Spies satisfied with career-best result

In extremely wet conditions, the new AMA Superbike champion impressed on his way to sixth place, a result that betters his previous best of eighth at Laguna Seca, the other race in which he was entered as a wild card this year.

"It was a good race today for me because my goal was to better my result at Laguna and I did that," said the 24-year-old American.

"I know that I had a fourth place bike today though because the crew had got it working great, but after ten laps I couldn't see anything through my visor and that was why I never made an attack because I had to follow the other guys around me to see where I was going - I think if I had lost them I would have got caught by everybody!

"I rode as hard as I could and ended the race with a good sixth place. I wish we could have done a bit better, but every time I'm getting on a GP bike I'm getting better results so who knows what's to come!"

Regular Suzuki race riders Chris Vermeulen and Loris Capirossi today could do no better than ninth and 16th respectively.