American Superbike champion Ben Spies has edged closer to a
Moto GP wildcard ride in the final race of the season after Suzuki
confirmed he will test for them after the Malaysian Grand Prix.
Spies, 23, who beat team-mate Mat Mladin to wrap up his second
straight AMA title last month, has long been mooted for a switch
to Moto GP with the Japanese manufacturer.
And, with a whole day put aside for him to ride the GSV machine
at Sepang on Monday, he could well make his GP debut in Valencia.
Suzuki team boss Paul Denning said: "It will be Ben's first time
riding at Sepang and also his first time with the GSV-R800.
"It's difficult to say whether he will be here in Moto GP eventually,
but he wants to give it a go and seems to have got over his fear
of flying to come over to Malaysia."
The likelihood is that Spies will remain in the USA for another year
before joining a semi-works operation, to be run by 1993 world
champion Kevin Schwantz.
Such a team would probably involve the Alstare squad from World
Superbikes, and Aspar from the lower GP classes, and would most
likely have him teaming up with Spanish rider Alvaro Bautista in
2009. uk.eurosport.yahoo.com - pic from amasuperbike.com
Spies to test at Sepang
Josh Hayes Road Racer X interview -ozzy go-
Tuesday Conversation: Josh Hayes September 25, 2007
Josh Hayes was so dominant in the 2007 600cc classes that he’d
wrapped up the Lockhart Phillips Formula Xtreme title prior to the
last round and had a shot at the Pro Honda Oils Supersport crown
despite a mid-season DNF. Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca,
however, was unkind to the Erion Honda rider (in much the same
way that getting hit by a Mac truck itches). A Supersport crash left
him with broken bones in both feet, a last-second mechanical
problem nearly made him miss the FX race, and a huge crash in
the FX race itself—which he was leading at the time—left him
conducting this interview from a couch. The season now
concluded, he’s facing one more mission: to heal up in time for
his October wedding to USGPRU and WERA racer Melissa Paris.
click on ozzy go to the interview - pic from amasuperbike.com
Roger Lee Hayden Road Racer X interview -ozzy go-
Tuesday Conversation: Roger Lee Hayden Sept. 18, 2007
Monster Energy Kawasaki rider Roger Lee Hayden completed the
Hayden-family trifecta on Sunday, becoming the last of Hayden
brothers to collect a series championship—in Roger’s case, the
2007 AMA Pro Honda Oils Supersport title. The class was stacked,
the battles were fierce, and it was a visibly emotional Roger who
struggled throughout the post-race press conference—the
transcript of which appears below—to say exactly how much the
crown meant to him. click on ozzy go to the interview
The Champion Reflects -ozzy go- cyclenews.com
Yoshimura Suzuki's Ben Spies reflected on his championship
weekend while looking forward to the next stage of his already
successful career during a stopover in Los Angeles on his way
home to Dallas.
When he first got word of the chance to ride the Rizla Suzuki
MotoGP GSV-R800 a few weeks ago, he was told it was a "hush-
hush deal" and wasn't to say anything. Now he can speak freely,
but he doesn't have many details.
He knows the date of the test - the day after the October 21
Malaysian Grand Prix - and he knows he'll be taking his crew chief
Tom Houseworth, "to try to help out a little bit and try to make it
easier for me." Other than that, he's not sure.
The biggest question is what will it lead to? Will he race in the final
round of the MotoGP World Championship in Valencia or will he
test following the GP?
"I really have no clue," Spies said. "It all just depends on how I
go on it." click on ozzy go to the full story - Alpinestars Inc pic
Ben Spies to make Suzuki MotoGP debut in Malaysia test -ozzy go-motorcyclenews.com
Ben Spies will be given his first chance to impress on Suzuki’s
factory GSV-R MotoGP machine when he tests at the Sepang
circuit in Malaysia next month.
MCN understands the newly crowned American superbike
champion will ride in a test session on the Monday after the
Malaysian MotoGP on October 21, 2007.
Suzuki is keen to get him on their GSV-R 800 as much as possible
before Spies makes a full-time switch to MotoGP in 2009.
