Updated Post: Ben Bostrom Breaks Laguna Seca Track Record, Takes AMA Superbike Pole

Updated Post: Ben Bostrom Breaks Laguna Seca Track Record, Takes AMA Superbike Pole

© 2004, Roadracing World Publishing, Inc.

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Copyright 2004, Roadracing World Publishing, Inc.

American Honda’s Ben Bostrom took the pole position for the AMA Superbike race during qualifying Saturday at Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca, and set a new AMA lap record.

Riding his factory CBR1000RR Superbike, Bostrom turned a 1:24.906 to eclipse Anthony Gobert’s AMA mark of 1:25.507, set in 1999.

The overall motorcycle lap record at Laguna Seca is Troy Bayliss’ 1:24.833, set during the 2002 World Superbike event.

Provisional Combined AMA Superbike Qualifying Results:

1. Ben Bostrom, Honda CBR1000RR, 1:24.906
2. Jake Zemke, Honda CBR1000RR, 1:25.183
3. Mat Mladin, Suzuki GSX-R1000, 1:25.223
4. Miguel Duhamel, Honda CBR1000RR, 1:25.866
5. Aaron Yates, Suzuki GSX-R1000, 1:26.272
6. Josh Hayes, Kawasaki ZX-10R, 1:26.434
7. Eric Bostrom, Ducati 999F04, 1:27.987
8. Jake Holden, Suzuki GSX-R1000, 1:28.534
9. Larry Pegram, Yamaha YZF-R1, 1:29.117
10. Shawn Higbee, Suzuki GSX-R1000, 1:29.322
11. John Haner, Suzuki GSX-R1000, 1:29.510
12. Eric Wood, Suzuki GSX-R1000, 1:29.725
13. Geoff May, Suzuki GSX-R1000, 1:29.897
14. Marty Craggill, Suzuki GSX-R1000, 1:30.165
15. Chris Siglin, Yamaha YZF-R1, 1:30.243
16. Jeff Tigert, Honda CBR1000RR, 1:30.432
17. Jeremy Toye, Yamaha YZF-R1, 1:30.563
18. Corey Eaton, Suzuki GSX-R1000, 1:31.025
19. Ken Hill, Suzuki GSX-R1000, 1:31.053
20. Mark Ledesma, Honda CBR954RR, 1:31.068
21. Mike Sullivan, Yamaha YZF-R1, 1:31.171
22. J.J. Roetlin, Suzuki GSX-R1000, 1:31.196
23. Tom Montano, Ducati 999R, 1:31.245
24. Chris Caylor, Suzuki GSX-R1000, 1:31.535
25. Lee Acree, Suzuki GSX-R1000, 1:31.609
26. Cory West, Suzuki GSX-R1000, 1:31.765
27. Brien Whitlock, Suzuki GSX-R1000, 1:31.869
28. Kim Nakashima, Suzuki GSX-R1000, 1:31.945
29. Garry Combs, Suzuki GSX-R1000, 1:32.004
30. Scott Jensen, Honda CBR1000RR, 1:32.059
31. Dean Mizdal, Suzuki GSX-R1000, 1:32.247
32. Ricky Orlando, Kawasaki ZX-10R, 1:32.330
33. Rob Mesa, Suzuki GSX-R1000, 1:32.342
34. David Bell, Suzuki GSX-R1000, 1:32.464
35. Marco Martinez, Suzuki GSX-R1000, 1:32.633
36. Dave Kunzelman, Suzuki GSX-R1000, 1:32.690
37. Jason Curtis, Suzuki GSX-R1000, 1:33.206
38. Jack Pfeifer, Honda CBR1000RR, 1:33.217

110% of fast time = 1:33.396
Did Not Qualify

39. James Kerker, Honda CBR1000RR, 1:33.659
40. Mike Krynock, Ducati 999R, 1:34.267
41. John Scott Wilson, Suzuki GSX-R1000, 1:34.435
42. Eric Gulbransen, Ducati 998R, 1:34.715
43. James King, Yamaha YZF-R1, 1:34.899
44. Jeremiah Johnson, Suzuki GSX-R1000, 1:35.533
45. Corey Sarros, Suzuki GSX-R1000, 1:36.713


More, from a press release issued by Parts Unlimited Ducati Austin:

BOSTROM ON 2ND ROW AFTER DIFFICULT QUALIFYING SESSION

Monterey (California) – July 10, 2004: Second quickest in the morning’s free practice, Eric Bostrom slipped down to seventh during qualifying but remains optimistic about making a charge on his Ducati 999R at the challenging track where he has previously garnered two superbike victories.

