By Glenn LeSanto

Bostrom on pole and in fourth!

Ben Bostrom held onto his pole position despite pressure from Britain’s Neil Hodgson in an exciting Superpole at Laguna Seca today. Riding at his home round of the World Superbike Championship Bostrom put on a show for the fans, just beating Hodgson by nearly two tenths of a second. Australian Troy Corser qualified third on the Aprilia. The other Bostrom brother, Eric, made fourth to complete the front row. Troy Bayliss, who had qualified in provisional second spot, slipped back to fifth.

After Superpole in one of the most light-hearted press conferences of the season so far, Ben Bostrom thanked the home crowd for their support. “When I made my first lap here this weekend I saw an American flag up on the entrance to Corkscrew, and I’ve been seeing it every lap, it really motivates me,” explained Bostrom. “I’ve been using it as a brake marker but if they start moving it I’m really in trouble.” At which point Troy Corser quipped, “I’ll have to get up there and move it on then.”

Hodgson also commented on the American spectators. “They’re great, they are all so enthusiastic,” smiled Hodgson. “They make me laugh, they’re all coming up to me and saying stuff like ‘hey, you’re really ripping it up, man’. The problem is, I’m never really sure if they are complimenting me or not.”

Bostrom is confident for the race on Sunday, but he’ll have his work cut out. “I have to win,” he said when asked if it was important to him to win at his home round. Corser was also confident, saying “Things have been working really well here, tires, chassis and engine, they’re all really good. I’ve done race distant on the tires during qualifying without problem. But the competition is tough. Ben and Neil are really motivated and so is Eric Bostrom.”

The Superbike races are scheduled for 12:00 p.m. and 3:30 p.m. local time.

Superpole Times

1. Ben Bostrom, Ducati, USA, 1:25.704
2. Neil Hodgson, Ducati, Great Britain, 1:25.863
3. Troy Corser, Aprilia, Australia, 1:25.866
4. Eric Bostrom, Kawasaki, USA, 1:26.120
5. Troy Bayliss, Ducati, Australia, 1:26.242
6. Colin Edwards, Honda, USA, 1:26.274
7. James Toseland, Ducati, Great Britain, 1:26.762
8. Pierfrancesco Chili, Suzuki, Italy, 1:26.818
9. Tady Okada, Honda, USA, 1:27.045
10. Doug Chandler, Kawasaki, USA, 1:27.061
11. Akira Yanagawa, Kawasaki, Japan, 1:27.203
12. Regis Laconi, Aprilia, France, 1:27.281
13. Stephan Chambon, Suzuki, France, 1:27.400
14. Ruben Xaus, Ducati, Spain, 1:27.574
15. Steve Martin, Ducati, Australia, 1:27.591
16. Gregorio Lavilla, Kawasaki, Spain, 1:27.766


Final World Superbike Qualifying Results Following Super Pole:

(Final Position, Rider, Manufacturer, Original Qualifying Time & Position, Super Pole Time)

1. Ben Bostrom, Ducati, 1:25.248 (1), 1:25.705
2. Neil Hodgson, Ducati, 1:26.163 (7), 1:25.863
3. Troy Corser, Aprilia, 1:25.749 (4), 1:25.866
4. Eric Bostrom, Kawasaki, 1:25.556 (3), 1:26.120
5. Troy Bayliss, Ducati, 1:25.435 (2), 1:26.242
6. Colin Edwards II, Honda, 1:26.112 (6), 1:26.274
7. James Toseland, Ducati, 1:26.598 (10), 1:26.762
8. Pierfrancesco Chili, Suzuki, 1:26.514 (9), 1:26.818
9. Tadayuki Okada, Honda, 1:26.455 (8), 1:27.045
10. Doug Chandler, Kawasaki, 1:25.907 (5), 1:27.061
11. Akira Yanagawa, Kawasaki, 1:26.784 (14), 1:27.203
12. Regis Laconi, Aprilia, 1:26.605 (11), 1:27.281
13. Stephane Chambon, Suzuki, 1:26.706 (12), 1:27.400
14. Ruben Xaus, Ducati, 1:26.753 (13), 1:27.574
15. Steve Martin, Ducati, 1:26.867(15), 1:27.591
16. Gregorio Lavilla, Kawasaki, 1:26.901 (16), 1:27.766
17. Robert Ulm, Ducati, 1:26.902
18. Mauro Sanchini, Ducati, 1:27.056
19. Marco Borciani, Ducati, 1:27.191
20. Lucio Pedercini, Ducati, 1:27.192
21. Peter Goddard, Benelli, 1:27.200
22. Giovanni Bussei, Ducati, 1:27.274
23. Michele Malatesta, Kawasaki, 1:27.832
24. Broc Parkes, Ducati, 1:27.943
25. Bertrand Stey, Honda, 1:28.053
26. Martin Craggill, Ducati, 1:28.279
27. Jiri Mrkyvka, Ducati, 1:30.292
28. Ferdinando Di Maso, Kawasaki, 1:30.743
29. Javier Rodriguez, Honda, 1:30.774

