50 Years Of Superbike Racing: The Ben Spies Appendix

By Sean Bice

In literary terms, the word “appendix” is defined as “supplementary material attached at the end of a piece of writing.” An appendix at the end of a book usually provides extra details like facts, charts, lists, and other helpful data that is too long or detailed to include in the main chapters.

It’s been 18 years since three-time AMA Superbike Champion and AMA Motorcycle Hall of Famer Ben Spies set the record as the fastest Superbike rider to ever negotiate the twisty and technical 15-turn, 2.4-mile Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course… and Spies still holds the record to this day.

Owning a track record for nearly two decades is, in and of itself, incredible but keep in mind that motorcycles have continued to rip around Mid-Ohio, albeit despite MotoAmerica’s 10-year hiatus from holding an event at the track. Motorcycle schools, club racing events, team tests, and the annual AMA Vintage Days event have kept the two-wheel frenzy going at one of the Midwest’s premier road courses. And this coming weekend will be the third consecutive year that MotoAmerica has raced at Mid-Ohio.

On August 2, 2008. Ben Spies did a lap at Mid-Ohio in 1:23.639 during Superbike final qualifying, and no other motorcycle road racer went faster before then or, more importantly, since then. So, consider this story an appendix to Spies’ now-18-year-old feat.

Oh, and speaking of “appendix,” well, there is also that vestigial, um, appendage attached to the large intestine that can be problematic for some people. Ben Spies is one of them, and this Ben Spies appendix wouldn’t be complete without mentioning that Ben Spies appendix.

Spies had to have his surgically removed about a week prior to the Mid-Ohio round of the 2008 Superbike season. To say he wasn’t feeling well during the race weekend is a massive understatement.

“It was that part of the season where I had to race if I was going to win the title,” Spies said. “It hurt, and I had stitches and everything. I was able to get the track record, and I didn’t think that would happen. I gritted my teeth, got one fast lap in, and I don’t think I even rode the warm-up session on Friday. I got up to speed in the second session and got pole.”

Will Spies’ lap record be eclipsed this weekend? Odds are, it probably won’t be, but if it is, there is probably about 100% certainty that the rider who breaks the record will not be coming off recent appendix surgery!