It was Pata Yamaha WorldSBK rider, Alex Lowes, who led the way for Yamaha today at Laguna Seca, with the 28-year-old Briton qualifying eighth in Superpole this morning before improving to finish fifth in this afternoon's 25-lap WorldSBK Race 1. Michael van der Mark fought his way through the field from 15th position on the grid to finish a respectable seventh. Ten Kate Yamaha Supported WorldSBK rider, Loris Baz, was the next Yamaha rider home in eighth position, with Marco Melandri securing a top ten finish in ninth aboard the GRT Yamaha Supported WorldSBK R1. Sandro Cortese struggled throughout the race with a left shoulder injury sustained at Donington Park but managed to ride through the pain to pick up points in 14th position.