Defending AMA Superbike Champion Ben Spies jumped to the top of the order with a record lap late in the Friday qualifying session at Infineon Raceway, then tried to make one more fast lap, pushed the soft front tire he had selected for qualifying, and lowsided in the Turn 9a chicane. Spies was unhurt, although he said his bike tumbled and suffered major damage. Spies added that he had gone almost as fast on his spare bike and that he was sure it would be no problem using the back-up machine. Spies also said that times may be faster in Saturday’s final qualifying session, especially if winds that have been blowing all day die down. Spies said that the wind was a factor in the crash. 2007 AMA Superbike Championship Infineon Raceway Sonoma, California May 18, 2007 Provisional Qualifying Results: 1. Ben Spies (Suzuki), Dunlop, 1:34.991 2. Mat Mladin (Suzuki), Dunlop, 1:35.128 3. Eric Bostrom (Yamaha), Dunlop, 1:36.250 4. Aaron Yates (Suzuki), Dunlop, 1:36.790 5. Jason DiSalvo (Yamaha), Dunlop, 1:36.952 6. Tommy Hayden (Suzuki), Dunlop, 1:37.093 7. Jamie Hacking (Kawasaki), Dunlop, 1:37.137 8. Miguel Duhamel (Honda), Dunlop. 1:37.143 9. Jake Zemke (Honda), Dunlop, 1:37.172 10. Roger Hayden (Kawasaki), Dunlop, 1:37.321 11. Jake Holden (Suzuki), Dunlop, 1:37.469* 12. Geoff May (Suzuki), Pirelli, 1:38.110* 13. James Ellison (Honda), Dunlop, 1:38.294 14. Chris Ulrich (Suzuki), Pirelli, 1:38.770* 15. Doug Chandler (Honda), Dunlop, 1:38.995 16. Luca Scassa (MV Agusta), Dunlop, 1:39.080 17 Jeff Tigert (Honda), Dunlop, 1:39.315 18. Matt Lynn (MV Agusta), Dunlop, 1:39.486 19. Robertino Pietri (Suzuki), Pirelli, 1:40.091* 20. James Randolph (Suzuki), Pirelli, 1:40.552* 21. Jason Curtis (Suzuki), Dunlop, 1:40.630* 22. David Bell (Suzuki), 1:40.909 23. Dominic Jones (Honda), Dunlop, 1:41.067 24. Cory Call (Suzuki), 1:41.229 25. David Weber (Suzuki), Dunlop, 1:41.303* 26. Scott Jensen (Suzuki), Pirelli, 1:41.453* 27. Martin Szwarc (Suzuki), 1:41.646 28. Dean Mizdal (Suzuki), 1:42.064 29. Andy Carman (Suzuki), 1:42.459 30. Corey Sarros (Suzuki), 1:42.475 31. Mike Earnest (Suzuki), 1:42.582 32. James King (Suzuki), 1:42.664 33. Mark Simon (Suzuki), 1:43.395 34. Johnny Rock Page (Yamaha), Dunlop, 1:45.576* 35. Marcin Biernacki (Yamaha), 1:46.076 * known to be riding a Superstock machine More, from a press release issued by Infineon Raceway: Spies Smashes Track Record, Takes Provisional Pole in AMA Superbike SONOMA, Calif. (May 18, 2007) – Ben Spies posted the top time on Friday at Infineon Raceway in provisional qualifying for the Kawasaki AMA Superbike Showdown, presented by Supercuts. Spies (Suzuki) clocked a track-record time of 1 minute, 34.991 seconds during the qualifying session for Superbike. Spies reset his own record of 1:35.893, set last year on the 12-turn, 2.22-mile road course. Spies was followed by teammate Mat Mladin (1:35.128) and Petaluma High School graduate Eric Bostrom (Yamaha, 1:36.250). The times set the stage as teammates Spies and Mladin continue their season-long battle. Spies, the defending AMA Superbike champion, entered the weekend with a nine-point lead over Mladin (173-164) in the standings. Spies has two wins on the season, while