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Suzuki’s Spies, Mladin Set Stage for Epic Battle at Infineon
April 30, 2008 Suzuki riders Ben Spies and Mat Mladin have set the stage for
what should be an epic battle on the twisting road course at Infineon
Raceway at the Kawasaki AMA Superbike Showdown, presented by Supercuts,
May 16-18. Spies, who missed testing time after Daytona (Fla.) following
knee surgery, swept this past weekend’s Superbike doubleheader at Auto
Club Speedway in Fontana, narrowing his deficit in the Superbike points
standings to 20 (178-158) entering Sonoma. Spies’ victory in the 28-lap feature on Sunday was
thrilling, as he took the checkers over his Suzuki teammate by just 0.011
seconds. Mladin, a six-time AMA Superbike national champion who holds the
career mark with eight Superbike wins in Sonoma, led the entire race
before being overtaken by Spies on the final lap in what amounted to a
photo finish. The victory came in stark difference from the first Superbike
feature of the weekend on Saturday as Spies won by more than 20 seconds.
Mladin had opened the season with a win at Daytona, as well as a
doubleheader sweep in Alabama. Both riders have enjoyed a tremendous amount of success at
Infineon Raceway. Mladin has eight Superbike wins in Sonoma, while
Spies has won twice in Superbike (sweep in 2006), as well as once in
Supersport (2004), Superstock (2007) and Formula Xtreme (2003). San Francisco native Jake Zemke (Erion Honda) will also enter
Sonoma flying high after winning the Formula Xtreme main event in Fontana.
Teammate Josh Hayes, who swept Formula Xtreme and Supersport in Sonoma in
2007, was second. Zemke nearly won the Pro Honda Oils Supersport feature but
came up just short to another Bay Area product, Ben Bostrom (Petaluma High
School graduate). Bostrom took the win over Zemke by just 0.079 seconds
aboard his Graves Motorsports Yamaha. Steve Rapp, a graduate of Acalanes
High School in the East Bay, was fourth in Formula Xtreme and ninth in
Supersport riding a Kawasaki. For tickets to the Kawasaki AMA Superbike Showdown, presented
by Supercuts, call 800-870-RACE or visit ww.infineonraceway.com. Parking
is FREE all weekend, and children 12-and-under are also FREE all weekend. Kawasaki AMA Superbike Showdown WHAT: Big O Tires Racing Season Presents: Kawasaki AMA
Superbike Showdown, presented by Supercuts WHEN: May 16-18 CIRCUIT: 12-turn, 2.22-mile road course 2007 SUPERBIKE POLE WINNER: Ben Spies (Suzuki) 2007 SUPERBIKE WINNER: Mat Mladin (Suzuki). Mladin won both
ends of the doubleheader. NOTABLE: The race weekend will feature a doubleheader of AMA
Superbike racing, as well as Supermoto USA, Motocross and SB Freaks Street
Freestyle. TICKETS: $15-$35 single day/$60 weekend; 12-and-under
FREE and parking FREE. Discount tickets are also available at
participating Kawasaki dealers.
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