Team Valvoline EMGO Suzuki enjoyed a solid day’s work at Infineon Raceway on Saturday, claiming three top ten qualifying positions. The Saturday performance was particularly impressive considering that the team and their tire partner, Michelin, did not have an opportunity to test at the 2.2-mile circuit beforehand as many of their rivals in the deep AMA field did.
Vincent Haskovec and Steve Rapp posted similar times aboard their Michelin-shod GSX-R750s during Superstock qualifying to claim the ninth and tenth spots on the grid. Haskovec’s 1:39.778 lap time earned him the inside position on the third row, while Rapp’s 1:39.865 will see him alongside his teammate when the two line up for Sunday’s 17-lap contest.
Adding to their optimism heading into Sunday’s final is the fact that the team expects their 750cc machines to shine the brightest when the laps start adding up in the 60K race at the demanding racetrack.
Rapp backed up his Superstock qualifying effort with a top ten result aboard his GSX-R600 in the Supersport class. The California posted a best time of 1:40.940 to claim the same tenth place, third row grid position he took during the Superstock session.
Impressive youngster Chris Peris finished the day with a 13th place Supersport qualifying position, circulating the Northern Californian circuit in 1:41.323.
Haskovec also cemented his position as a podium favorite for Sunday’s Formula Xtreme race, running near the top of the charts in today’s free practice after qualifying third fastest on Friday. Vincent’s time of 1:40.690 was the third quickest timed lap in the session.
