National Guard Suzuki’s Roger Hayden posted the best lap time, a 1:41.723, in the second and final AMA Pro Superbike session during a Dunlop/AMA Pro Racing tire test Tuesday at Daytona International Speedway (DIS), but 2010 AMA Pro Superbike Champion Josh Hayes ended up with the fastest time overall even though he did not ride in the final session. The final session (which started at 5:20 p.m. local time) was run even though a portion of the track was covered with the remnants of an oil spill from the Vance & Hines XR1200 session. Due to the track surface being compromised, some Superbike riders chose not to participate in the final session, like Rockstar Makita Suzuki’s Tommy Hayden (Roger’s older brother) and Blake Young, who pulled in after taking two sighting laps. Team M4 Suzuki’s Chris Ulrich missed the final session because he had to fly home to California to attend the birth of his daughter. Hayes also missed the final session due to a scheduled flight out Tuesday evening, but the lap of 1:38.795 that Hayes turned in the first Superbike session held up as fastest overall. The final Superbike session ended slightly before the 6:00 p.m. cutoff time when David Anthony’s Aussie Dave Racing Suzuki GSX-R1000 blew up and dropped more fluid on the track, which was a fitting end for a troubled day. Tuesday’s activities started late, about 12:30 p.m. local time, due to overnight rain and morning mist causing the track to be wet. The combined Daytona SportBike/SuperSport session was interrupted twice when DIS workers reconfigured the infield road course incorrectly”¦twice. The XR1200 session was then cut short when an unidentified rider leaked oil as he rode through the tri-oval and into Turn One. The clean up of that oil ate into the time remaining in the day and left the Superbike riders with a less than ideal surface to ride on. The Superbike class was the only class to get more than one session. All of this came after the first day of the two-day test was washed out by rain. In spite of the problems, Dunlop Road Race Manager Sabastian Mincone said he and his team were able to accomplish their mission of evaluating tires on Daytona’s newly-repaved superspeedway in preparation for the AMA Pro Racing 2011 season-opener, which is scheduled for March 10-12 at DIS. Dunlop/AMA Pro Racing Tire Test Daytona International Speedway Daytona Beach, Florida January 18, 2011 Provisional Superbike Session Two Results (2.9-mile course, all on Dunlop tires): 1. Roger Hayden (Suz GSX-R1000), 1:41.723 2. Larry Pegram (BMW S1000RR), 1:42.259 3. Geoff May (Buell 1125RR), 1:42.942 4. David Anthony (Suz GSX-R1000), 1:44.004 5. Ben Bostrom (Suz GSX-R1000), 1:44.188 6. Eric Haugo (Suz GSX-R1000), 1:44.204 7. Chris Trounson (Suz GSX-R1000), 1:44.627 8. Jeremy Toye (BMW S1000RR), 1:44.827 9. Barrett Long (Duc 1098R), 1:44.878 10. Eric Bostrom (Kaw ZX-10R), 1:45.277 11. Martin Cardenas (Suz GSX-R1000), 1:45.380 12. Chris Clark (Yam YZF-R1), 1:46.038 13. Jordan Burgess (Suz GSX-R1000), 1:46.120 14. Gary Orr (BMW S1000RR), 1:46.168 15. Blake Young (Suz GSX-R1000), 1:58.269 16. Tommy Hayden (Suz GSX-R1000), did not ride 17. Josh Hayes (Yam YZF-R1), did not ride 18. Chris Ulrich (Suz GSX-R1000), did not ride Provisional Superbike Combined Test Results (2.9-mile course, all on Dunlop tires): 1. Josh Hayes (Yam YZF-R1), 1:38.795 2. Tommy Hayden (Suz GSX-R1000), 1:39.074 3. Blake Young (Suz GSX-R1000), 1:39.416 4. Larry Pegram (BMW S1000RR), 1:39.983 5. Ben Bostrom (Suz GSX-R1000), 1:40.282 6. Roger Hayden (Suz GSX-R1000), 1:40.675 7. Martin Cardenas (Suz GSX-R1000), 1:40.995 8. Chris Ulrich (Suz GSX-R1000), 1:41.497 9. Geoff May (Buell 1125RR), 1:42.139 10. David Anthony (Suz GSX-R1000), 1:42.145 11. Eric Bostrom (Kaw ZX-10R), 1:42.462 12. Jeremy Toye (BMW S1000RR), 1:43.992 13. Eric Haugo (Suz GSX-R1000), 1:44.204 14. Barrett Long (Duc 1098R), 1:44.421 15. Chris Clark (Yam YZF-R1), 1:44.439 16. Chris Trounson (Suz GSX-R1000), 1:44.627 17. Jordan Burgess (Suz GSX-R1000), 1:45.892 18. Gary Orr (BMW S1000RR), 1:46.168 More, from a press release issued by AMA Pro Racing: AMA Pro Road Racing Stars Wrap Up Rain-Soaked Dunlop Tire Test at Daytona International Speedway DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (January 18, 2011) – After waiting out a rain delay on Monday and losing most of Tuesday to damp conditions and early morning fog, the assembled AMA Pro Road Racing teams finally got onto the newly-paved Daytona International Speedway for the Dunlop Tire Test, the first official open test session in advance of the upcoming 2011 season. Topping the timesheets in the AMA Pro National Guard SuperBike class was reigning champion Josh Hayes on his Yamaha, posting a time of 1:38.795/127.901 MPH. Right behind Hayes was Tommy Hayden on his Suzuki with a time of 1:39.074/127.542 MPH. Hayden’s teammate Blake Young was third, and debuting Kawasaki’s new liter-bike was Eric Bostrom, who finished fourth. Another rider showing well on a new combination was Larry Pegram, who posted the fifth-fastest time with his new BMW. Debuting entirely new team-and-machinery combinations were Ben Bostrom and Roger Hayden, both showing well for Jordan Motorsports’ 2011 effort. 