Cycle News Staff | July 24, 2009
Aprilia’s Max Biaggi backed up his fast lap in the morning by taking the provisional pole for the Czech Republic round of the World Superbike Championship at the Autodromo Brno.Biaggi lapped the 3.36-mile course in 1:59.982 mins. at the end of the hour. The lap quicker than the 2:01.353 he’d turned in the morning, but still down on the 1:59.125 best lap from last year’s first qualifying session.Ducati Xerox’s Michel Fabrizio, who’d been on top for most of the hour, finished with the second best time, a 2:00.066 in a session that finished with the top ten riders on the same second.Hannspree Ten Kate Honda’s Carlos Checa was third fastest, just in front of Yamaha’s Ben Spies.Spies came into the weekend trailing world championship leader Nori Haga (Ducati Xerox) by 14 points. Haga, who’s still on the mend from injuries suffered in the previous race at Donington Park, could only manage the 15th fastest time and isn’t likely to be a factor in Sunday’s two races.Haga’s teammate Lorenzo Lanzi leads off the provisional second row from BMW’s Troy Corser, Aprilia’s Shinya Nakano, and Biaggi’s teammate Reuben Xaus.Kawasaki’s best result came from ninth fastest Broc Parkes, one spot better than Alstare Suzuki Brux’s lone representative Yukio Kagayama. The team didn’t replace the injured Max Neukirchner in Brno.The rest of the provisional third row is filled by Sterilgarda Ducati’s Shane Byrne and John Hopkins on the Stiggy Racing Honda. Hopkins had been second fastest to Biaggi in the morning free practice.
Friday Qualifying:
1. Max Biaggi (Aprilia) 1:59.982
2. Michel Fabrizio (Ducati) 2:00.066
3. Carlos Checa (Honda) 2:00.205
4. Ben Spies (Yamaha) 2:00.558
5. Lorenzo Lanzi (Ducati) 2:00.581
6. Troy Corser (BMW) 2:00.603
7. Shinya Nakano (Aprilia) 2:00.648
8. Reuben Xaus (BMW) 2:00.731
9. Broc Parkes (Kawasaki) 2:00.887
10. Yukio Kagayama (Suzuki) 2:00.958
11. Shane Byrne (Ducati) 2:01.017
12. John Hopkins (Honda) 2:01.021
13. Jonathan Rea (Honda) 2:01.023
14. Jakub Smrz (Ducati) 2:01.031
15. Nori Haga (Ducati) 2:01.061
