Herrin Shows Early Speed at Barber

Henny Ray Abrams | September 24, 2010

LEEDS, ALABAMA, SEPT. 24 – Team Graves Yamaha’s Josh Herrin showed early speed by taking the provisional pole in Daytona SportBike qualifying on a hot, sunny Friday afternoon at Barber Motorsports Park.Herrin is in the middle of a three-way battle for the championship, with Danny Eslick (Geico Powersports/RMR Suzuki’s) 11 points ahead and Martin Cardenas (M4 Monster Energy Suzuki) only one point behind.Of the three, Herrin had the most productive session. He’d been fastest in the morning, despite crashing after tucking the front, and spent more time on the track than the others, as well as more time at the top. He finished the 50-minute session with a best lap of 1:28.578 mins. for the 2.38-mile track.The gap to second was a healthy .307 secs. and it was over a rider not in the championship chase. Project 1 Atlanta’s Clinton Seller broke up the title hunters by slotting into second, a position Yamaha would like to see him equal in the race to steal a few points from Eslick.Eslick was third and in the middle of a tight trio. The number one plate holder was only .027 sec. behind Sellers and .048 sec. up on Cardenas. He’d lost considerable time by crashing early in qualifying, but he was back out at the end when everyone was at his best.Tommy Aquino put the second Team Graves Yamaha into fifth and only .013 sec. faster than Dane Westby on the second Project 1 Atlanta Yamaha.

Friday Daytona SportBike Qualifying:

1. Josh Herrin (Yamaha) 1:28.578

2. Clinton Seller (Yamaha) 1:28.885

3. Danny Eslick (Suzuki) 1:28.912

4. Martin Cardenas (Suzuki) 1:28.960

5. Tommy Aquino (Yamaha) 1:29.071

6. Dane Westby (Yamaha) 1:29.084

7. P.J. Jacobsen (Suzuki) 1:29.488

8. Cory West (Suzuki) 1:29.732

9. Steve Rapp (Ducati) 1:29.914

10. Paul Allison (Yamaha) 1:30.035