-R1), -2.878 5. Larry Pegram (BMW S1000RR), -6.863 6. Roger Hayden (Suz GSX-R1000), -10.730 7. Tommy Hayden (Suz GSX-R1000), -47.857 8. J.D. Beach (Kaw ZX-10R), -58.522 9. Trent Gibson (Suz GSX-R1000), -60.054 10. Jeremy Toye (BMW S1000RR), -72.527 11. Chris Peris (BMW S1000RR), -1 lap 12. Steve Rapp (BMW S1000RR), -1 lap, 0.325 second 13. Geoff May (Buell 1125RR), -1 lap, 22.133 seconds, pitted 14. Jordan Burgess (Suz GSX-R1000), -1 lap, 47.807 15. Chris Trounson (BMW S1000RR), -1 lap, 53.679 16. Chris Clark (Yam YZF-R1), -1 lap, 53.700 17. Reese Wacker (Suz GSX-R1000), -1 lap, 61.404 18. Danny Kelsey (Hon CBR1000RR), -2 laps 19. Skip Salenius (Yam YZF-R1), -2 laps, 31.082 seconds 20. Kevin Boisvert (Suz GSX-R1000), -15 laps, DNF Provisional Championship Point Standings (after 8 races): 1. Hayes, 210 points 2. Young, 202 3. Tommy Hayden, 182 4. Cardenas, 134 5. Ben Bostrom, 114 6. Pegram, 110 More, from a press release issued by AMA Pro Racing: BIRMINGHAM, AL (June 18, 2011) – Saturday’s AMA Pro National Guard SuperBike action at Barber Motorsports Park started with a front-row shakeup in morning qualifying, as pole-earner Josh Hayes (Monster Energy Graves Yamaha) and runner-up Tommy Hayden (Rockstar Makita Suzuki) were joined by Iron Horse BMW/ESP’s Chris Peris and National Guard Jordan Suzuki’s Roger Hayden. Tommy’s Rockstar Makita Suzuki teammate, Blake Young – second in points as the series headed to Barber, with four victories to his name – was left to head up the second row, the fifth-place start adding up to his worst yet in 2011. Once the race itself kicked off, though, Peris and Young both proved that qualifying is an entirely different animal from actual competition-and they weren’t the only ones. With a little help from inclement weather, Barber’s National Guard SuperBike Race 1 resolved into a podium that delivered M4 Suzuki’s Martin Cardenas his first AMA Pro career SuperBike victory, and welcomed second-place finisher Ben Bostrom (National Guard Jordan Suzuki) to the winner’s circle for the first time in 2011. Off the start, Peris was shuffled to the back of the top-ten while Young sailed forward to land on teammate Hayden’s – who’d rocketed to the overall lead – rear wheel. Hayes immediately tucked into third with Roger Hayden right behind, and the lead four tore through the next handful of laps just bike-lengths apart. With sixteen laps remaining, however, heavy rain began to spatter riders’ windscreens, bringing out the red flag. In a holding pattern, teams waited to see whether the system would pass, or whether it would stay put and mandate a switch to rain tires. On the restart, with the majority of the grid and all of the front-runners on full rains, it was Young who took over the lead as the field picked their way almost daintily around the track in wet conditions. With Young, Hayes, and Tommy Hayden all riding conservatively, however – seeming to have switched their focus to a defense of precious championship points — it wasn’t long before new race contenders declared themselves. First Roger Hayden made a bid for the lead, moving up to second behind Young with Cardenas just behind, and as Cardenas himself stole the lead from Young, Bostrom likewise broke into the lead pack, passing Roger and Young to settle into second position behind Cardenas. With two laps to go, Bostrom was systematically stalking Cardenas, and while Young trailed in third, all eyes were glued to the lead pair as the white flag flew. Through the last two corners on the race’s last lap, Bostrom pounced, trying the outside twice and the inside once but pouring out onto the front straight just tenths behind Cardenas, crossing the line .137 second after the leader. “We had a very good bike, and the thought was obviously to wait until a couple laps from the end, then attack him,” said Bostrom afterward. “I thought I was good on the brakes, but he was also very good on the brakes, so I got snookered there.” And while Cardenas – the reigning Daytona SportBike champion turned SuperBike rookie — was happy with his first SuperBike victory, he noted that rain victories come with a sort