Ben Spies, who retained his American Superbike crown yesterday
(Sunday) with a dramatic final round success over Aussie team-
mate Mat Mladin in Laguna Seca, told MCN earlier this season that
he already has a deal in place for a factory ride in 2009.
But Suzuki management denied that an agreement had already in
place. It has also been rumoured that Ben Spies could feature as
a wild card with him tipped to make his MotoGP race debut for
Suzuki in the season’s final race in Valencia.
That now seems unlikely, but he is still expected to fly to
Europe and take part in the traditional post Valencia test
session. click on ozzy go to the full story/AMASuperbike pic
Alpinestarsinc.com Race Report: Laguna Seca AMA Superbike -ozzy go-
Route 66! Ben Spies Defeats Mat Mladin to Win the
2007 AMA Superbike Championship
Laguna Seca AMA Superbike Race Report -ozzy go- motorcycle-usa.com
It was a battle to the finish at the final round of this year's AMA
Superbike Championship. The two-day Corona AMA Superbike
challenge rewarded fans with cool sunny weather, and hot racing action.
Going into this weekend's final round, only three points separated
point's leader Mat Mladin from reigning champ and teammate
Yoshimura Suzuki's Ben Spies. With this weekends round only
being a two day event, Spies wasted no time when he hit the
track on Saturday. He qualified on pole with a new lap record of
1:23.105, pushing Mladin back to second position on Row 1 and
racking up an additional point to bring the gap between them
down to just two scant points. Honda's Jake Zemke, who is
currently unsigned for next year was looking for a good finish to
end a frustrating season and locked in on the third spot.
When the green flag dropped on Sunday's 28-lap grand finale it
was Mladin who rocketed to the front of the field with Honda's
Jake Zemke and teammate Spies in tow. Monster Energy
Kawasaki's Roger Lee Hayden's race ended almost as soon as it
started when the ZX-10R pilot took a tumble in Turn 3.
Meanwhile Spies quickly found his away past Zemke and began
going to work against his one and only true competition this year.
Mladin wasn't giving the Texan any ground though and put
together a string of 1:24 flat lap times. Monster Energy
Kawasaki's early Superbike race misfortune would be duplicated
by Jamie Hacking when he fell while chasing Zemke, moving
Jordan Suzuki's Aaron Yates into fourth position with Yamaha's
Eric Bostrom and MV August's Matt Lynn closely behind.
Spies looked good going into Turn 2 - backing in his GSX-R1000.
Mladin on the other hand had the flat and slow first gear Turn 11
dialed - the six-time champ consistently getting a fantastic drive
out of the corner and onto the short straight away. By lap 13, the
Yoshimura Suzuki duo had already started to mix with lapped
traffic, both getting by the first lappers cleanly without any
drama.
Three laps later though, it would be another lapped rider who got
in the way of Mladin while the two were entering the Corkscrew.
Spies saw the opportunity and jumped on it passing Mladin for the
lead. Spies continued to push hard, setting his fastest lap on his
18th go around the 2.2-mile long circuit. Mladin looked to be
riding hard but had nothing left to offer the 23-year-old Texan
and ended up crossing the checkered flag just over two seconds
behind repeat Superbike champ Spies. click on ozzy go to the full
story on motorcycle-usa.com
Gobert takes second FX win in '07 finale -ozzy go- amasuperbike.com
Lockhart-Phillips USA Formula Xtreme Series presented by HMR
Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca - Monterey, CA, Sept. 16, 2007
Laguna Seca Formula Xtreme
1. Aaron Gobert (#96 Honda CBR600RR)
2. Larry Pegram (#72 Ducati 749/848R)
3. Steve Rapp (#15 Kawasaki ZX-6R)
4. Martin Cardenas (#361 Suzuki GSX-R600)
5. Chris Peris (#8 Yamaha YZF-R6)
6. Chaz Davies (#157 Yamaha YZF-R6)
7. Ryan Andrews (#481 Honda CBR600RR)
8. Cory West (#13 Yamaha YZF-R6)
9. Ryan Elleby (#85 Honda CBR600RR)
10. Ben Attard (#12 Kawasaki ZX-6R)
Formula Xtreme Series Final Standings after Round 11
1. Josh Hayes (American Honda) 324pts/7 wins/8 Top-3
2. Steve Rapp (Attack Perf. Kawasaki) 279pts/1 win/5 Top-3
3. Aaron Gobert (American Honda) 247pts/2 wins/5 Top-3
4. Larry Pegram (Leo Vince Ducati) 244pts/3 Top-3
5. Ben Attard (Attack Performance Kawasaki) 231pts/3 Top-3
6. Chaz Davies (Celtic Performance Yamaha) 206pts/2 Top-3
7. Ryan Andrews (Rockwall Honda) 179pts
8. Marty Craggill (Boulder Ducati) 162pts/2 Top-3
9. Cory West (Team Hunter Racing Yamaha) 157pts
10. Bobby Fong (Safety First Suzuki) 155pts
Spies takes series finale to win AMA Superbike season title
MONTEREY, Calif. Ben Spies won the season-ending race Sunday
at Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca to successfully defend his AMA
Superbike championship.
