After winning the AMA Superbike National Pole at Laguna Seca with a lap clocked at 1:23.129 and then placing a fine eighth overall on a Rizla Suzuki MotoGP machine in the 32-lap Bull U.S. Grand Prix, Rockstar Makita Suzuki’s Ben Spies parked his Rizla Suzuki GSV-R800 and went looking for his Suzuki GSX-R10000 to line-up for the 28-lap AMA Superbike National. Noticeably tired from all the racing he had done that afternoon, Spies placed second overall, 10 seconds behind winner and teammate Mat Mladin. Upon leaving Laguna Seca, Spies still maintained a 36-point lead over the Australian in the fight for the 2008. He also left the venue sick to his stomach and with a high fever. By Monday he was feeling worse and on Tuesday, July 22, 2008, was hospitalized where Doctors removed Spies’ appendix. Today, Spies announced via a release that he was feeling better and would compete in the forthcoming AMA Superbike Championship doubleheader at Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course on August 1-3.

“I’ve got a championship to win so I will be at Mid-Ohio,” said Spies, the reigning AMA Superbike Champion. “If the race was this weekend I’d be there, that’s how important the championship is to me.”

“Sometimes in this profession you’ve got to go out there even when you’re not 100 percent,” Spies went on. “I’m a fast healer and my doctors know my situation and are helping me to get back to health as quickly as possible. We’ve got a long way to go in the championship and I want to get back to winning races as quick as possible.”