Corser’s Flyer

Paul Carruthers | June 28, 2008

Ruben Xaus proved to be the surprise of today’s Superpole session at the Misano Circuit in Italy, the Spaniard improving from 10th in regular qualifying to take the top spot for the majority of Superpole. In the end it came down to whether one or both of the Troys could go faster. And they did. Both of them. First it was Troy Bayliss who did the deed, his 1:36.106 marginally faster than Xaus’s 1:36.189, and then came Corser – the Yamaha man the fastest of the fast in regular qualifying. Corser’s lap was blisteringly fast – a 1:35.993 – and it earned him his second pole position of the season and the 42nd of his World Superbike career, setting him up for what he hopes will be his first race wins of the year. Corser and his Yamaha also ended up holding back a horde of Ducatis with the Italian bikes taking the next six spots on the grid. Bayliss held on for second with Xaus still impressive in third, just .196 off Corser’s best. Bayliss’s Xerox Ducati teammate Michel Fabrizio was next, the Italian less than half a second off Corser to fill the front row of the grid for tomorrow’s two races. The second row will be led by Xaus’s teammate Max Biaggi with two more Ducatis alongside – Lorenzo Lanzi’s and Jakub Smrz’. The second row will be filled by Regis Laconi on the Kawasaki. Row three will feature Alstare Suzuki’s Fonsi Nieto and Max Neukirchner and the Hannspree Ten Kate Honda of Carlos Checa. Kawasaki’s Makato Tamada rounds out the second row. Yamaha’s Noriyuki Haga ended a disappointing Superpole in 14th, the same spot he held in regular qualifying.

Superpole 1. Troy Corser (Yamaha) 1:35.993 2. Troy Bayliss (Ducati) 1:36.106 3. Ruben Xaus (Ducati) 1:36.189 4. Michel Fabrizio (Ducati) 1:36.403 5. Max Biaggi (Ducati) 1:36.506 6. Lorenzo Lanzi (Ducati) 1:609 7. Jakub Smrz (Ducati) 1:36.652 8. Regis Laconi (Kawasakis) 1:36.691 9. Fonsi Nieto (Suzuki) 1:36.746 10. Max Neukirchner (Suzuki) 1:36.856

Paul Carruthers | Editor

Paul Carruthers took over as the editor of Cycle News in 1993 after serving as associate editor since starting his career at the publication in 1985. Carruthers has covered every facet of the sport in his near-28-year tenure at America's Daily Motorcycle News Source.