Saturday 250cc Qualifying Results From Donington Park

1. Tetsuya Harada, Aprilia, 1:33.651
2. Daijiro Katoh, Honda, 1:34.002
3. Marco Melandri, Aprilia, 1:34.108
4. Emilio Alzamora, Honda, 1:34.519
5. Jeremy McWilliams, Aprilia, 1:34.551
6. Naoki Matsudo, Yamaha, 1:34.843
7. Roberto Rolfo, Aprilia, 1:34.843
8. Randy De Puniet, Aprilia, 1:35.365
9. Fonsi Nieto, Aprilia, 1:35.533
10. Sebastian Porto, Yamaha, 1:35.678

27. Jason DiSalvo, Honda, 1:39.022

32. Katja Poensgen, Aprilia, 1:39.503

Aprilia rider Roberto Locatelli crashed on a drying track during Saturday’s final qualifying session and suffered possible injuries to his ankle and shoulder. Locatelli’s time from Friday will still be good for the 13th spot on the grid.

Race #1:

1. Rich Oliver, Yamaha
2. Chuck Sorensen, Yamaha
3. Roland Sands, Yamaha
4. Jimmy Filice, Yamaha
5. Roy De Groot, Yamaha
6. Colin Jensen, Aprilia
7. Ben Walters, Jr., Yamaha
8. Cory West, Yamaha
9. Rocky Wong, Honda
10. Sean Crane, Yamaha

Race #2:

1. Perry Melneciuc, Yamaha
2. Simon Turner, Yamaha
3. Mike Hannas, Yamaha
4. Jeff Leggitt, Honda
5. Andre Castanos, Honda
6. Nick Ienatsch, Yamaha
7. Ed Sorbo, Yamaha
8. Greg Esser, Honda
9. Ty Piz, Yamaha
10. Adrian Webb, Yamaha

Starting Positions For Sunday’s MBNA 250cc Grand Prix Final:

1. Oliver
2. Melneciuc
3. Sorensen
4. Turner
5. Sands
6. Hannas
7. Filice
8. Leggitt
9. De Groot
10. Castanos
11. Jensen
12. Ienatsch
13. Walters
14. Sorbo
15. West
16. Esser
17. Wong
18. Piz
19. Crane
20. Webb

The final 500cc Grand Prix qualifying session at Donington Park was held on a wet, but drying track. No riders were able to improve on their times from Friday’s qualifying session until the closing moments.

Only Norick Abe, Tohru Ukawa, and Shinya Nakano improved their times. Abe did not improve his grid position, but Ukawa improved from 18th to 16th fastest. Nakano’s time was good enough to put him on the front row, fourth fastest, bumping Jurgen van den Goorbergh and the Proton to row two.

Valentino Rossi was on a flying lap as time was running out but was balked by a slower rider in the final corner. Rossi, who crashed in Friday’s qualifying session, will start from the 11th position.