Spies, the 23-year-old Suzuki rider from Longview, Texas, passed
teammate and series leader Mat Mladin on lap 16 of the 28-lap
final and pulled away to a 2.526-second victory. With his seventh
victory of the year, Spies edged Mladin by a point in the closest
finish since 1978, when the title was decided on a tiebreaker.
"That was the longest 12 laps I ever raced in my life,'' Spies said.
"The pass up in the corkscrew was a little tight, but we made and
kept the No. 1 plate. I think I proved to a lot of people today that
I don't buckle under pressure.''
Mladin said his tires let him down.
"I started sliding around about halfway through the race and
couldn't catch up,'' said Mladin, a six-time AMA Superbike
champion from Australia. "Congratulations to Ben. We'll come
back next year and try to get him again.''
Aaron Yates finished third on the Jordan Suzuki. SI/CNN
Spectacular Spies claims repeat Superbike crown by single point -ozzy go- amasuperbike.com
200 7AMA Superbike Championship presented by Parts Unlimited - Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca, Monterey, CA, Sept. 16, 2007 
Laguna Seca Superbike
1. Ben Spies (#1 Suzuki GSX-R1000)
2. Mat Mladin (#66 Suzuki GSX-R1000)+2.526
3. Aaron Yates (#20 Suzuki GSX-R1000)+12.678
4. Jake Zemke (#98 Honda CBR1000RR)
5. Eric Bostrom (#32 Yamaha YZF-R1)
6. Tommy Hayden (#22 Suzuki GSX-R1000)
7. Jimmy Disalvo (#40 Yamaha YZF-R1)
8. James Ellison (#77 Honda CBR1000RR)
9. Jake Holden (#59 Suzuki GSX-R1000)
10. Matt Lynn (#50 MV Agusta F4-1000R 312)
AMA Superbike Championship Final Standings after Rnd 19
1. Ben Spies (Suzuki Yoshimura) 652pts/7 wins/19 top-3
2. Mat Mladin (Suzuki Yoshimura) 651pts/12 wins/17 top-3
3. Jake Zemke (American Honda) 468pts/4 top-3
4. Aaron Yates (Jordan Suzuki) 465pts/3 top-3
5. Tommy Hayden (Suzuki Yoshimura) 454pts/1 top-3
6. Jamie Hacking (Monster Energy Kawasaki) 403pts/5 top-3
7. Eric Bostrom (Yamaha Motor Corp) 362pts/2 top-3
8. Miguel Duhamel (American Honda) 360pts/6 top-3
9. Jimmy Disalvo (Yamaha Motor Corp) 359pts
10. Roger Hayden (Monster Energy Kawasaki) 344pts
Herrin gets first win, Hayden claims first title -ozzy go- amasuperbike.com
2007 Pro Honda Oils Supersport Championship presented by Shoei - Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca, Monterey, CA, Sept. 16, 2007
Laguna Seca Supersport
1. Josh Herrin (#46 Yamaha YZF-R6)
2. Jamie Hacking (#2 Kawasaki ZX-6R)
3. Martin Cardenas (#361 Suzuki GSX-R600)
4. Ben Attard (#12 Kawasaki ZX-6R)
5. Roger Hayden (#95 Kawasaki ZX-6R)
6. Blake Young (Suzuki GSX-R600)
7. Aaron Gobert (#96 Honda CBR600RR)
8. Tommy Hayden (#22 Suzuki GSX-R600)
9. Garrett Carter (#31 Yamaha YZF-R6)
10. Steve Rapp (#15 Kawasaki ZX-6R)
AMA Supersport Final Standings after Round 11
1. Roger Hayden (Kawasaki) 297pts/2 wins/6 top-3
