MotoGP Laguna (there will be spoilers, so be smart before clicking)

[darylbowden]

qualifying results.  stoner pulls out a :20... geezus.

Qualy is a little misleading though. Unless it heats up like crazy tomorrow, I don't think you'll see a Michelin finisher higher than 8th or 9th - their selection is THAT bad.

I think it's gonna be a 2-horse race with Stoner likely taking it.  Vermuelen in 3rd, Spies in 5th.  You heard it here first.

[gambit688]

Great article about Stoner on Motorcycle Daily
http://www.motorcycledaily.com/18july08_stoner.htm

[gm2]

Great article about Stoner on Motorcycle Daily
http://www.motorcycledaily.com/18july08_stoner.htm

well... it's an article alright...   

[Grampa]

Great article about Stoner on Motorcycle Daily
http://www.motorcycledaily.com/18july08_stoner.htm

WTF? The bike never even gets a mention

[derby]

the michelin tire situation at laguna is downright embarrassing.

http://superbikeplanet.com/2008/Jul/080719g5.htm

http://superbikeplanet.com/2008/Jul/080718rn.htm

http://superbikeplanet.com/2008/Jul/080719rn.htm





on friday night, i threw $10 into a "pick the podium" pool. i said "i'm really temped to take stoner, rossi, and the mole" but then took stoner, rossi, hayden. man am i pissed.

we didn't hear anything about the tires on friday, but it was the talk of the track yesterday.

furthermore, with all the hayden/ducati talk going around, i'm hoping that nicky takes tires into consideration and ends up on the italian team.

i was sorry to see pedro go. without something catastrophic happening to rossi or stoner, this has just become a two horse race.

ok, off to breakfast. i gotta meet peeps at the track in a few hours. 

[darylbowden]

Great article about Stoner on Motorcycle Daily
http://www.motorcycledaily.com/18july08_stoner.htm

I don't know about it being a great article.  If I would've turned that in to one of my journalism professors, they would've probably kicked me out of the class.  It's embarrassingly poorly written.

As for the content.  Yes, Stoner is a great rider.  No, I doubt he needs a BJ from a journo.

[BastrdHK]

Make sure you are in front of a TV to watch this race!  History gents.....history.  Stoner is faster on race tires(1' 21.2") than the rest of the field, except Rossi(1' 21.1") on QUALIFYING RUBBER!!!

How'd ya like that  ?

[gm2]

Rossi: `To stop Stoner, you´d have to shoot him´

[jswledhed]

I would expect that kind of statement from Hayden or Edwards, but from Rossi its downright hilarious.

[Capo]

Rossi Quote " When Casey is is fit and everything is OK, he can strike fear into everybody's hearts. What he does with the Ducati is something almost supernatural"

[Jester]

Interesting to see Stoner making multiple mistakes today.  Rossi ran a very precise race to pull that off.  Never gave Stoner an inch.  That was one of the best fights I've seen in a long time.  Wow.

I hope the rest of the season is like Laguna.  I was afraid of another snoozer.... man I'm glad I was wrong.

[ZLTFUL]

Two horse race? WHat makes you think that? I mean SURE you dump the bike and are able to remount and not lose 2nd place but it wasn't like they were THAT far ahead of the pack. 

[Chococat]

I would expect that kind of statement from Hayden or Edwards, but from Rossi its downright hilarious.

Looks like the joke was on Stoner...lol.

It's nothing new to see Stoner make mistakes when he's behind. If that bike didn't have an obvious edge in power I don't think he'd be in the top 2. Pure rider ability goes to Rossi, Pedrosa, then maybe Stoner. On that bike though Stoner is almost superhuman. It's a perfect match for him and I'm sure with the lack of ability to fully develop multiple bikes Ducati puts all their eggs in that basket.

It's one thing to run fast lap times, it's another to have to break your line and adjust to another rider in front of you.

Woulda coulda shoulda though Stoner and that bike are one awesome combo. This championship is going to go down to the last race. Rossi better not sleep.

That was the greatest race I've seen in a while. Today's Formula 1 was equally awesome. My heart is still pounding.

GO 46!!!!

[Stucky]

I was pulling for a last lap dice between Stoner and Rossi, but oh well.  Great race  .

[gm2]

see stoner's post-race interview?

now who's whining?   


helluva race.  can't believe they both stayed upright in the corkscrew.
i said early on that if rossi can stay out front long enough, stoner will be pressured into a mistake....
awesome race.  well.. for 1st and 2nd.


for ben spies.