Mat Mladin has set the fastest time of the opening qualifying session to take provisional position for this weekend’s eleventh round of the AMA Chevy Trucks US Superbike Championship being held at Brainerd International Raceway, Minnesota.

Mladin blasted his Yoshimura Suzuki GSX-R1000 Superbike around the fast 4.828km (3.00miles) layout, recording a best time of 1-min 35.901-secs on his twelfth lap of the afternoon’s one-hour qualifying session.

His time was 0.793 seconds faster than his nearest rival, American Honda’s Miguel DuHamel (1:36.694), while Kurtis Roberts (Erion Honda, 1:37.003) and Aaron Yates (1:37.038) on the second Yoshimura Suzuki completed the provisional front row of the grid. Current championship points leader Eric Bostrom (Team Kawasaki) posted the eighth fastest time with a 1:38.186.

“Everything is going well at the moment with the set up of the bike, so we’ve just got to keep at it tomorrow,” said Mladin. “We’re a little bit off the lap record time, but the track has got a lot bumpier over the last couple of years. We just have to wait and see what the weather brings more than anything. They’ve had a few storms around here in the past week and there is forecast for showers, but hopefully that bad weather will bypass us.”

Mladin’s fast qualifying time was slightly down on his 2001 lap record of 1:35.320, but attributes that to a deteriorating track surface along with the fact that this year they no longer use soft qualifying tyres, but if needed, he could go quicker.

“Definitely the track is deteriorating. Even last year, the track wasn’t as good as it was in 2001 when I set the lap record, but this year it appears to be a bit rougher than it was last year. However, we should still be able to get close to my lap record time if the conditions remain as they are. The time that I did in 2001 was done on qualifying tyres, but we don’t use them anymore. I think if we really needed to we could do a screamer and possibly get under than time, but that’s if we need to.”

The Australian had been on the pace all day, setting the fastest time in the morning’s free practice session, before making it official in the afternoon.

With the championship turning into the second half of the 18-race season, Mladin arrived at Brainerd lying one point adrift of Eric Bostrom on the points table. Having amassed a total of six race wins and three pole positions this season, the three-times AMA Superbike champion will be looking to increasing those statistics over the weekend.

Superbike qualifying concludes tomorrow afternoon, with Sunday’s race program featuring the 21-lap Superbike national.

Qualifying, Friday – AMA Chevy Trucks US Superbike Championship (Top 10)

1. Mat Mladin (Yoshimura Suzuki) 1:35.901 mins

2. Miguel DuHamel (American Honda) 1:36.694

3. Kurtis Roberts (Erion Honda) 1:37.003

4. Aaron Yates (Yoshimura Suzuki) 1:37.038

5. Steve Rapp (Valvoline EMGO Suzuki) 1:37.557

6. Ben Bostrom (American Honda) 1:38.010

7. Jason Pridmore (Attack Suzuki) 1:38.052

8. Eric Bostrom (Team Kawasaki) 1:38.186

9. Vincent Haskovec (Hooters Suzuki) 1:38.215

10. Giovanni Bussei (Ducati Austin) 1:38.469
    
    
    2003 AMA Chevy Trucks US Superbike Championship (points after 10 of 18 rounds) - 1. E Bostrom (294); 2. M Mladin (293); 3. A Yates (276); 4. B Bostrom (274); 5. K Roberts (272); 6. M DuHamel (246); 7. L Pegram (211); 8. S Higbee (207); 9. J Pridmore (200); 10. V Haskovec (159).