Spies takes maiden pole at home

Added on Saturday, August 28th, 2010 by Carole Nash Editor | No Comments

Spies secures first MotoGP pole

Local hero Ben Spies secured his first pole position in MotoGP today, ahead of tomorrow’s race at the infamous Indianapolis circuit in America.

After recording a blinding lap just two laps from the end of the session Spies rocketed to his first pole position in the premier class, just beating championship leader Jorge Lorenzo to the privilege. To ensure the American fans were given a top show, Spies’ countryman Nicky Hayden completed the front row of the grid in third.

After previously holding provisional pole position earlier on in the session, Andrea Dovizioso was bumped down the order to fourth, narrowly missing out on a front row starting position. Meanwhile, his Repsol Honda teammate, Dani Pedrosa secured a fifth place start, firmly insight of the front of the grid.

Despite setting the fastest time in both free practice sessions earlier in the day, Casey Stoner could only manage sixth fastest, just ahead of a frustrated Valentino Rossi in seventh, regardless of the Italian falling from his FIAT Yamaha with around five minutes of the session remaining.

Marco Simoncelli also suffered a crash during the frantic qualifying session, however still secured an eighth place starting position. Just behind, Colin Edwards and Loris Capirossi will complete the top ten, lining up ninth and tenth, respectively.

Just out of the top ten, Alvaro Bautista will start eleventh, with Marco Melandri and Hiroshi Aoyama twelfth and thirteenth. Aleix Espargaro suffered a fall, which left him in fourteenth place, while Ma Kallio, Hector Barbera and Randy De Puniet complete the field.

Pos.	Rider	Nation	Team	Time
1	Ben SPIES	USA	Monster Yamaha Tech 3	1′40.105
2	Jorge LORENZO	SPA	Fiat Yamaha Team	1′40.325
3	Nicky HAYDEN	USA	Ducati Team	1′40.336
4	Andrea DOVIZIOSO	ITA	Repsol Honda Team	1′40.559
5	Dani PEDROSA	SPA	Repsol Honda Team	1′40.637
6	Casey STONER	AUS	Ducati Team	1′40.664
7	Valentino ROSSI	ITA	Fiat Yamaha Team	1′41.005
8	Marco SIMONCELLI	ITA	San Carlo Honda Gresini	1′41.092
9	Colin EDWARDS	USA	Monster Yamaha Tech 3	1′41.232
10	Loris CAPIROSSI	ITA	Rizla Suzuki MotoGP	1′41.512
11	Alvaro BAUTISTA	SPA	Rizla Suzuki MotoGP	1′41.534
12	Marco MELANDRI	ITA	San Carlo Honda Gresini	1′41.623
13	Hiroshi AOYAMA	JPN	Interwetten Honda MotoGP	1′41.631
14	Aleix ESPARGARO	SPA	Pramac Racing Team	1′41.649
15	Mika KALLIO	FIN	Pramac Racing Team	1′41.856
16	Hector BARBERA	SPA	Paginas Amarillas Aspar	1′41.896
17	Randy DE PUNIET	FRA	LCR Honda MotoGP	1′41.923