500cc Qualifying Results From Saturday At Donington Park:

1. Shinya Nakano, Yamaha, 1:32.515
2. Alex Barros, Honda, 1:33.071
3. Loris Capirossi, Honda, 1:33.188
4. Kenny Robert, Suzuki, 1:33.307
5. Sete Gibernau, Suzuki, 1:33.599
6. Max Biaggi, Yamaha, 1:33.599
7. Carlos Checa, Yamaha, 1:33.606
8. Norick Abe, Yamaha, 1:33.619
9. Tohru Ukawa, Honda, 1:33.654
10. Valentino Rossi, Honda, 1:33.664
11. Alex Criville, Honda, 1:34.001
12. Jurgen vd Goorbergh, Proton, 1:34.421
13. Chris Walker, Honda, 1:34.683
14. Noriyuki Haga, Yamaha, 1:34.803
15. Jose Luis Cardoso, Yamaha, 1:34.950

Final Practice Times & Number Of Laps Completed:

1. Troy Corser, Aprilia, 1:25.978, 32 laps
2. Troy Bayliss, Ducati, 1:26.094, 31 laps
3. Neil Hodgson, Ducati, 1:26.314, 29 laps
4. Doug Chandler, Kawasaki, 1:26.352, 16 laps
5. Colin Edwards II, Honda, 1:26.570, 29 laps
6. Pierfrancesco Chili, Suzuki, 1:26.659, 24 laps
7. Eric Bostrom, Kawasaki, 1:26.661, 16 laps
8. Ben Bostrom, Ducati, 1:26.755, 22 laps
9. Steve Martin, Ducati, 1:26.855, 29 laps
10. Tadayuki Okada, Honda, 1:26.865, 28 laps
11. Gregorio Lavilla, Kawasaki, 1:26.935, 25 laps
12. James Toseland, Ducati, 1:26.969, 24 laps
13. Akira Yanagawa, Kawasaki, 1:27.067, 32 laps
14. Stephane Chambon, Suzuki, 1:27.195, 22 laps
15. Regis Laconi, Aprilia, 1:27.316, 26 laps
16. Ruben Xaus, Ducati, 1:27.322, 22 laps


According to Roadracing World’s World Superbike specialist Glenn Le Santo, the last practice session after timed qualifying and before Super Pole is used mainly for tire testing.

AMA Chevy Trucks Superbike Final Race Results:


1. Eric Bostrom, Kawasaki
2. Miguel Duhamel, Honda
3. Mat Mladin, Suzuki
4. Jamie Hacking, Suzuki
5. Doug Chandler, Kawasaki
6. Andreas Meklau, Ducati
7. Steve Rapp, Ducati
8. Tommy Hayden, Yamaha
9. Pascal Picotte, H-D
10. Mike Smith, H-D

26. Nicky Hayden, Honda, 12 laps, DNF, crash
27. Aaron Yates, Suzuki, 11 laps, DNF, crash

30. Larry Pegram, Ducati, 4 laps, DNF

Unofficial AMA Chevy Trucks Superbike Point Standings Following Laguna Seca:

1. Mladin, 260 points
2. Bostrom, 236 points
3. Chandler, 189 points
4. Tommy Hayden, 184 points
5. Duhamel, 168 points

Mladin’s bike suffered a shifting problem. Yates broke his right wrist when he crashed in turn 10.

Immediately following the race, AMA Pro Racing Director of Competition Merrill Vanderslice came on the AMA radio frequency and asked that the top three riders be checked in winner’s circle to ensure that they had the mandatory AMA patch on their leathers. Miguel Duhamel and Mat Mladin did, but Eric Bostrom did not. At post time, no word was available on any penalty assessed Bostrom.

Ducati L&M rider Ben Bostrom held onto provisional pole position at his home circuit, Laguna Seca Raceway, despite a last-minute charge by Ducati Infostrada man Troy Bayliss. The Australian squeezed Eric Bostrom (Kawasaki
Motorsports ZX-7R) out of the number two slot with a flying lap as the clock ticked away the final seconds of the qualifying session. Although he dipped into the 1:25 territory, Bayliss wasn’t quite fast enough to demote Eric’s brother Ben Bostrom. Only five riders got into the 1:25s; both Bostrom brothers, Bayliss, Corser and Doug Chandler.

Both Bostrom brothers failed to improve on their Friday times while Bayliss shaved half-a-second off his fastest time set in Friday’s qualifying. Corser also improved his Friday time, setting a 1:25.749 lap on race tires, jumping from sixth to fourth on the grid in the process, behind Eric Bostrom.

