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AMA Pro Superbike
AMA SBK: More Than Just Another Race
The Mat Mladin/Ben Spies rivalry took on increased significance when they dueled at Road Atlanta. The same might prove true for Josh Hayes and Blake Young.
Legends Mat Mladin and Ben Spies reigned during a very different era of AMA Superbike racing (Photo: Brian J Nelson)
PROGRAMMING NOTE: The AMA Pro Superbike and SportBike races from Road Atlanta will air Saturday, April 21 starting at 8:30pm ET and Sunday, April 22 starting at 11:00pm ET on SPEED. The SuperSport races will air LIVE on SPEED2 at 1:00pm ET on Saturday and 1:15pm ET on Sunday. The XR1200 race will air LIVE on SPEED2 at 12:30pm ET.
At some unidentified point along the way -- perhaps after 50, 60, or 70-some victories -- a scene repeated itself in media centers around the United States. Following a(nother) Mat Mladin victory, a local press wag would invariably ask the multi-time champ exactly what it was about that particular track that suited his style so well.
Mat would put on that Mat look and say, "Well, when you've won (fill in the blank) odd races, you've had a lot of success at a lot of places."
However, Road Atlanta was the exception. Mladin wasn't just good at Road Atlanta because he was good everywhere -- there really was something about the circuit and he took pride in his Georgia supremacy.
Even though the track has been heavily modified over the years -- the elimination of Gravity Cavity and a rethink of a final turn once been described by Marty Craggill as "the most dangerous corner in the world" among the more radical -- it has not been neutered. Road Atlanta still stands as a track where the limits of a rider's skill, bravery, and tactics are tested.
Mladin racked up 14 wins at the track during his AMA Pro Superbike career. Heading into 2008's Sunday Race 2 he had scored nine of ten victories at the venue including the previous five in succession. For World Superbike-bound Ben Spies, that day would be his last-ever chance to beat Mladin at 'his' circuit. And having been defeated on track seven races in a row by his rival, Spies' confidence had started to suffer and he badly needed a big win to turn things back around.
It didn't seem to be in the cards as Mladin again ripped out to a big lead early, pulling more than 3.5-seconds clear of the Texan. However, Spies somehow clawed his way back into contention, tracked Mat down, and ultimately beat him to the checkered flag.
At some unidentified point along the way -- perhaps after 50, 60, or 70-some victories -- a scene repeated itself in media centers around the United States. Following a(nother) Mat Mladin victory, a local press wag would invariably ask the multi-time champ exactly what it was about that particular track that suited his style so well.
Mat would put on that Mat look and say, "Well, when you've won (fill in the blank) odd races, you've had a lot of success at a lot of places."
However, Road Atlanta was the exception. Mladin wasn't just good at Road Atlanta because he was good everywhere -- there really was something about the circuit and he took pride in his Georgia supremacy.
Even though the track has been heavily modified over the years -- the elimination of Gravity Cavity and a rethink of a final turn once been described by Marty Craggill as "the most dangerous corner in the world" among the more radical -- it has not been neutered. Road Atlanta still stands as a track where the limits of a rider's skill, bravery, and tactics are tested.
Mladin racked up 14 wins at the track during his AMA Pro Superbike career. Heading into 2008's Sunday Race 2 he had scored nine of ten victories at the venue including the previous five in succession. For World Superbike-bound Ben Spies, that day would be his last-ever chance to beat Mladin at 'his' circuit. And having been defeated on track seven races in a row by his rival, Spies' confidence had started to suffer and he badly needed a big win to turn things back around.
It didn't seem to be in the cards as Mladin again ripped out to a big lead early, pulling more than 3.5-seconds clear of the Texan. However, Spies somehow clawed his way back into contention, tracked Mat down, and ultimately beat him to the checkered flag.
AMA SBK Miller Motorsports Park
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