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Ben Spies switches to MotoGP in 2010 after having experienced the World Championship as a wildcard racer on four seperate
occasions.
Suzuki offered Spies his initial taste of premier racing in the 2008 year when they showed him for three
events, his debut outing as a MotoGP racer arrived at Donington when he qualified in eighth place and took 14th spot in the
event, a credible performance.
Spies was then used as a testing rider for Suzuki in Indianapolis as he helped their
development of the GSV-R prototype, then again racing at Laguna Seca where he claimed eighth spot. A return to the Brickyard
with much competitiveness took a sixth place finish at the initial Indianapolis GP which gave him an impressive stint in the
upper class of racing.
These displays impressed Yamaha and in October last year it was confirmed that Spies would
race with Hervé Poncharal’s Monster Tech 3 squad for the 2010 year.
Wanting Spies to have more valuable
time on a MotoGP engine, Yamaha fielded the American as a wildcard entrant into the final event of the 2009 year at Valencia,
as single rider entry for the Sterilgarda squad. With more experience on the 800cc M1 prototype, it was yet another
good display for Spies.
Seventh spot at the Ricardo Tormo Circuit from ninth on the grid aided future colleague
Edwards to claim fifth spot in the 2009 MotoGP rankings, as Spies displayed the hard riding spirit that has seen him gain
three AMA Superbike championships and the 2009 World Superbike title.
Now moving to the premier class full time,
Spies will concentrate on developing the promise he has shown in his displays to date in MotoGP.
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