Record-breaking rookie and 2009 World Superbike Champion Ben Spies reckons the fact he has won the title ahead of seasoned campaigner Noriyuki Haga at Portimao today will take a while to sink in.
The three-times AMA Champion, who will take the number one plate to MotoGP next year, scorched to the win in race one and settled for fifth in the second outing in order to lift the title.
"We had a really good first race, in the second we did what we had to do to win. It was quite difficult to keep it in check as the pace was pretty fast, I saw I had a couple of people behind me and I knew that if Nori won I had to be in sixth and that’s where I was so I tried to get a bit of a gap on them and stay out of trouble," said the Texan.
"Max came through the inside of me and ran off a couple of times which really freaked me out so I went to get past him and then settled in for some nice fast laps to the end. It’s been a spectacular day and I can’t thank those people enough that have been behind me.
"It’s been incredible to do it for Yamaha, and especially in my first year here. I don’t think I really realize what’s happening right now but I’m sure it’s going to hit me in a couple of days.”
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