Rockstar Makita Yoshimura Suzuki's Ben Spies (Photo: Brian J Nelson) » More Photos

A shift of a different sort has seemingly occurred as their rivalry has matured. While they have always (somewhat begrudgingly) given each other their due, more and more the words come easier, even if their conflict is as intense as ever. Both realize that this rivalry has been career defining yet likely soon to close.

Asked if they can imagine a time some 15 years down the line when they might be able to kick back together and remember the 'good ole days', Mladin joked, "In 15 years I'll be old enough to be his grandfather. If he wants to hang out with an old geriatric like me, then that's fine. He knows how much respect I have for him and I know that he has respect for me on the racetrack. That's it. We know there's not going to be an inch given. He's a talented kid and he has a long way to go. If top ten is all he's expecting at the Grand Prix, I've already told him that I'm not very impressed. I expect a lot more."

Spies offered in return, "He knows respect I've had for him and I think I've earned it back in some ways from him. He's the first person I've raced against being my teammate where week-in, week-out, he's able to turn it around and be faster than you and you're just scratching your head trying to find it in you and that's hard to find sometimes. It's obviously made me a better rider. If in 15 years he's still up for a bicycle ride or something like that, or whatever…

"I think whatever I'm doing in the next ten years, hopefully he's going to be watching and looking and hoping I'm doing good. But right now we both know there's not going to be an inch on the track and we know that. We're not going to do anything stupid but there's no love lost on the track for sure."

Monster Energy Kawasaki's Jamie Hacking was the nearest rider to the dominating Yosh pilots at Infineon Raceway with his two thirds. Still, he was a lot closer on the final order than on the track.

Asked what it will take to bridge the gap, Hacking said, "I have two podiums and everybody expects that I'm going to pull miracles out. I appreciate people telling me I'm riding well and all but the fact is these guys are out there a good ways right now. To pick up 15-20 seconds is not going to happen over the next couple weekends, that's for sure. That's going to take a lot of things.

"And with the new rules, who knows what's going to happen. It could be the end of us getting parts. We don't know yet. We don't know with the new situation. All I can do is keep performing like I'm doing and doing my job. My job is to come out here and make Kawasaki look good and that's all I can do."