Ben Spies finishes stronger than ever at the 2009 Valencia MotoGP

November 8, 12:43 PMDC Motorcycle Travel ExaminerMark Poesch

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With less than five hours at the Valencia MotoGP on his new #11 MotoGP bike, Ben Spies continued to aim only “to get more time on the bike.”  After qualifying ninth, we might have expected him to set his sights higher, but instead he stated, “…if we got a top ten, that’s not really a goal of mine, honestly…if it turned into a top ten, that would be a win for me… that’s not really even a goal though.”

MotoGP rider Ben Spies from USA of the Yamaha factory racing speaks during a news conference with riders at the Cheste race track near Valencia, Spain, on Thursday, Nov. 5, 2009. The Valencia Moto Grand Prix will take place Sunday, Nov. 8. (AP Photo/Alberto Saiz)

But, earlier in the interview, he may have spoken too soon when 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.

Not going to happen overnight, indeed!  Clearly, in the latter half of the race, Ben’s trust in the bike and himself had improved dramatically.  After moving through the field throughout the race, with six laps to go, he passed Andre Dovizioso (#4) to move into seventh.

Not only would this pass secure his status as a top-10 performer in this last MotoGP race of the season, it would also push his teammate, Colin Edwards (#5), just one point ahead of Andre Dovizioso in the point standings: a fifth place finish in the World Championship for #5.

However, what is most notable about the interview is that he speaks in the third person, using peculiar-sounding phrases such as “every time we get on the bike.”  So, while he may be the only one physically on the bike out on the track, he is clearly aware that his whole team is on the bike with him and that they’re in the race together.

Congratulations Ben on a fantastic performance at Valencia, and best wishes for the 2010 MotoGP season!

For more information:
- Valentino Rossi punctuates his 2009 MotoGP World Championship victory
- Jorge Lorenzo secures second place in the MotoGP World Championship
- Heartbreak for Casey Stoner at the Valencia MotoGP 2009 season finale
- Ben Spies steps up his game at Valencia MotoGP
- Ben Spies prepares to step into James Toseland's shoes - testing at Valencia MotoGP