Young snatches Mid-Ohio SuperBike pole

From AMA Pro Racing

LEXINGTON, OH - With just a few points separating the leaders in the AMA Pro Racing premier classes, the Honda Supercycle Weekend presented by Dunlop Tire at Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course in Lexington, OH is set to be a pivotal round. Provisional and final qualifying was fast and furious.

In AMA Pro National Guard SuperBike, current points leader and reigning champion Josh Hayes continued to hold sway in qualifying on Friday. The Monster Energy Graves Yamaha rider has swept all the pole positions this season and claimed the provisional pole at Mid-Ohio thanks to a fastest lap time of 1:25.639. Hayes set the pace early on the undulating, 15-turn, 2.4-mile course, and then raised the bar toward the end of the 50-minute session.

Rockstar Makita Suzuki's Blake Young, who's just two points shy of Hayes in the overall points standings, was also right behind him in qualifying after posting a fast lap of 1:25.713. Young and Hayes were the only riders in the 1:25-second range. National Guard Michal Jordan Motorsports Suzuki's Roger slotted in third (1:26.093) with Young's Rockstar Makita Suzuki teammate Tommy (1:26.146) just behind.

When Saturday broke out its sunny skies, however, Hayes was forced to cede that pole to Young, the first rider to break Hayes' 2011 pole streak. Not content with that accomplishment, a subdued Young, in a post-qualifying press conference, said, "I just feel like we left a lot on the table on that lap."

Young -- who will head up a front row that includes Hayes, Roger Hayden, and local Ohio boy Larry Pegram (Foremost Insurance/Pegram Racing) -- will have a chance to prove exactly how much more speed he can find at 3:15 p.m. EST on Saturday.

Calgary's Chris Peris will start eighth on his Team Iron Horse BMW / ESP BMW S1000RR.

AMA Pro Daytona SportBike saw GEICO Powersports Suzuki's Danny Eslick take provisional pole on a track where he's claimed multiple victories. Eslick currently holds a four-point lead in the series and demonstrated his considerable prowess by posting a fast lap of 1:29.723. Eslick was the only Daytona SportBike rider turning 29s.

Behind Eslick was Jake Holden (1:30.037) of the JHR/RidersDiscount.com team and Jason DiSalvo (1:30.199) of Team Latus Motors Racing. The last spot on the provisional front row went to Monster Energy Graves Yamaha's Josh Herrin (1:30.398), a four-time winner in the class this year.

When it came time for final qualifying, however, it was Herrin who took over the P1 position. He'll be joined on the front row by Eslick (who didn't feel well enough to contend Saturday's session), DiSalvo, and Holden.

Burlington, ON racer Emerson Connor will start 21st on his Ducshop Ducati 848. Daytona SportBike Race 1 goes green at 2:00 p.m. EST on Saturday.

In AMA Pro Motorcycle-Superstore.com SuperSport, Dustin Dominguez captured his first AMA Pro provisional pole position on his unique Team Latus Motors Triumph with a fast lap of 1:31.673 on Friday. Behind Dominguez was recent Barber winner and East Division SuperSport points leader James Rispoli (ANT-Racing.com/STAR School Suzuki) with a time of 1:31.837, and then Hayden Gillim with a best time of 1:32.118. Finally, Tomas Puerta of LTD Racing Y.E.S. Yamaha earned fourth on the grid, thanks to a time of 1:32.978.

Those positions didn't change in final qualifying, as Dominguez, like the rest of the front row, retained the position he earned late Friday. Motorcycle-Superstore.com SuperSport Race 1 will kick off Saturday's racing at 1:00 p.m. EST.

Ben Young of Thornbury, ON has the 15th starting spot on his Fogi Racing Yamaha YZF-R6.

The AMA Pro Vance & Hines XR1200 class will finished out the day with a 4:15 p.m. qualifying session.

TV coverage of Saturday's racing begins at 10 p.m. EST on SPEED. For a complete broadcast schedule, visit www.speedtv.com/schedule.

SuperBike Qualifying Results
1. Blake Young (Rockstar ·Makita ·Suzuki) Suzuki GSX-R1000 1:25.025
2. Josh Hayes (Monster Energy Graves Yamaha) Yamaha YZF-R1 +0.336
3. Roger Hayden (National Guard Jordan Suzuki) Suzuki GSX-R1000 +0.434
4. Larry Pegram (Pegram Racing) BMW S1000RR +0.734
5. Tommy Hayden (Rockstar ·Makita ·Suzuki) Suzuki GSX-R1000 +0.829
6. Steve Rapp (San Diego BMW/Locust Powered by Lee`s Cycle) BMW S1000RR +0.832
7. Ben Bostrom (Jordan Suzuki) Suzuki GSX-R1000 +1.039
8. Chris Peris (Team Iron Horse BMW ·ESP) BMW S1000RR +1.180
9. Chris Fillmore (KTM/HMC Racing) KTM RC8R +1.886
10. David Anthony (ADR Fly Racing) Suzuki GSX-R1000 +1.972
11. Martin Cardenas (M4 Suzuki) Suzuki GSX-R1000 +2.379
12. Geoff May (Amsoil EBR Racing) EBR 1190RS +2.518
13. Jeremy Toye (San Diego BMW/Locust Powered by Lee`s Cycle) BMW S1000RR +2.526
14. JD Beach (Cycle World Attack Performance) Kawasaki ZX-10R +2.569
15. Shane Narbonne (DASPerformance.com) Suzuki GSX-R1000 +3.091
16. Chris Clark (Yamaha Extended Service, Pat Clark Sports, Graves, Yamaha) Yamaha YZF-R1 +3.184
17. Chris Trounson (San Diego BMW/Locust Powered by Lee`s Cycle) BMW S1000RR +3.803
18. Chris Ulrich (M4 Suzuki) Suzuki GSX-R1000 +3.826
19. Jordan Burgess (ADR Fly Racing) Suzuki GSX-R1000 +4.421
20. Jason Farrell (Speed Tech Performance) Kawasaki ZX-10R +4.422
21. Reese Wacker (Wacker Racing LLC) Suzuki GSX-R1000 +5.257
22. Eric Pinson (Go 4 One) Kawasaki ZX-10R +5.827
23. Johnny Rock Page (ADR Fly Racing) Suzuki GSX-R1000 +6.194
24. Scotty Van Hawk (Four Feathers Racing) Suzuki GSX-R1000 +6.429