World Superbike Championship leader Carlos Checa is taking nothing for granted despite setting the pace on the first day of the fifth round of the series in the United States.
The Althea Ducati rider set the pace in the first qualifying session at the Miller Motorsports Park near Salt Lake City in Utah.
Checa recorded a best lap time of one minute 48.2 seconds which put him ahead of Alitalia Aprilia team-mates Leon Camier and Max Biaggi and the Kawasaki of Tom Sykes.
BMW's Troy Corser, Castrol Honda's Jonathan Rea, Jakub Smrz on the Effenberg Ducati and Eugene Laverty (Yamaha) completed the second row.
Checa believes he will be able to get his title challenge back on track after struggling last time out in Italy when Laverty won both races.
Checa said: ‘I was able to find a good rhythm almost immediately and the feeling I have here this year with my bike seems to be slightly better than last year.
‘As I said it's gone quite well today but there is still work to do tomorrow.
‘Results are never a given, also because this weekend it seems that the weather conditions will play an important part.
‘I'm still very optimistic though and we'll work to make further improvements during tomorrow's sessions.’