Mladin has three. “It’d be nice to win both races like we did last year, but if it doesn’t happen, it doesn’t happen,” Spies said. “There is still a lot of racing left this season.” Said Mladin: “I’m not real interested in qualifying, to be honest. I’m more interested in getting a good setup.” Spies actually had a scary moment on the last lap of qualifying, losing control of his Suzuki in the Turn 9a chicane. Spies was not injured. “It’s my own fault. The wind is pretty bad, and I drove it in a little bit deeper and I ended up losing the front,” Spies said. “We put a softer front tire on, that I never run, and I thought it might’ve given me a little more grip, and we ended up losing the front. It was just a little bitty crash, and it wasn’t a big deal.” Final qualifying for Superbikes takes place on Saturday at 9:50 a.m., which will set the grid for Saturday’s 28-lap main event at approximately 3:20 p.m. Josh Hayes (Honda) topped qualifying for the Lockhart Phillips USA Formula Xtreme at 1:37.244, with Michael Barnes second (Suzuki, 1:37.446) and Lafayette native Steve Rapp third (Kawasaki, 1:37.459). Action continues on Saturday at Infineon Raceway with main events scheduled for Superbike and Formula Xtreme (17 laps) at 4:45 p.m. There will also be qualifying for Pro Honda Oils Supersport and Superstock. Gates open at 7 a.m. For more information on the race weekend, visit www.infineonraceway.com. Kawasaki AMA Superbike Showdown Provisional Qualifying SONOMA, Calif. Provisional AMA Superbike Qualifying (Rider, make of motorcycle and lap time): 1. Ben Spies, Suzuki GSX-R1000, One minute, 34.991 seconds. 2. Mathew Mladin, Suzuki GSX-R1000, 1:35.128. 3. Eric Bostrom, Yamaha YZF-R1, 1:36.250. 4. Aaron Yates, Suzuki GSX-R1000, 1:36.790. 5. Jason DiSalvo, Yamaha YZF-R1, 1:36.952. 6. Tommy Hayden, Suzuki GSX-R1000, 1:37.093. 7. Jamie Hacking, Kawasaki ZX-10R, 1:37.137. 8. Miguel Duhamel, Honda CBR1000RR, 1:37.143. 9. Jake Zemke, Honda CBR1000RR, 1:37.172. 10. Roger Lee Hayden, Kawasaki ZX-10R, 1:37.321. 11. Jake Holden, Suzuki GSX-R1000, 1:37.469. 12. Geoff May, Suzuki GSX-R1000, 1:38.110. 13. James Ellison, Honda CBR1000RR, 1:38.294. 14. Chris Ulrich, Suzuki GSX-R1000, 1:38.770. 15. Doug Chandler, Honda CBR1000RR, 1:38.955. 16. Luca Scassa, MV Agusta F4-1000R 312, 1:39.080. 17. Jeffrey Tigert, Honda CBR1000RRR, 1:39.315. 18. Matt Lynn, MV Agusta F4-1000R 312, 1:39.486. 19. Robertino Pietri, Suzuki GSX-R1000, 1:40.091. 20. James Randolph, Suzuki GSX-R1000, 1:40.552. 21. Jason Curtis, Suzuki GSX-R1000, 1:40.630. 22. David Bell, Suzuki GSX-R1000, 1:40.908. 23. Dominic Jones, Honda CBR1000RR, 1:41.067. 24. Cory Call, Suzuki GSX-R1000, 1:41.229. 25. David Weber, Suzuki GSX-R1000, 1:41.303. 26. Scott Jensen, Suzuki GSX-R1000, 1:41.453. 27. Martin Szwarc, Suzuki GSX-R1000, 1:41.646. 28. Dean Mizdal, Suzuki GSX-R1000, 1:42.064. 29. Andy Carman, Suzuki GSX-R1000, 1:42.459. 30. Corey Sarros, Suzuki GSX-R1000, 1:42.475. 31. Michael Earnest, Suzuki GSX-R1000, 1:42.582. 32. James King, Suzuki GSX-R1000, 1:42.664. 33. Mark Simon, Suzuki GSX-R1000, 1:43.395. 34. Johnny Rock Page, Yamaha YZF-R1, 1:45.576. 35. Marcin Biernacki, Yamaha YZF-R1, 1:46.076.