2009 MotoGP Round 17 - Valencia (Qualifying spoilers)

[Spidey]

I'm with Ryder.  So far, the only thing worth watching this weekend is Spies.

Rossi has already won the championship, so mebbe he'll go ballz out.  That'd be cool.  But prolly not.
Lorenzo has to stay upright to get second.  So he won't go in with the win-or-crash attitude.
Pedrobot wants to win, but he doesn't dice much.  He either runs out front and takes off or starts to drop back.
Stoner is just gonna blaze.  Which is cool, but not that fun to watch.  I'll keep my fingers crossed that he and Rossi can give us some more of that PI action, but I just don't see it happening, particularly with Rossi's history at Valencia.
Edwards/Dovi is interesting for the points, but not so much for the racing.  Besides, who knows how much the cameras are gonna be focused on them. <sigh>

So, I'm watching for how Spies does.  All the speculation about whether he has a super-engine is gonna make for even more drama.  

Mebbe Toseland, Elias and De Angelis are gonna show us sumptin'?

  

[desmoquattro]

Mebbe Toseland, Elias and De Angelis are gonna show us sumptin'?

I'm watching for the 250 race. Last one ever. And the championship is down to the wire.

Oh, and DeAngelis may crash into someone

[Spidey]

I'm watching for the 250 race. Last one ever. And the championship is down to the wire.

Yeah, there's that.  Good point. 

[desmoquattro]

Yeah, there's that.  Good point. 

Ace Cafe...Sunday. Hoping Rob has the 250s.

[gm2]

250 race. Last one ever. And the championship is down to the wire.

well... 19 points is not a foregone conclusion, but i wouldn't call it down to the wire.  hiro needs to crash, basically, not to take it.

still really looking forward to that race tho.

[gm2]

another thing i was just thinking... just to make sure my ben fanboydom is wicked up to, like, 11... let's say the bike really is tech 3 spec.  it doesn't have unobtanium rocket boosters, etc.

 -- remember what he did on nori's unchanged R1 on the monday after portimao, 2008. 

[DanTheMan]

-- remember what he did on nori's unchanged R1 on the monday after portimao, 2008. 

no, what?

[gm2]

no, what?

at first they didn't change a single thing about the bike.  it's was 100% nori's settings.  he just threw a leg over it and went.  he'd never been on the bike, track, or tires before and in no time he was lapping just barely under bayliss' race time from the day before. 

...shortly thereafter troy tipped him as the man to beat in 2009.

[El Matador]

at first they didn't change a single thing about the bike.  it's was 100% nori's settings.  he just threw a leg over it and went.  he'd never been on the bike, track, or tires before and in no time he was lapping just barely under bayliss' race time from the day before. 

...shortly thereafter troy tipped him as the man to beat in 2009.

Ahh yes but as you know Gp bikes are a completely different game from the Sbks. Spies has ridden Sbk's all his career. Gp is all about the cornerspeed. I wonder how he'll perform.

[gm2]

Ahh yes but as you know Gp bikes are a completely different game from the Sbks. Spies has ridden Sbk's all his career. Gp is all about the cornerspeed. I wonder how he'll perform.

yeah, i know.  and he knows.  and he's said the same thing, yadda yadda.  i was just sayin'.

btw, ben rode 250s back in the day.  it's not like that type of riding is completely foreign to him.

[derby]

btw, ben rode 250s back in the day.  it's not like that type of riding is completely foreign to him.

..and 50s, and 80s, and 125s... 

[Speeddog]

Stoner did maybe 10 hot laps the whole session...

Rest of the crew, 25 or so.

--------edit-----------

Stoner did 11 hot laps.
Lorenzo, 23.
Pedrosa, 21.
Rossi, 25.
spies, 19.

