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MARTIN: Ben Spies: Next-Gen Carl Fogarty?
Written by: Chris Martin   
11/19/2008
Iowa City, IA
 
Yamaha Motor Italia's Ben Spies (Photo: Yamaha Racing) ยป More Photos

Even at the highest levels professional motorcycle racing doesn't always work as a meritocracy, but sometimes we all get lucky and that injustice ends up delivering the most desirable result in the end.

Such is the case with Ben Spies, who likely would have been shocked and bewildered if you told him prior to the start of his third consecutive AMA Superbike title campaign that, despite another massively successful season, he'd find himself competing in World Superbike in 2009.

Earlier in his career, when it was starting to become apparent that he was blessed with a world-class skill set, the Texan would frequently dismiss talk of an international career, proclaiming that he'd rather build himself an all-AMA legacy. However, just four years into an AMA Superbike career that he once thought would carry him well into his thirties, there's precious little left for Spies to prove in the States, having claimed pole positions, podiums, race wins, and championships at an unprecedented rate at such an early point in his career.

Already firmly in the argument for greatest AMA Superbike racer of all time, Spies changed his tune and
decided that his future was in MotoGP, and he began his search for an elusive spot on that grid last season.

His pedigree and potential earned him some prime opportunities to showcase his ability on that stage and he was quite remarkable each time. In his first-ever limited ride on GP machinery, he immediately lapped right around a second off the pace that carried John Hopkins to a podium finish the day before in the Valencia '07 season finale.

In 2008 Suzuki rewarded Spies with a handful of real GP appearances. He qualified eighth in his debut at Donington Park, finished eighth after racing up through the pack at Laguna Seca, and qualified fifth in the dry and finished sixth in the wet at Indianapolis.

Despite displaying shocking competitiveness despite his relative inexperience, somehow, someway, MotoGP couldn't find room for the new kid in their exclusive paddock -- at least not with one of the powerhouse teams (the biggest head-shaker of all being Suzuki allowing the brightest talent they've groomed since Kevin Schwantz walk so that they could retain long-in-the-tooth Loris Capirossi for another season).


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