|
|
Article: Spies turns corner on idol.
- Article from:
- Contra Costa Times (Walnut Creek, CA)
- Article date:
- May 19, 2006
CopyrightCOPYRIGHT 2006 Contra Costa Times. This material is published under license from the publisher through the Gale Group, Farmington Hills, Michigan. All inquiries regarding rights should be directed to the Gale Group. (Hide copyright information)
|
Byline: Joe Stiglich
May 19--By the time Ben Spies was 9 years old, he already looked up to Mat Mladin as one of his motorcycle racing heroes.
Fast forward to 2006. Not only is Spies teammates with the six-time Superbike champion, he is in the process of breaking Mladin's reign of dominance over the sport.
Spies, 21, has rattled off four straight victories and leads the points race heading into this weekend's AMA Superbike Showdown doubleheader at Infineon Raceway in Sonoma.
Just as important, he's learned to view Mladin as a peer more so than an idol.
"Now, (he's) just a normal guy," Spies said during Wednesday's prerace ...