Spies and Crutchlow on WSB and WSS poles
June 27, 2009 - Kenny Pryde
Ben Spies (Yamaha Italy) and Cal Crutchlow (Yamaha Germany) claimed both pole positions in Donington WSB and WSS ... Scroll down for the full story
Could anyone have been surprised by the outcome of final qualifying in either superbike or supersport classes at the Donington WSB weekend? Ben Spies (Yamaha Italia) did his robot arms thing to terrific effect, toppling Max Biaggi (Aprilia) and seeing off a challenge from Michel Fabrizio and our very own loveable man of Kent Shane Shakey Byrne, following up his great result from Misano last weekend. To be fair, the rain came on near the end of the session. But, to be fair, it probably wouldn't have made a bit difference to the pole position anyway. Spies pole time was 1-29.846, better than Troy Bayliss old 2007 record of 1-30.3. But the new fastest lap belonged to Michel Fabrizio (Xerox Ducati) who posted a 1-29.664 in the penultimate superpole session.
There was some cheer in the Aprilia garage though, with both Biaggi and Super Shinya Nakano making it to the final selection in superpole and both riders ending up on the front row.
There was less cheer for British wildcards, with Leon Camier in particular having a bit of a nightmare, making the top 20 cut but missing out of the top 16 battle, finishing in 17th. Ouch. Camier joined the Craner club, crashing out halfway down as he flicked to the left in an earlier free practice session, wrecking his number one bike. His Airwaves Yamaha team mate James Ellison fared a little better and will occupy 14th on the grid, three places in front of Camier. Meanwhile Simon Andrews (MSS Colchester Kawasaki) struggled with recalcitrant forks which needed to be replaced on Saturday morning. Andrews' time of 1-32.343 will see him start in 26th out of 31. Considering he went quicker in the Donington BSB round, you can understand why he was disappointed.
In supersport qualifying earlier in the afternoon, Cal Crutchlow and Eugene Laverty (Parkalgar Honda) duked it out, with Joan Lascorz (Motocard Kawasaki) getting in on the act for a while till Crutchlow and Laverty got down to business in the final two minutes of the qualifying session. Only a muppet would bet against the two Brits beating each other up in the race and, if they don't take each other out, surely one of them will win?
In the European superstock 600 class, Gino Rea, the young Surrey rider with Ten Kate Honda (and a George White superbike store sticker...) qualified second behind Daniele Petrucci on the Yamaha Italia Junior R6.
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