[Speeddog]

FP2

Pos.    Num.    Rider    Nation    Team    Motorcycle    Lap time    Km/h    Gap
1    27    Casey STONER    AUS    Ducati Marlboro Team    Ducati    1'32.819    313.862    
2    3    Dani PEDROSA    SPA    Repsol Honda Team    Honda    1'32.987    316.622    0.168
3    99    Jorge LORENZO    SPA    Fiat Yamaha Team    Yamaha    1'33.065    311.598    0.246
4    46    Valentino ROSSI    ITA    Fiat Yamaha Team    Yamaha    1'33.354    310.434    0.535
5    69    Nicky HAYDEN    USA    Ducati Marlboro Team    Ducati    1'33.664    310.344    0.845
6    4    Andrea DOVIZIOSO    ITA    Repsol Honda Team    Honda    1'33.717    312.771    0.898
7    5    Colin EDWARDS    USA    Monster Yamaha Tech 3    Yamaha    1'33.784    309.101    0.965
8    14    Randy DE PUNIET    FRA    LCR Honda MotoGP    Honda    1'33.857    312.228    1.038
9    15    Alex DE ANGELIS    RSM    San Carlo Honda Gresini    Honda    1'34.004    314.044    1.185
10    36    Mika KALLIO    FIN    Pramac Racing    Ducati    1'34.089    315.604    1.270
11    24    Toni ELIAS    SPA    San Carlo Honda Gresini    Honda    1'34.111    311.059    1.292
12    11    Ben SPIES    USA    Sterilgarda Yamaha Team    Yamaha    1'34.196    311.958    1.377
13    33    Marco MELANDRI    ITA    Hayate Racing Team    Kawasaki    1'34.210    310.612    1.391
14    65    Loris CAPIROSSI    ITA    Rizla Suzuki MotoGP    Suzuki    1'34.407    309.810    1.588
15    44    Aleix ESPARGARO    SPA    Pramac Racing    Ducati    1'34.626    309.721    1.807
16    52    James TOSELAND    GBR    Monster Yamaha Tech 3    Yamaha    1'34.673    306.731    1.854
17    7    Chris VERMEULEN    AUS    Rizla Suzuki MotoGP    Suzuki    1'34.693    307.955    1.874
18    41    Gabor TALMACSI    HUN    Scot Racing Team MotoGP    Honda    1'34.871    310.434    2.052

[Speeddog]

Qualifying

Pos.    Num.    Rider    Nation    Team    Motorcycle    Lap time    Km/h    Gap
1    27    Casey STONER    AUS    Ducati Marlboro Team    Ducati    1'32.256    312.771    
2    3    Dani PEDROSA    SPA    Repsol Honda Team    Honda    1'32.519    313.771    0.263
3    99    Jorge LORENZO    SPA    Fiat Yamaha Team    Yamaha    1'32.537    310.612    0.281
4    46    Valentino ROSSI    ITA    Fiat Yamaha Team    Yamaha    1'32.922    306.296    0.666
5    5    Colin EDWARDS    USA    Monster Yamaha Tech 3    Yamaha    1'33.085    307.692    0.829
6    69    Nicky HAYDEN    USA    Ducati Marlboro Team    Ducati    1'33.154    309.544    0.898
7    14    Randy DE PUNIET    FRA    LCR Honda MotoGP    Honda    1'33.391    306.818    1.135
8    24    Toni ELIAS    SPA    San Carlo Honda Gresini    Honda    1'33.475    312.138    1.219
9    11    Ben SPIES    USA    Sterilgarda Yamaha Team    Yamaha    1'33.539    309.278    1.283
10    4    Andrea DOVIZIOSO    ITA    Repsol Honda Team    Honda    1'33.678    309.988    1.422
11    36    Mika KALLIO    FIN    Pramac Racing    Ducati    1'33.809    312.319    1.553
12    15    Alex DE ANGELIS    RSM    San Carlo Honda Gresini    Honda    1'33.844    310.434    1.588
13    65    Loris CAPIROSSI    ITA    Rizla Suzuki MotoGP    Suzuki    1'34.097    307.779    1.841
14    52    James TOSELAND    GBR    Monster Yamaha Tech 3    Yamaha    1'34.107    306.992    1.851
15    33    Marco MELANDRI    ITA    Hayate Racing Team    Kawasaki    1'34.188    306.905    1.932
16    44    Aleix ESPARGARO    SPA    Pramac Racing    Ducati    1'34.308    306.992    2.052
17    41    Gabor TALMACSI    HUN    Scot Racing Team MotoGP    Honda    1'34.357    307.342    2.101
18    7    Chris VERMEULEN    AUS    Rizla Suzuki MotoGP    Suzuki    1'34.537    304.482    2.281

[bdfinally]

Who's still racin' for a ride?