2010 AMA Pro Daytona SportBike Champion Martin Cardenas made his debut in the SuperBike class and ended up eighth, just ahead of his Team M4 Suzuki teammate Chris Ulrich, who had to depart the track early to return home for the impending birth of his second child. Rounding out the top ten was the Buell-mounted Geoff May. “The track is just so unbelievably smooth; when you compare some of the data from previous years, it is so much smoother,” Hayes commented on his day. “It is different, but it doesn’t take long to get back into the groove. I’m looking forward to the race.” In preparation for the Daytona 200, the Daytona SportBike riders took to the track for one session, which was interrupted by a brief sprinkling of raindrops. Jason DiSalvo initially set the fastest time, returning to the series aboard the Team Latus Ducati, but ultimately settled for third. Jake Zemke, new to the Project 1 Atlanta team this year, finished second on his Yamaha with a time of 1:51.987/93.225 MPH. Last year’s Daytona 200 pole-position winner and 2009 Daytona SportBike Champion Danny Eslick also appeared at the top of the timesheets at numerous points during the disjointed session, but it was P. J. Jacobsen who topped the times after the short break with a best lap of 1:51.822/93.362 MPH on his new Ducati. Suzuki-mounted Cory West rounded out the top five, while Santiago Villa, who ran well early in the session, ended up sixth overall. Next up was AMA Pro SuperSport Young Gun East Division champion J.D. Beach, showing well on the new middleweight Kawasaki by finishing sixth in his first appearance in the Daytona SportBike class. Dane Westby also made his first appearance with a new team, the Team M4 Suzuki rider finishing up eighth. Ninth was Paul Allison on his Yamaha, and Taylor Knapp finished tenth on a Suzuki. “We were pretty happy with how everything went today,” Jacobsen reflected on his day. “I think the track feels smooth as glass, and of course we’re really happy being on top. [Eraldo] Ferracci is great; he’s been around for a really long time and really, really knows his stuff, so I’m happy to be riding for him and Barry [Gilsenan]. I also really like the Ducati 848 EVO. It has a lot of torque and it’s a good machine, nice and fast, smooth. I’m real happy with the bike.” Due to the abbreviated schedule as a result of the weather delays, the SuperSport riders were included in the Daytona SportBike session. Taking the top spot was Eric Stump, enjoying his first ride on the new pavement at the historic circuit in Daytona Beach and posting a fast lap of 1:55.846/90.119 MPH. Seven SuperSport riders took part in the session. “I was really liking the new surface, it’s way better than last year,” Stump said. “Motor-wise, we don’t have our good Daytona motor yet, so it’s only going to get better come race time.” Making a debut on the Daytona track was the AMA Pro Vance & Hines XR1200 Series, with former Harley-Davidson 883 series rider Michael Barnes celebrating his first ride on the new XR1200 by posting a time of 2:09.568/80.576 MPH to take the top spot. Nine XR1200s participated in the shortened session that saw champions from a variety of AMA Pro Racing disciplines make their mark. Recently-retired AMA Pro Flat Track Grand National Champion Joe Kopp topped the timesheets for part of the outing, two-time AMA Pro Supermoto Champion Chris Fillmore ended up second overall and 2009 SuperSport Young Gun West Division champion Ricky Parker made his return to AMA Pro Racing to finish up third fastest. “I’m one of the few guys out there who actually raced the old 883 series back in the day,” said Barnes. “I just remember great battles, a lot of parity and eight-wide across the tri-oval. I think we’re going to see the same kind of exciting race here in March.” Approximately 50 riders participated in the only full pre-season test held prior to AMA Pro Road Racing’s 2011 season opener, held at Daytona International Speedway March 10-12. The riders were unanimous in their praise of the newly-paved track, and after having to wait out the inclement weather, everyone was delighted to have a chance to sample the new track surface. That in addition to the many new team, rider and machinery combinations points to an even more exciting AMA Pro Road Racing Series in 2011. AMA Pro Racing is the premier professional motorcycle racing organization in North America, operating a full schedule of events and championships for a variety of motorcycle disciplines. Learn more about AMA Pro Racing at www.amaproracing.com.