Ben Spies

Lore & Background

Born in Memphis, Tennessee, and growing up in Longview, Texas, Spies started riding motorcycles at the age of five and racing with CMRA at the age of eight in 1993. In 1994, he won a YSR championship followed by an 80cc championship the following season. At the age of 12, he started riding 125 Grand Prix bikes, traveling to WERA races outside of Texas. At the age of 14, Spies started riding 600s, winning more championships. He signed with Suzuki in 2000 at the age of 15, and began his AMA career. In 2000, Spies raced with the Valvoline Suzuki team. He took a season-best fifth-place finish at the Pikes Peak International Raceway round of the AMA 750 Supersport series, won the Nicky Hayden Award (then known as the AMA Horizon Award; it was renamed in 2017) for road racing. In late 2000, he qualified on the front row for his debut in the AMA Supersport Championship series. Again with Valvoline Suzuki in 2001, Spies won the Pikes Peak round of the AMA 750 SuperStock Championship, and took four additional series podium finishes. American Suzuki then removed him from the team and placed him with Attack Suzuki. For 2002, Spies joined the Attack Suzuki team, paired with Jason Pridmore. He earned three top-five finishes in AMA Supersport, and four top-five finishes in AMA Formula Xtreme. He was troubled by a knee injury for much of the season. Now with American Suzuki team, Spies won the 2003 AMA Formula Xtreme Championship with five wins and two additional podium finishes. He also contested the AMA Supersport series, earning a win at Road Atlanta and taking two additional podium finishes. His best AMA Superbike result this year was seventh-place at Daytona Intl Speedway. Again with American Suzuki team in 2004, Spies raced in the AMA Supersport Championship, earning a win at Infineon Raceway and taking two additional series podium finishes. He earned wins in the AMA Superstock Championship races at California Speedway and Road Atlanta, and earned two additional podium finishes in the series. In 2005, Spies won the AMA Superbike race at California Speedway and earned 13 additional podium finishes. He was runner-up for the AMA Superbike title, and raced in AMA Supersport, earning five top-five finishes. Spies joined the Yoshimura Suzuki team in 2006. He won the AMA Superbike Championship title with ten wins and seven additional podium finishes.