AMA Superbike qualifying was abandoned Friday afternoon at Barber Motorsports Park due to heavy rain, hail and lightning during a 40-minute session for Group Two (made up of riders who turned lap times in the top 50% during Superbike practice). Some of the factory Superbike riders, particularly the Yoshimura Superbike trio of Mat Mladin, Aaron Yates and Ben Spies, tried to get a quick lap in at the beginning of the session, while it was only raining lightly, but the rain intensified seven minutes into the session, leading to all riders pulling off the track. The session was red-flagged three minutes later when bolts of lightning were seen in the area of the track. About 10 minutes later the rain further intensified and hail began to fall. At 4:45 p.m. local time AMA Pro Racing Superbike Series Media Manager Donnie Clark announced that AMA Superbike qualifying Group Two would not be resumed and that a provisional AMA Superbike pole position would not be awarded Friday. AMA Pro Racing officials are evaluating Saturday’s schedule, which already includes 40-minute qualifying sessions for AMA Superbike Group One and Group Two. Group One, the Superbike qualifying group for riders who either did not turn lap times in the top 50% during Superbike practice or who did not go out in Superbike practice, ran a full, 40-minute qualifying session in dry conditions Friday, with Michael Jordan Motorsports Suzuki’s Steve Rapp the quickest rider with a 1:28.171 on his Dunlop-equipped GSX-R1000. Update: AMA Superbike qualifying Group One’s times from Friday afternoon will count. Group Two will get 15 minutes added to its 40-minute qualifying session Saturday morning for a 55-minute qualifying session. The extra time will be taken from Saturday’s lunch break. AMA Superbike Qualifying Group One Times: 1. Steve Rapp, Suz GSX-R1000, 1:28.171 2. Pascal Picotte, Yam YZF-R1, 1:29.238 3. John Haner, Suz GSX-R1000, 1:29.491 4. Jake Holden, Suz GSX-R1000, 1:29.622 5. Mike Smith, Suz GSX-R1000, 1:29.654 6. Eric Wood, Suz GSX-R1000, 1:29.749 7. Chris Ulrich, Suz GSX-R1000, 1:30.492 8. Scott Jensen, Suz GSX-R1000, 1:31.119 9. Chuck Ivey, Yam YZF-R1, 1:31.725 10. Reuben Frankenfield, Yam YZF-R1, 1:31.784 11. J.J. Roetlin, Suz GSX-R1000, 1:31.818 12. Francis Martin, Suz GSX-R1000, 1:31.839 13. Scott Carpenter, Suz GSX-R1000, 1:32.116 14. Jimmy Moore, Suz GSX-R1000, 1:32.728 15. Giovanni Rojas, Suz GSX-R1000, 1:32.817 16. C.R. Gittere, Suz GSX-R1000, 1:33.181 17. Roger Bell, Suz GSX-R1000, 1:33.995 18. Mike Sullivan, Yam YZF-R1, 1:34.236 19. Dean Mizdal, Suz GSX-R1000, 1:34.734 20. Taylor Knapp, Yam YZF-R1, 1:35.476 21. Sean Wray, Yam YZF-R6, 1:36.064 22. Reno Karimian, Suz GSX-R1000, 1:37.530 AMA Superbike Qualifying Group Two Times: 1. Aaron Yates, Suz GSX-R1000, 1:30.905 2. Ben Spies, Suz GSX-R1000, 1:31.750 3. Larry Pegram, Hon CBR1000RR, 1:33.713 4. Marty Craggill, Suz GSX-R1000, 1:34.348 5. Jake Zemke, Hon CBR1000RR, 1:35.514 6. Mat Mladin, Suz GSX-R1000, 1:35.527 7. Cory West, Suz GSX-R1000, 1:35.987 8. Kurtis Roberts, Hon CBR1000RR, 1:36.603 9. Matt McBride, Kaw ZX-10R, 1:37.275 10. Lee Acree, Suz GSX-R1000, 1:37.495 11. Tom Kipp, Kaw ZX-10R, 1:38.265 12. David Bell, Suz GSX-R1000, 1:38.759 13. Matt Lynn, Suz GSX-R1000, 1:41.341 14. Josh Hayes, Kaw ZX-10R, 1:53.884 15. James Kerker, Hon CBR1000RR, 2:00.468 16. Brent George, Suz GSX-R1000, 2:07.109 More, from a press release issued by Parts Unlimited Ducati Austin: FRIDAY A WASHOUT FOR BOSTROM AND HODGSON Birmingham, AL – Friday, April 22: The Parts Unlimited Ducati Austin team of Eric Bostrom and Neil Hodgson spent much of Friday with their factory Ducati 999s parked and watching the rains fall at the 2.3-mile Barber Motorsports Park circuit. A controversial afternoon qualifying session was red-flagged and eventually cancelled just minutes after it began prematurely. Heavy winds and hail began to fall shortly after the riders were signaled to begin the qualifying period, which was started several minutes before the scheduled time of 4:30 PM. “They decided to drop the green flag about ten minutes early, and the people that were ready got to go. We were thinking of the schedule, so we got left out,” says Eric Bostrom. “Neil and I both made one circulation, but not a lap at speed. Then the red flag came out.” While the AMA would not rule the session times invalid, they did refuse to award any rider the provisional pole position. “It’s not the end of the world, it’s just frustrating,” says Hodgson, who will have the opportunity to qualify tomorrow morning for the Barber races. “As a rider, you’ve come here with some built-up nerves and anticipation of a good day. This race is what I call the real beginning of the season and you just want to get started after all the time off since Daytona. And you get here and this develops.” Hodgson says the lack of track time hasn’t helped any with his acclimation to the AMA-style doubleheader with one race on Saturday and one on Sunday. “What seems weird to me now is knowing that I’ll be racing tomorrow afternoon. In all my years racing, I’ve always had four hours of total practice before the races. Thankfully, we tested here, and the situation (with the weather) is pretty much the same for everyone else.” In a rainy AM practice, Hodgson was a fine third quickest with a time of 1:39.502. Bostrom was clocked at 1:43.579, which was 14th place in the session standings. Tomorrow’s morning qualifying will set the grid for the two 28-lap, 100 kilometer Superbike races, the first of which is to be held at 3:50 PM local time on Saturday.