Ben Spies (Yamaha) set the quickest time on the opening day of qualifying action at the Losail circuit in Qatar. The three-times AMA Superbike champion – and race 2 winner at Phillip Island – dominated qualifying, ending the one-hour session with a time of 1 minute 58.886 seconds, eight-tenths of a second off the best time set by Troy Corser (Yamaha) last year.

“Today went pretty good, the result will be more important Saturday but every time I come to the track with Yamaha the bike is getting better and it’s already such a fun bike to ride” declared Spies. “The team’s working really good, but there are so many people that are fast out there that if you have just an OK session you end up behind. It’s going to be a tough year, but we’re clicking off session by session and we’ll see where we’re going to end up.”

 

once he works out the kinks, its gonna be the "ben and nori" show for every race.

 

Hell yeah I love it! Go Ben, or as the Italians say Ben EH Spies EH!!! Too bad he got pushed off in race 1 I hope that doesn't hurt him later in the season.

 

On yet another track He's never ridden on before. Damn!

 

It's amazing the quick turnaround WSBK has made since everyone said it would go to **** when Edwards and Bayliss left for GP and they went to spec Pirellis. In a few years it now and once again is by far the most exciting bike racing to watch. Maybe DMG should take some ****** notes...

Good on ya Ben! I hope he keeps it up for a long time, this kid's obviously the real deal.