31/05/2008 11:55 AM
Troy Bayliss set a blistering pace to secure provisional pole position for the sixth round of the World Superbikes series in Salt Lake City.
The Ducati Xerox ace clocked a lap record time of one minute 49.394 seconds at the Miller Motorsports Park as the series returns to the United States for the first time in four years.
The Australian, who leads the riders' standings on 194 points, finished 0.245secs ahead of compatriot Troy Corser (Yamaha Motor Italia WSB), with Spaniard Carlos Checa (Hannspree Ten Kate Honda) third fastest.
Jakub Smrz and Michel Fabrizio ensured Ducati would have a strong presence inside the top five, while the field was extremely tight going into qualifying session two with one second separating Corser in second place and 14th-placed Regis Laconi.
None of the weekend's competitors had previously experienced the 3.048-mile track, which opened in 2006, and times were lowered throughout the day as their familiarity with the circuit improved.
Corser thought he had done enough, when, with eight minutes to go, he deposed Checa, who had been the first rider to dip below one min 50secs, from provisional pole.
But he was soon overtaken by his compatriot.
Bayliss, competing in the United States for the first time since 2005 when he came sixth at Laguna Seca in MotoGP, set his fastest lap with seven minutes to go in the qualifying session and the gap was maintained.
"I'm very happy with how we've gone seeing as it's our first time here," said Bayliss.
"I like the track a lot, it reminds me a little of Qatar and the surface is similar to that of Misano, with a few little bumps and things here and there."
Bayliss hopes to lower his track best in the second qualifying session.
"The times are already fast, and we hope to go even faster tomorrow," he added.
"We've already made good progress and we pretty much know already what we're going to use in the race tyre-wise."
"The weather is supposed to get hotter and it's a very physical track so that will definitely make for some great racing."