Suzuki’s Mat Mladin posted the best time as top riders competed at a Yamaha-sponsored AMA Superbike Test Session at Infineon Raceway.
More than 200 race fans attended Tuesday’s test session, billed as Two-Wheel Thunder, and they weren’t disappointed as Mladin clocked a time of 1 minute, 34.76 seconds over the 12-turn, 2.22-mile road course. The time bettered the actual track qualifying record for Superbikes, which Suzuki’s Ben Spies owns at 1:34.991 (set in 2008).
The teams were testing in advance of the Kawasaki AMA Superbike Showdown, presented by Supercuts, May 16-18, in the Sonoma Valley.
Mladin, a six-time AMA Superbike champion, is also the defending champion at Infineon Raceway, having swept the doubleheader in 2007. He holds the track record with eight Superbike wins in Sonoma.
"You know, as far as layout goes, (Infineon Raceway is) certainly one of my most favorite racetracks anywhere," Mladin said.
Fourteen riders from Kawasaki, Attack Kawasaki, Yamaha, Suzuki, Honda and Corona Extra Honda attended the test, which concludes on Wednesday.
Mladin was followed by Yamaha’s Jason DiSalvo (1:35.68) and Kawasaki’s Jamie Hacking (1:36.30).
In addition to the AMA testing, race fans were treated to Supermoto USA racing, SBFreaks Freestyle demonstrations and Track Talk with top riders including Mladin and track-favorite Miguel Duhamel (Honda).
