Brad Baker Opens Springfield Mile Top Qualifier
Larry Lawrence | May 24, 2015
Photography by Larry Lawrence
Factory Harley-Davidson rider Brad Baker emerged the fastest rider in timed qualifying at the Springfield Mile Sunday morning. Baker raced his No. 6 factory Harley-Davidson XR750 to a time of 35.580 around the historic mile to lead the way. The surprise of qualifying was Brandon Robinson, who pushed the Castrol Triumph to second with a 35.887. Baker and Robinson were the only two riders to break into the 35-second bracket.
“The track was a little dry and sketchy in places,” Baker said. “They prepped it thinking we’d get some rain, but it should get better as the day goes on.”
Third fastest was Johnny Lewis on the Lloyd Brothers Ducati. Stevie Bonsey and Henry Wiles rounded out the top five.
All eyes were on former World Superbike champion Troy Bayliss on the second Lloyd Brothers Ducati. Bayliss was 41st, with a 38.091, but was getting quicker with each session as the track began to form a groove.
“In the first session with the track all patchy I was way out of my comfort zone,”Bayliss admitted. “But then the groove started coming in and I felt a lot more comfortable.”
There was a brief shower that made for maybe a 10-minute delay.
Daytona 200 winner Danny Eslick was also on a steep learning curve as he came back to flat track racing. Eslick was 36th fastest with a 37.414.
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