2. Jamie Hacking (Kawasaki) 294pts/3 wins/8 top-3
3. Josh Hayes (Honda) 260pts/4 wins/5 top-3
4. Steve Rapp (Kawasaki) 247pts/2 top-3
5. Tommy Hayden (Suzuki) 216pts/1 top-3
6. Blake Young (Suzuki) 212pts
7. Josh Herrin (Yamaha) 209pts/1 win/3 top-3
8. Geoff May (Suzuki) 181pts/ top-3
9. Ben Attard (Kawasaki) 178pts/1 top-3
10. Anthony Gobert (Honda) 174pts/1 win/1 top-3
Holden scores career first win -ozzy go- amasuperbike.com
2007 AMA Superstock Series presented by Dynojet - Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca, Monterey, CA, Sept. 16, 2007
Laguna Seca Superstock
1. Jake Holden (#59 Suzuki GSX-R1000)
2. Aaron Yates (#20 Suzuki GSX-R1000)
3. Ben Bostrom (#155 Yamaha YZF-R1)
4. Jamie Stauffer (#727 Yamaha YZF-R1)
5. Geoff May (#99 Suzuki GSX-R1000)
6. Blake Young (#79 Suzuki GSX-R1000)
7. Ben Thompson (#907 Suzuki GSX-R1000)
8. Danny Eslick Suzuki (#69 GSX-R1000)
9. Chris Ulrich (#18 Suzuki GSX-R1000)
10. Robertino Caracas (#311 Suzuki GSX-R1000)
AMA Superstock Series Final Standings after Round 10
1. Ben Spies (Suzuki Yoshimura) 292pts/7 wins/7 top-3
2. Ben Bostrom (Graves Motorsports) 264pts/6 top-3
3. Aaron Yates (Jordan Suzuki) 251 pts/1 win/5 top-3
4. Geoff May (M4 EMGO Suzuki/Pirelli) 229pts/4 top-3
5. Scott Jensen (HALOF Racing/Suzuki) 207pts/1 top-3
6. Chris Ulrich (Roadracingworld.com/Suzuki) 203pts
7. Danny Eslick (Matsushima Suzuki/Dunlop) 198pts
8. Blake Young (American Suzuki) 194pts
9. Jake Holden (Jordan Suzuki) 183pts/1 win/4 top-3
10. Robertino Pietri (Roadracingworld.com) 155pts
Spies takes pole today, winner takes all tomorrow -ozzy go- amasuperbike.com
Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca, Monterey, CA, September 15, 2007
Laguna Seca Superbike Qualifying
1. Ben Spies (Suzuki GSX-R1000) 1:23.105
2. Mat Mladin (Suzuki GSX-R1000) 1:23.411
3. Jake Zemke (Honda CBR1000RR) 1:24.196
4. Aaron Yates (Suzuki GSX-R1000) 1:24.267
5. Roger Hayden (Kawasaki ZX-10R) 1:24.389
Laguna Seca Supestock Qualifying
1. Jake Holden (Suzuki GSX-R1000) 1:24.958
2. Aaron Yates (Suzuki GSX-R1000) 1:25.242
3. Ben Bostrom (Yamaha YZF-R1) 1:25.401
4. Geoff May (Suzuki GSX-R1000) 1:25.578
5. Jamie Stauffer (Yamaha YZF-R1) 1:25.769
Laguna Seca formula Xtreme Qualifying
1. Aaron Gobert (Honda CBR600RR) 1:25.839
2. Ben Attard (Kawasaki ZX-6R) 1:26.016
3. Larry Pegram (Ducati 749R) 1:26.576
4. Chris Peris (Yamaha YZF-R6) 1:26.728
5. Steve Rapp (Kawasaki ZX-6R) 1:26.754
Laguna Seca Supersport Qualifying
1. Josh Hayes (Honda CBR600RR) 1:26.706
2. Jamie Hacking (Kawasaki ZX-6R) 1:26.766
3. Josh Herrin (Yamaha YZF-R6) 1:27.108
4. Geoff May (Suzuki GSX-R600) 1:27.152
5. Roger Hayden (Kawasaki ZX-6R) 1:27.250
Past Laguna Seca winners -ozzy go- amasuperbike.com
AMA Superbike
’07 Ben Spies (Suzuki)
’06 Ben Spies (Suzuki)
