ben powers his fx bike out of laguna's turn 11 image by tim huntington

Suzuki's Ben Spies has been the breakthrough performer on the AMA Superbike tour in 2003. The 19 year-old born in Memphis, Tennessee but raised in Texas is already one of the better riders on the tour in his first year as a full-factory man but has shown the potential to be one of the next great American roadracers.

At Mid-Ohio, Spies sat down with AMASuperbike.com to talk about riding the big bike, sticking his elbows out, staying off of airplanes, and his poster collection.

practicing on the 600 at sears point image by tim huntington

SuperBikePlanet.com: What are your thoughts on 2003, your first year on a factory team?

Spies: So far, it's been awesome and I can only see it getting better and better. I'm pretty surprised at how we came out of the gate at the beginning of the year, pretty much dominating. I wanted to ride like that the whole season but the other guys stepped it up. They have good bikes and it seems like Damon (Buckmaster), Jake (Zemke), and others are riding to their bikes' potential. I was still riding the way I was at the beginning of the season and I was finishing right behind them. At Laguna I decided to step it up and they couldn't run with me. If I keep stepping it up a little more than I was at the first of the year -- and a lot of it is me learning the bike—I think we can win the championship. That would be good for my first year on the team.

The middle of the year ... I caught a false neutral and crashed (at Road Atlanta). We didn't have the championship lead anymore. I was pretty bummed about it, but House (crewchief Tom Houseworth) settled me down. He said, 'It's not like you went in there and highsided or lowsided. You ran of the course and crashed. You can't get too upset because that's racing.' I think we've been pretty consistent.

SuperBikePlanet.com: What about the decision to concentrate on the Formula Xtreme class instead of Superbike? Do you still feel that was the best way to go?

Spies: I was glad I got to do the 200, but I knew it probably wasn't smart to do the whole season in Superbike. It's maybe a little too much to ask of a guy that's 18 years old. I was a little hesitant but it is good that I'm on the same bike that I'll be racing next year. I'm learning and if you look at the times, a couple of races I would have been on the front row (in Superbike).

We're learning the Superbike engine. It is the same bike as Mladin and Yates ride. I think it was smart. I've learned a lot and maybe next year we can be up with the front guys in Superbike.

SuperBikePlanet.com: Several times this year, you've been as fast as the other American Suzuki guys and way ahead of some big Superbike names on the timing charts. Do you compare lap times to see where you would have done in Superbike?

Spies: I know the track temps are different, but I look at the weekend times and see where it puts me. I think I have the initial speed, I just need to work on being consistent, doing 28 laps or whatever you need to do. That's the thing I need to learn, along with bike set-up and working with the data.

SuperBikePlanet.com: How has the responsibility of riding a factory bike with veteran mechanics, infinite set-up possibilities, data acquisition and tire choices been so far?

Spies: It was almost overload at first. I was nervous about it. Now, I can come in and say, 'Can we try this? Will this work?' and the stuff I'm starting to come up with is good stuff. Hopefully, we can stay on the same path.

on the grid for laguna's 600 race image by tim huntington

SuperBikePlanet.com: Some critics say your early success this year has been aided by the fact that you can crib settings from Mladin and Yates, but the fact is Tom Houseworth and Mitch Leonard wanted you to go your own route when it came to finding good settings that worked for you.

Spies: Everyone thinks we do, but we don't really look at their set-ups. The last couple of races, we've been looking at data overlays to see where Aaron and Mat are faster, where the get on the gas sooner, but except for gearing, we don't talk about that much about set-up. When we do talk about it, Mat's bike and mine are pretty much identical except for the rear being 2mm higher or something. It's good to know we are setting the bike up right and that my input is helping the team to set the bike up close to a three time, and about to be four time, AMA champion.

SuperBikePlanet.com: What is it like racing as a teammate to Mat Mladin?