of asterisk, and that he’s got work to do yet. “It’s always great to win in whatever class you’re in, but it’s different to win in the dry than in the wet. So this is good, but if it were a dry race it would be much better. We’ll see tomorrow in the dry what happens … I’ll give my best. But today, I’m very happy for me and my team.” Today’s National Guard SuperBike and Daytona SportBike races air tonight at 9 p.m. PST/midnight EST on SPEED. Tomorrow’s SuperBike Race 2 kicks off at 3:30 p.m. Central time; follow twitter.com/AMAProLIVE for live race play-by-plays. For complete ticket and schedule information, please visit www.barbermotorsports.com. The Barber SuperBike Classic Weekend, honoring the men and women of the Alabama National Guard, features a host of activities and racing action at the magnificent Barber Motorsports Park facility, and special discounts are available for Guard members and their families. To learn more and be a part of AMA Pro Racing, please visit www.amaproracing.com and join us on facebook.com/AMAProRoadRacing and twitter.com/AMAProSBK. More, from a press release issued by Team M4 Suzuki: CARDENAS AND M4 SUZUKI WIN IN ALABAMA Saturday at Barber Motorsports Park was a historic day of racing for Martin Cardenas and M4 Suzuki as together they claimed their first-ever AMA Pro Superbike victory. Making the outstanding day that much sweeter was Dane Westby’s thrilling runner-up result in the earlier AMA Pro Daytona SportBike contest. Reigning SportBike champ Cardenas was once again brilliant at the Alabama circuit where he clinched his ’10 SportBike title with a dramatic double victory, as he successfully fended off a determined assault to claim the Superbike race’s checkered flag by a narrow 0.137-second margin of victory. The Colombian leveraged both his courage and his exacting skills in the most difficult of conditions. Originally running in fifth position from his sixth-place slot on the grid in the dry six-lap opening of the event, the race was brought to a halt by a red flag due to a brief rain shower that invaded the area. By the time the race got back underway, the rain had stopped, promising changeable, drying-track conditions for the remainder of the race. Cardenas put forth an astonishing effort in the restarted contest, efficiently working up from fourth to officially claim the lead on lap 12 of 21. The margin behind him opened and closed as the racers’ dealt with worn tires and the tricky changing grip levels. An opponent closed right on Cardenas’ GSX-R1000’s rear wheel, setting up a dramatic final lap. Martin proved late on the brakes and defensive in his lines, however, and completed the tremendous achievement for both himself and the team behind him. The triumphant Cardenas said, “It’s always great to win in whatever class you’re in, but to win in Superbike is a little bit different. It’s a little bit more special because the Superbike is more difficult to ride. I’m very happy for me and for my team. They’ve been changing a lot on the bike so I can ride it better. I’m very, very happy for them.” Westby had a day to remember as well. Starting on Row 3 for the SportBike race after qualifying ninth, Dane battled furiously to work his way into a multi-rider scrap to decide the runner-up position. The Oklahoman fought back and forth with a large pack of rivals, repeatedly making impressive overtaking maneuvers entering Turn 1, including a decisive pass on the race’s final lap to ultimately secure second position. “I was just trying to stick with them in the beginning,” Westby remarked. “I knew I couldn’t let them get away. I had to do a little passing. We had some great racing, especially at the end with all the passes. I’d like to thank my guys. My M4 Suzuki GSX-R600 is really going well.” Unfortunately Saturday wasn’t as kind to Santiago Villa. Qualifying on the outside of Row 4 after qualifying 16th for the SportBike final, the Colombian crashed early in the event and was ultimately credited with 21st. On Sunday M4 Suzuki will look to add to their trophy haul with the second half of the Barber Motorsports Park doubleheader weekend.