Spies Leads Opening Practice

Cycle News Staff | June 26, 2009

Ben Spies led today’s opening practice session at Donington Park, the Yamaha man lapping at 1:30.962 on one of the few racetracks on the World Superbike calendar that he’s raced on before.Spies ended up as the only rider to crack into the 1:30 barrier and that put him clear of British wild card entrant Leon Camier and his Airwaves Yamaha R1. The Brits were tough at their home circuit, with five of them in the top 10.Stiggy Honda’s Leon Haslam ended up third with Ducati Xerox’s Michel Fabrizio fourth and former British Superibke Champion Gregorio Lavilla filled the top five on his Guandalini Ducati. Lavilla’s teammate Jakub Smrz ended up sixth.Stiggy Honda’s John Hopkins was an impressive seventh after missing his comeback ride last weekend in Misano as he continues to recover from his dislocated hip. Then came Spies’s teammate Tom Sykes, Shane Byrne and James Ellison to round out the top 10.The third and fourth Americans in the field ended up 24th and 27th with Kawasaki fill-in rider Jamie Hacking besting Alstare Suzuki replacement rider Blake Young, respectively.Friday Practice1.                  Ben Spies (Yamaha) 1:30.962

2.                  Leon Camier (Yamaha) 1:31.962

3.                  Leon Haslam (Honda) 1:31.209

4.                  Michel Fabrizio (Ducati) 1:31.604

5.                  Gregorio Lavilla (Ducat) 1:31.702

6.                  Jakub Smrz (Ducati) 1:31.709

7.                  John Hopkins (Honda) 1:31.894

8.                  Tom Sykes (Yamaha) 1:31.945

9.                  Shane Byrne (Ducati) 1:31.981

10.                  James Ellison (Yamaha) 1:32.11824. Jamie Hacking (Kawasaki) 1:33.76627. Blake Young (Suzuki) 1:34.383