Spies: I get to learn a lot, riding around him and talking to him. A lot of people think he might be cocky or rude, but I have his back on that. He is the most focused guy I have ever seen at the racetrack. If it doesn't have to do with racing or making him faster, he's not much into it. That's really good and that's what I'm trying to do. I'm trying to get that mentality where I can show up at Daytona and just be a machine like he is. Before the first practice starts, everyone is worrying about him. He's got everyone beat before he shows up to the track.

SuperBikePlanet.com: What are your thoughts on the seasons you rode with Valvoline Emgo Suzuki and Attack Suzuki?

Spies: Valvoline was good. We had a couple of problems ... they gave me someone's set-up that they won on and said, 'You can win on it'. I have a totally different style than other people. At Attack, the 600 was good and I'm glad Richard (Stamboli) let me on the big bike but I had no clue what I was doing. It was good for this year, now I know how to ride the thing. Last year, he told me to not worry about my finishes. I just didn't have a clue.

SuperBikePlanet.com: At Laguna on the Valvoline bike a couple of years ago, you crashed out of the lead due to oil spilled on the track. What's the difference between you then and now, after you won there on the Formula Xtreme bike earlier this month?

Spies: Now I can lead a race. Even though I won so many races as an amateur, I just really didn't know. You just have to go fast enough as you need to get away from everybody, not win the race in one lap. I try to get a couple of seconds lead and just do whatever it takes to keep it. You don't have to win by 35 seconds.

on the podium at laguna image by tim huntington

SuperBikePlanet.com: It's been a valiant effort in Supersport this year. You won at Atlanta and have been on the podium at other races even though there are other bikes out there that seem to have a little more.

Spies: The Yamahas ... I'm not going to lie. They are fast. They have a brand new bike. Our bike is good, too, it's just three years older. But we have a brand new bike coming out and that's going to make it a whole lot easier.

I'm glad actually, because it's made me ride the wheels off the thing. I wish I had a brand new bike now, but come next year it will be a whole lot better because it made me push. I'm having to ride 120 percent. At Laguna, when I came in third, I said, 'There are people out there that can do it, but if there is anyone out there that jump on my bike and go faster, I'll shake their hand.' I rode as hard as I could.

ben gets his elbows out muscling the fx bike around fontana image by tim huntington

SuperBikePlanet.com: Tell us about your riding style, one of the more distinctive out there with your elbows stuck out.

Spies: When I look at pictures and see myself on TV, I'll call myself an idiot. I don't feel like my elbows are out there that much. It's saved me a couple of times this year when I've gotten tangled up with people. They don't hit the bike, they hit me. I didn't ride that way on GP bikes, just when I started riding four strokes. Maybe for leverage or whatnot, I don't know. (Jason) Pridmore tried to get me to ride with my elbows down. I tried, but that's the only way I can go fast.

SuperBikePlanet.com: Growing up in Texas and racing the same tracks as Freddie Spencer, Doug Polen, Kevin Schwantz and others must have had an influence on your career.

Spies: The tracks are so gnarly.I don't get worked up about any of the tracks we go to now. Me, Kevin (Schwantz), Polen did a lot of racing at Oak Hill ... that track has grass growing up in the corners. Ask the Haydens, they rode there. But it has everything. It's a fun track. It's one of the hardest braking tracks around and I think it helped me.

SuperBikePlanet.com: Who are your racing heroes?

Spies: I like (Loris) Capirossi, because of his wild style. Schwantz and (Wayne) Rainey, too. It cool that Schwantz works with the same team I am on and helps me. Mladin and Yates, I had their posters on my wall five years ago. Now I'm in the same garage. You can't let it go to your head, but you look over and see the guys you had on your walls.

SuperBikePlanet.com: Most young American riders have MotoGP fever, but you are in no hurry to make it to a World Championship, are you?

Spies: I don't really like to fly, so I don't know about world stuff (laughs). I just don't have that kick. If I got the right deal, I am sure I'd go. It's nothing like Nicky and all those guys that just want to go over there and do it. My goal is to become the winningest AMA rider ever.

And I need to get started right about now because Miguel (DuHamel) has over 60 and he's still winning races.