Ben Spies shatters all expectations in Valencia MotoGP testing

November 11, 8:34 AMDC Motorcycle Travel ExaminerMark Poesch

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After dominating AMA Superbike in 2006 through 2008 and World Superbike in 2009, Ben Spies (MotoGP #11) has been selected by Yamaha to move up to their MotoGP team.  Now, it appears, Ben is poised to dominate the 2010 MotoGP premier class.

MotoGP Yamaha rider Ben Spies of the U.S., foreground, takes a curve ahead of MotoGP Suzuki rider Cris Vermeulen of Australia during free practice for Sunday's Motorcycle Grand Prix, at the Cheste race track just outside of Valencia, Spain, Friday, Nov. 6, 2009. (AP Photo/Paul White)

Last Friday, Ben began free practice with a very limited goal: “the whole reason is to get more time on the bike – it’s basically three more days of testing.”  He finished with the 12th best time, just 0.187 seconds behind Toseland’s top lap time of the day 1’34.865 (+2.052).

He raised expectations to a new level when on Saturday, he qualified ninth for the Valencia MotoGP, just 1.283 seconds behind the fastest rider, Casey Stoner (#27).

His performance in the race was very strong, and demonstrated that his riding skill and discipline are translating well from World Superbike, as he acclimates to his MotoGP bike. Before the race, he said:

Right now, the bike’s great, the tires are great, it’s more me. I’m slowly building trust with everything. And, like I said, it wasn’t something that’s going to happen overnight.

After just a few short hours on his new MotoGP bike, he finished the 7th in the Valencia MotoGP race, ahead of experienced MotoGP riders including Andrea Dovizioso (#4), Mika Kallio (#36), Alex De Angelis (#15), Randy De Puniet (#14), and James Toseland (#52).

And, continuing in a low-key fashion, he, almost reluctantly, acknowledged improving his lap time on Tuesday to 4th best. An accomplishment that puts him in the running with Jorge Lorenzo’s freshman performance, but with a maturity and discipline that should help him to avoid a few of Lorenzo’s 2008 season missteps, and the spectacular crashes that resulted.

Behind only Jorge Lorenzo (#99) by 1.003s, Casey Stoner (#27) by 0.746s, and nine-time MotoGP World Champion Valentino Rossi (#46) by 0.413s, Ben’s performance puts him into the big leagues with “the aliens” as Colin Edwards describes them, saying “I wanna set orbit out and see if I can find out where they’re living at, cause whatever they had for breakfast, I just need to know that.”

So, perhaps Spies isn’t a rock star, but he may be one of the aliens!

Yamaha's Valentino Rossi of Italy, right, is chased by the Honda of third placed Daniel Pedrosa, of Spain, and by Yamaha's Jorge Lorenzo of Spain, second placed during the San Marino MotoGP at the Misano circuit, in Misano, Italy, Sunday, Sept. 6, 2009. (AP Photo/Gregorio Borgia)

For more information:
- Ben Spies finishes stronger than ever at the 2009 Valencia MotoGP
- Ben Spies steps up his game at Valencia MotoGP
- Ben Spies prepares to step into James Toseland's shoes - testing at Valencia MotoGP