Technical difficulties kept the Parts Unlimited Ducati Austin team from taking full advantage of their afternoon qualifying session in near-perfect weather conditions.

“It was a frustrating qualifying session,” commented Eric. “Our number one bike had a problem so we spent a bit of time working on it. We’ve been testing the two bikes with very different set-ups and it was the one I prefer that had a problem. I only got three timed laps with the bike I was uncomfortable on so I can’t say this is the best qualifying I’ve ever had. I went a full second slower than I did this morning!

“We’ve got a lot of work to do now. Overall I guess we’ve had a lack of track time, so we’ll just have to do the best we can tomorrow,” said the 27-year-old.

Racing Manager Tom Bodenbach added, “Qualifying was rough. We set up the second bike very differently so he could try it out and see if it was a direction worth pursuing. It turned out he wasn’t comfortable with it but his only option was to finish the qualifying session on it.”

Tomorrow’s AMA Superbike 28-lap (100 km) race is scheduled for 2:00 p.m. (Pacific Daylight Time).


TIMES: 1. B Bostrom (Honda) 1:24.906; 2. Zemke (Honda) 1:25.164; 3. Mladin (Suzuki) 1:25.222; 4. Duhamel (Honda) 1:25.866; 5. Yates (Suzuki) 1:26.273; 6. Hayes (Kawasaki) 1:26.433; 7. E Bostrom (Ducati) 1:27.986; etc.


More, from a press release issued by Mat Mladin Motorsports:

FRONT ROW START FOR MLADIN AT LAGUNA SECA

Monterey, California, USA (Saturday, July 10) – A frantic final few minutes of today’s qualifying session saw Australian Mat Mladin momentarily set the fastest time of the session, but by the time he returned to his pit enclosure as the session ended, found that he had been pushed to third on the time sheets, securing him a front row start for tomorrow’s twelfth round of the American AMA Chevrolet Superbike Championship being held at Laguna Seca Raceway, California.

The hotly contested 30-minute qualifying session saw the lead position exchanged on a number of occasions, but at it’s conclusion it was Ben Bostrom who turned the fastest time of the session, setting a new AMA Superbike lap record of 1:24.906 for the 3.610km (2.2miles) Monterey circuit.

Second fastest was Jake Zemke (1:25.183), who along with Bostrom posted his time on their eighteenth and final lap of the session, outpacing current series leader Mladin by 0.06 of a second after the four-times American championship stopped the clocks with a 1:25.223 aboard his Yoshimura Suzuki GSX-R1000. Completing the front row of the grid for tomorrow’s 28-lap Superbike national is Miguel DuHamel who completed the session with a best time of 1:25.866

Given the highly competitive nature of today’s qualifying session, Mladin was pleased with the time he had set and his starting position for tomorrow’s race.

“It was an okay day for us out there, we’re not too displeased with third, but just didn’t have it to get pole,” said Mladin.

“It’s been a bit tough for the AMA guys this weekend as we haven’t been able to turn as many laps as we normally do. We had the schedule change first and then this morning’s second practice session was cut in half due to oil on the track. Fortunately we got a full qualifying session in, so that was good for us.

“It was pretty close out there with the fast times during this afternoon’s session. A few of us had a go at being on the top. As expected the final few minutes always offer a bit of excitement. When I went out on my qualifying tyre I had to beat a 25.3 and I did a 25.2, but by the time I got back to the pits Ben and Jake both smoked my time.”

“I think we’re in okay shape for the race. I think everyone will be slip sliding around out there, so it will be close.

With eleven of this year’s eighteen round championship completed, Mladin heads into tomorrow’s event holding a slender six point lead in the championship over DuHamel (358 – 352), with Zemke a close third, just four points adrift of the pair.

Mladin took the AMA Superbike race win here in 2003 and will be determined to repeat those efforts and further strengthening his position at the top of the championship points table.

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