FONTANA, Calif. – The AMA Superbike double-header at California Speedway in Fontana, Calif., this weekend was a good one overall for the recently formed Mat Mladin Motorsports. Team owner and five-time AMA Superbike Champion Mat Mladin came away with his fifth California Speedway victory and his 40th career pole position on his Yoshimura Suzuki GSX-R1000.

Meanwhile, MMM rider Marty Craggill had his best result so far this season with an eighth-place finish. Furthermore, the Australian also posted his best qualifying time yet with a ninth position on the grid with his Mat Mladin Motorsports Suzuki GSX-R1000.

Mat Mladin, Yoshimura Suzuki GSX-R1000
For Team Yoshimura Suzuki’s Mladin, the weekend was a little bittersweet. After all, Mladin took his 40th career pole during qualifying but then in the first race, following two red flags, the defending AMA Superbike Champion DNFed with a mechanical problem after leading most of the race.

“We had a clutch problem and that’s just the way it goes,” said Mladin matter-of-factly. “Fortunately, we’d built up enough of a points lead that we’re only a little bit behind and we’ll put something together for tomorrow.”

In the weekend’s second race, Mladin did indeed rally. Not only did he win Saturday’s Superbike race, he also led every lap and finished five seconds ahead of second place.

“Winning today was very important,” admitted Mladin in the press conference. “We’re five races into it and we’re all squared up again unfortunately for the points tally. But the race today was really good. When you’re at the front, you have to set the pace and I tried to run consistently and stretch out the lead so that we’d be comfortable for the last five laps.”

Mat Mladin, Yoshimura Suzuki GSX-R1000, #1

31st Place – California Speedway Race 1

1st Place – California Speedway Race 2

2nd Place – Overall, AMA Superbike

Marty Craggill, Mat Mladin Motorsports Suzuki GSX-R1000
Mat Mladin Motorsports Suzuki rider Craggill continues to improve his Superbike performance as the season progresses. In the first AMA Superbike race of the weekend, he carded a ninth-place finish.

“I’m feeling a lot better on the Mat Mladin Motorsports Suzuki GSX-R1000,” said Craggill after the race. “We’re making the bike better and I’m getting closer to where I want to be. Although the position doesn’t look much different from the last race, I’m feeling more comfortable on the Suzuki and that means we’re getting better.”

In Sunday’s race, Craggill improved even further and finished in a strong eighth place. “The race was all right,” said Craggill afterward. “I didn’t get a good start, and then I got stuck behind some guys. I tried to catch up and then I almost crashed in the Horseshoe. Then I tried to catch up again, and I almost crashed again. So I decided eighth was better than nothing.”

Team owner Mladin was pleased with Craggill’s results. “Eighth place is about right,” he said. “They’re coming along, with results that are regularly getting better. He’s getting used to the bike a little more.”

Mat Mladin Motorsports Suzuki will next race Superbike double-headers at Infineon Raceway in Sonoma, CA, May13 - 15. Infineon is a track that Craggill likes and he is looking forward to racing there again. “I’ve raced at Infineon twice,” he said. “I got on the box there in Formula Xtreme in 2002 so I feel good about that track.”

Marty Craggill, Mat Mladin Motorsports Suzuki, #16

9th Place – California Speedway Race 1

8th Place – California Speedway Race 2

7th Place – Overall, AMA Superbike