Doug Chandler on the other Kawasaki Motorsports ZX-7R qualified fifth in front of Colin Edwards.

All the grid positions are provisional as the top 16 riders now have to face the challenge of Superpole later this afternoon. Superpole involves the top 16 riders only, with each rider getting one warm-up lap and one flying lap, all done alone on the circuit. The Superpole times then reshuffle the grid, so a fast time in Superpole can push a rider up the grid. Conversely, if a rider crashes or sets a poor time, he’ll be demoted down the starting order.

Eric Bostrom hasn’t ridden World Superbike before so the Superpole is new to him and it’ll be interesting to see how he handles it.

Combined World Superbike Qualifying Results:

1. Ben Bostrom, Ducati, 1:25.248
2. Troy Bayliss, Ducati, 1:25.435*
3. Eric Bostrom, Kawasaki, 1:25.556
4. Troy Corser, Aprilia, 1:25.749*
5. Doug Chandler, Kawasaki, 1:25.907*
6. Colin Edwards II, Honda, 1:26.112
7. Neil Hodgson, Ducati, 1:26.163
8. Tadayuki Okada, Honda, 1:26.455*
9. Pierfrancesco Chili, Suzuki, 1:26.514*
10. James Toseland, Ducati, 1:26.598*
11. Regis Laconi, Aprilia, 1:26.605
12. Stephane Chambon, Suzuki, 1:26.706*
13. Ruben Xaus, Ducati, 1:26.753*
14. Akira Yanagawa, Kawasaki, 1:26.784*
15. Steve Martin, Ducati, 1:26.867*
16. Gregorio Lavilla, Kawasaki, 1:26.961*
17. Robert Ulm, Ducati, 1:26.902*
18. Mauro Sanchini, Ducati, 1:27.056*
19. Marco Borciani, Ducati, 1:27.191*
20. Lucio Pedercini, Ducati, 1:27.192
21. Peter Goddard, Benelli, 1:27.200*

*indicates a quicker time than in Friday’s qualifying session.

Italian Kawasaki rider Michele Malatesta crashed very hard during Saturday’s qualifying session in turn six causing a red flag. From video replays of the incident, it was clear that Malatesta broke his left leg and required medical assistance.

Australian Ducati racer Broc Parkes highsided during the session at the exit of turn 11 and limped away from the scene.

L&M Ducati’s Ben Bostrom was on a flying lap at the very end of the session. Bostrom had already went through the first split timer quicker when Bostrom was slowed in the corkscrew by Czech rider Jiri Mrkyvka. Bostrom’s lap time was not faster, but he still retained the provisional pole heading into the Super Pole event scheduled for 4:00 p.m. PDT today.

AMA Chairman of the Board Rick Gray is trying to figure out which AMA Trustee tipped roadracingworld.com regarding the appointment of Gary Mathers as the new AMA Pro Racing Superbike Operations Manager, as posted on roadracingworld.com some eight hours before an AMA press release announcing the appointment was issued July 3.

Gray has demanded answers in e-mails sent to members of the AMA Board of Trustees.

Roadracingworld.com has long enjoyed (and exploited) early access to sensitive and secret information regarding AMA Pro Racing operations and the AMA in general, thanks to well-placed moles in the organization.

Gray’s search has thus far turned up no admissions of guilt, and, take it from us, is unlikely to do so any time soon.

You’d think a busy guy like that would have better things to do with his time…

Saturday 125cc Qualifying Results From Donington Park:

1. Gino Borsoi, Aprilia, 1:48.754
2. Casey Stoner, Honda, 1:48.814
3. Jakub Smrz, Honda, 1:49.323
4. Youichi Ui, Derbi, 1:49.361
5. Masao Azuma, Honda, 1:49.412
6. Toni Elias, Honda, 1:49.505
7. Arnaud Vincent, Honda, 1:49.632
8. Max Sabbatani, Aprilia, 1:49.895
9. Alex De Angelis, Honda, 1:49.931
10. Alessandro Brannetti, Aprilia, 1:50.137