WSBK: While Rossi Looks for the Ocho at Mugello, Spies Looks for the Septo at Miller

World Superbike has landed on American soil with its first stop in the States: Miller Motorsports Park. The track based in Salt Lake City is playing host to WSBK for the second time in its history, and because of injuries a participated in the today’s events. With the AMA series sharing a stop at Miller, it should come as no surprise that one of “dem good old boys” was at the top of the Superpole podium.

Jamie Hacking lead the charge in the first round of Superpole qualifying, followed closely by Ben Spies, who is searching for his seventh Superpole in a row. The American duo set the tone for the rest of the day, and worked their way all the way into the final round.

In the second round of qualifying, Spies showed why he is the master of the Superpole, and quickly took matters into his own hands. Meanwhile, Max Biaggi crashed his Aprilia RSV4 with 6 minutes to go in the session, before he could clock in a lap time. Right after he went down, he leapt onto a scooter and was rushed back to the pits, where he got on his spare bike out just in time to go out for another lap. Unfortunately for Biaggi, as he went out very light rain started, and he failed to improve his time from the previous round. It was at this point the weather in Salt Lake City started to play a factor into the Superpole competition.

In the third and last round of Superpole racing, Carlos Checa took an early lead, but it didn’t last long as Ben Spies dropped the hammer down with just 7 minutes to go, with a time of 1’48.344.

This would be the fastest time of the day, as Spies upped the ante just before the rain really began to fall at Miller. This meant that Ben was assured his his 7th Superpole in a row, taking the pole record from fellow American Doug Polen. Jamie Hacking couldn’t improve his position in the last round of qualifying, and will start from the 8th position on the grid.

Results from World Superbike at Miller Motorsports Park Superpole: