Team M4 EMGO Suzuki’s Geoff May turned the fastest lap time Thursday morning at the onset of a two-day Pirelli tire test at Daytona International Speedway, in Daytona Beach, Florida. Riding his AMA Superstock GSX-R1000, May turned a 1:41.371 while testing different rear tire compounds. “We were running single-compounds, hard stuff, to figure out what compound works best for the banking,” said May. “So I had to go easy in the infield. The right-handers were especially scary. I have to ride the track like it’s half-wet/half-dry.” May’s teammate Michael Barnes was second-fastest with a 1:43.752 while “feeling out the track” on his GSX-R600 Formula Xtreme machine. Barnes said he had a lot of work to do on his Formula Xtreme bike, which he hoped to get dialed in on 16.5-inch rubber during the test, before moving onto his Supersport bike. Michael Beck, the new, third rider on Team M4 EMGO Suzuki, was seventh-quick overall with a 1:46.102 on his GSX-R600, but Beck crashed in the new west horseshoe late in the morning session and was transported to Halifax Medical Center. Beck’s condition was not known at post time. The Fast By Ferracci MV Agusta squad also suffered some misfortune Monday morning. Matt Lynn quickly discovered he had the wrong gearing when he started hitting the rev-limiter in top gear halfway around the east banking. A sprocket change helped, but Lynn’s efforts were severely limited by the incorrect gearing, resulting in a best time of 1:53.179. Lynn’s teammate Italian Superstock Champion Luca Scassa went faster, turning a 1:45.743, but the engine of Scassa’s F4-1000R Superbike blew up during the session. Lynn said Scassa was also severely undergeared. After the engine failure, Scassa’s crew started transferring his hand and foot controls and his suspension over to the spare bike that he and Lynn share. Justin Marm, a WERA National Endurance competitor who will be supported by Fast By Ferracci MV Agusta in 2007, crashed his new F4-1000R late in the morning session. Marm suffered a suspected shoulder injury, according to a team member, and was also transported to the local hospital. Originally, Tony Meiring was listed as having done a 1:44.677 on a Moto Uno Racing Kawasaki ZX-6RR Supersport bike. When Roadracingworld.com questioned the lap time, Meiring claimed that it was a legitimate lap. Upon further review of the individual lap times and segment times for each rider, it was determined that in spite of what Meiring said he did cut the course in the infield section of the track. His next-fastest time on the first morning was a 1:47.670. Pirelli Tire Test Daytona International Speedway Daytona Beach, Florida December 7, 2006 Thursday Morning Test Times (as provided by AMA Pro Racing timing & scoring): 1. Geoff May (Suz GSX-R1000), 1:41.371, Superstock 2. Michael Barnes (Suz GSX-R600), 1:43.752, Formula Xtreme 3. Chris Ulrich (Suz GSX-R1000), 1:44.441, Superstock 4. Steve Rapp (Kaw ZX-6RR), 1:45.111, Supersport 5. Luca Scassa (MV Agusta F4-1000R), 1:45.743, Superbike 6. Ben Attard (Kaw ZX-6R), 1:46.073, Formula Xtreme 7. Michael Beck (Suz GSX-R600), 1:46.102, Supersport 8. Cory West (Yam YZF-R6), 1:46.112, Supersport 9. Barrett Long (Yam YZF-R6), 1:46.321, Supersport 10. Tony Meiring (Kaw ZX-6RR), 1:47.670, Supersport 11. Gustavo Laya (Kaw ZX-6RR), 1:49.330, Supersport 12. Justin Marm (MV Agusta F4-1000R), 1:49.863, Superbike 13. Taylor Knapp (Kaw ZX-6RR), 1:52.405, Supersport 14. Matt Lynn (MV Agusta F4-1000R), 1:53.179, Superbike