This Sunday is a day that Domino will not forget adding another World Title to its triumphs: Ben Spies is the new Superbike World Champion!

With the race of Portimao, Portugal, Spies can claim 14 Superbike race wins and 11 pole position race starts in his rookie year, breaking all records since the championship began. He leads the standings with 462 points, six clear of rival Haga.

The American rookie sensation took a race win and a well executed fifth place finish to lift the title for Yamaha for the first time. Race 1 saw a textbook performance from Spies, taking the holeshot on the first corner and leading from the first lap. Perfectly executed lines and smooth riding saw him cross the line nearly two seconds ahead of a determined Biaggi who had stalked him for the entire race. Championship rival Noriyuki Haga crashed out six laps into the race, leaving Spies some breathing room for Race 2. With the extra points behind him and less pressure for an outright race win Spies kept himself in check for Race 2, monitoring Haga’s position and keeping a steady race pace as he counted the laps down to victory. The American let a couple of riders passed then tucked in behind Biaggi for a number of laps. After the Italian rider ran wide a couple of times, Spies turned on some extra speed to pass him and brought his championship winning Yamaha R1 home in fifth place to take victory.

Ben Spies and Yamaha made history today, claiming the first ever Word Superbike title for the Yamaha Sterilgarda World Superbike Team and bringing another great success to Domino.
“Thank you to everybody” – the first words of Spies at the end of the races – “We had a really good Race 1. In the second we did what we had to do to win. It was quite difficult to keep it in check as the pace was pretty fast, I saw I had a couple of people behind me and I knew that if Nori won I had to be in sixth and that’s where I was so I tried to get a bit of a gap on them and stay out of trouble. Max came through the inside of me and ran off a couple of times which really freaked me out so I went to get past him and then settled in for some nice fast laps to the end. It’s been a spectacular day and I can’t thank those people enough that have been behind me. I don’t think I really realize what’s happening right now but I’m sure it’s going to hit me in a couple of days!”

“That’s another great result for Domino” – the comment f Marco and Paolo Bertini – “Another time our choise resulted successful: we are proud of Spies. Since the beginning we have been trusting in Yamaha and Ben and together we have conquered the world title. Thank you to the whole Team, that have brought Domino’s “Made in Italy” brand at the top of the world.