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MARTIN: Unpredictably Predictable
Written by: Chris Martin   
06/07/2009
Elkhart Lake, WI
 
Rockstar Makita Yoshimura Suzuki's Mat Mladin (Photo: Brian J Nelson) ยป More Photos

Unseasonable cold and seasonably wet… Saturday's racing at Road America was ripe for unpredictability and a shock winner or two.

The AMA Pro Daytona SportBike final proved just how chaotic things could get in the nasty conditions with the Safety Car making the most of its last official outing before being getting ousted in favor of the new Pace Buell. The track was littered in plastic and aluminum, riders falling all around as they jostled for position with the leaderboard constantly changing.

The eyes of riders like Chaz Davies and the up-and-coming Chris Fillmore got wide as they looked into the future and saw a potential win or podium headed their way and then wider still as they were suddenly taken out of contention.

By all rights, the American Superbike final should have been even more hectic with a rare win on the table, but it was a comparatively clean affair. And I can't stop
asking myself, 'why'?

We've seen this before; I always fool myself into believe the outcome might be different when the skies open up but it rarely is. When the rain comes, I fully expect the field to attack like a pack of sharks with blood in the water, practically (and sometimes literally) tripping over each other in their quest for that all-too-elusive victory.

Mat Mladin (along with former rival Ben Spies back before he set off to become World Superbike's newest Bond villain) rarely leave the door open. Josh Hayes' win at Infineon Raceway was the first by anyone other than those two since Jake Zemke picked up a shock triumph on the in-house developed CBR1000RR at Miller Motorsports Park way back in 2006.

So when the conditions help level (or at least alter) the playing field, it's a prime opportunity for riders hoping to breakthrough in a major way to finally roll the dice.


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