Rookie Spies Takes 1st Superbike Pole at 1st Attempt
Rookie Yamaha Italy rider, Ben Spies secured his first pole position at his first attempt for Sundays first round of the 2009 World Superbike Championship season at Phillip Island today. Spies posted a best time of 1’31.069 to take a new qualifying record.
Aprilia’s Max Biaggi secured 2nd on the promising but brand new RSV4 whilst Jonathan Rea and Jacob Smrz secured 3rd and 4th for Ten Kate Honda and Guandalini Racing Ducati respectively, ensuring that 4 different manufacturers are represented on the front row of the grid.
After being high up the order in every session, factory Xerox Ducati rider Noriyuki Haga could do no better than 13th fastest and therefore will start on the fourth row tomorrow. Not the greatest of starts to his campaign to finally claim a World Superbike title.
Today marked the inaugural running of the revised Superpole format where grid positions are allocated via a knockout system. The top 20 riders from Qualifying session 2 circulate for 12 minutes. After that time the slowest four were withdrawn and another 12 minute session commenced (with a 7 minute break in between). Finally the next slowest 8 are removed leaving 8 riders to battle for grid positions on the first 2 row in a final 12 minute session.
Racing begins on Sunday with Race 1 scheduled to start at 12 noon Australian time, followed by Race 2 at 3:30pm.
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