’05 Eric Bostrom (Ducati)
’04 Ben Bostrom (Honda)
’03 Mat Mladin (Suzuki) Australia
’02 Eric Bostrom (Kawasaki)
’01 Eric Bostrom (Kawasaki)
’00 Nicky Hayden (Honda)
’99 Anthony Gobert (Ducati) Australia
’98 Miguel Duhamel (Honda) Canada
’97 Doug Chandler (Kawasaki)
’96 Doug Chandler (Kawasaki)
’95 Freddie Spencer (Ducati)
’94 Pascal Picotte (Ducati) Canada
’93 Doug Polen (Ducati)
’92 Doug Polen (Ducati)
’88 Bubba Shobert (Honda)
’87 Bubba Shobert (Honda)
’86 Wayne Rainey (Honda)
’85 John Ashmead (Honda)
’84 Fred Merkel (Honda)
’83 Wayne Rainey (Kawasaki)
’82 Eddie Lawson (Kawasaki)
’81 Eddie Lawson (Kawasaki)
’80 Freddie Spencer (Honda)
’79 Freddie Spencer (Kawasaki)
’78 Wes Colley (Suzuki)
’77 Steve McLaughlin (Kawasaki)
’76 Reg Pridmore (BMW)
AMA Superbike: Laguna Seca Preview -ozzy go- motorcycle-usa.com
This year's racing has been closer than ever in all AMA premier
racing series, both on dirt and on asphalt. Roadrace fans have
been treated to a battle royal in both AMA Superbike and the Pro
Honda Oils Supersport Championship presented by Shoei. The
entire six-month long season all comes down to Sunday's last
race, which will decide who will bring home the big championship
bonus in addition to the coveted Number-1 plate next year.
Yoshimura Suzuki teammates Ben Spies and Mat Mladin have
raced wheel to wheel all season long. Mladin and Spies have been
head and shoulders above the rest of the Superbike field - with
174 points separating the Yoshimura Suzuki duo from their closest
competitor, Honda's Jake Zemke. After teeter-tottering back and
forth in the point's battle, this year's championship all boils down
to one winner-take-all race at the picturesque Mazda Laguna Seca
Raceway in Monterey, California - a track that both riders know
well.
Spies has been the model of consistency all year. The young
Texan has been on the podium all 10 rounds, finishing no worse
then second place. Mladin on the other hand has had somewhat of
a less consistent season. The six-time series champ's season
started off poorly with a 10th place finish at Daytona - his worse
finish of the season. click on ozzy go to the full story
Steve Rapp Road Racer X Interview -ozzy go-
Tuesday Conversation: Steve Rapp September 11, 2007
Steve Rapp kicked the 2007 season off by winning the Daytona
200, then settled into a solid first year with the Attack Kawasaki
team. Though he hasn’t made it back to the top tier of the AMA
podium yet, Rapp has returned to the Lockhart Phillips Formula
Xtreme winner’s circle three times since Daytona and netted a
pair of thirds in the highly competitive Pro Honda Oils Supersport
class along the way. Jeff Feathers checked in with Rapp as the
series prepared for the final round. click on ozzy go to the
interview on roadracerx.com - pic from amasuperbike .com