Race talk - WARNING!! SPOILERS!!!

[Speed 3 Pilot]

They really should keep those colors; looks so much better than the blue. Plus, it's not like they have to worry about pissing off any sponsors.

 

[freeflydive]

Watching Laguna Seca race live...WOHOOOO!!!! 

[MadDuck]

It was partially exciting for a few laps, watching the fight for 1st & 2nd, but then it was the usual "ho-hum".  It was fun watching Ben get past Dovi. I showed Gloria the last few laps of the Daytona class race at Mid Ohio and she agreed that was much more exciting.  At least there will be some AMA races at Laguna later tonight.

Can't wait for 2012 and the return of the bigger engine class racing. This 800cc shit is the pits.  

[Speed 3 Pilot]

Can't wait for 2012 and the return of the bigger engine class racing. This 800cc shit is the pits.  

Agree...

[DRKWNG]

Just watched the race.  The last few laps were a bit of a hummm...  But, Stoner did pull some really good moves.  Nice to see him being a bit of a human afterwards as well.

Looking forward to next year.

[MadDuck]

Speed, or Oceanic, has the WSBK races tomorrow listed as FIM Supermoto. 

[Speed 3 Pilot]

Speed, or Oceanic, has the WSBK races tomorrow listed as FIM Supermoto. 

Thanks for the heads up...

[MadDuck]

This tidbit from the AMA Daytona class that was recently run at Laguna Seca.  These three fought it out lap after lap. The Superbike class was a good one too. Puts MotoGP to shame.

[Speed 3 Pilot]

Indy MotoGP qualifying Sat 5:00 pm on Speed...

[MadDuck]

Another ho-hum MotoGP race.  There were a few brief moments when Casey passed Dani and when Ben got past Lorenzo but other than that my God.  Bicycle racing is more exciting.  At least the AMA XR1200 races were fun. ( Makes you wonder about about going out and getting a Harly XR1200 and buying the LeoVince kit and keeping the lights on.     )

Actually that's Vance & Hines.  No one caught that?

[MadDuck]

Holy crap!!  Lots of racing this weekend.

AMA Superbike & Daytona class on Sat & Sun.  These are the last two races of the AMA season and there are tight points. Should be excellent racing! (Actually 4 races in all, one on Sat & Sun for each of the classes)

Moto GP at Misano showing on Speed at 2am (I think) on Sun morning.

World Superbike racing later in the morning on Sunday

[freeflydive]

Thanks for reminding me to DVR the races.  Below is an interesting interview w/ Rossi, posted today.  A small comment on his riding style vs Stoner on the Ducati....ongoing tire issues and bike testing restrictions.  At the end, he comments on his interest in WSBK.  Rossi and Biaggi...those two could set Rome on fire...I doubt their feelings, towards one another, have become friendlier w/ age!

--------------------------------
Rossi: I can't ride like Stoner
Friday, 02 September 2011 19:05 by Matteo Aglio

No news is good news?  Nothing could be further from the truth in the case of Valentino Rossi and Ducati, as the Italian continues to struggle with front end issues on his Desmosedici.  "I'm always saying the same things – Rossi admitted with a smile – so you could just use one of my old interviews."

Not that we could get off that easy: "Also here the front end is not giving me the confidence that I need, especially while trail braking; I'm losing tons of time there.  We are losing two or three tenths a corner." His difficulties only multiply with the harder tire compound. "The Ducati works better with softer compounds, especially compared to the Yamaha. This afternoon we tried the hard rear tire with an eye toward the race, but I had no grip and it was very hard to ride."

At least the softer tires allowed him to record the eleventh fastest lap at the end: "But I was only able to do one quick lap.  There was a lot of traffic on track, and I lost time with that.  We returned to the setup from Laguna Seca and Brno, and we will continue in this direction. We will make some small modifications to the second bike, but nothing too serious.  We need another half second to fight with the second group of riders."

Another factor to consider is Valentino's riding style, with the inevitable confrontation with Stoner being made: "Casey's style stresses the front end less - Valentino explained - and his body size allows for a different seating position to my own.  Trying to ride like him would be a mistake, but it could be useful to try and stress the front tire less."

All of the progress from Brno seemed to disappear at Indianapolis and Misano: "I don't know why.  Brno, like Barcelona, doesn't offer a lot of grip, and the distance between the riders is reduced.  Maybe we suffer less than the others in low grip conditions."

The testing restrictions are another issue Ducati is dealing with: "It's incredible that the testing time has been reduced by so much - Rossi continued - and I know that some other manufacturers are upset about it as well.  We would have plenty of things to test, but we can't.  Not having the chance to test more often is slowing our work down ten fold."

But while Rossi can't seem to get any satisfaction in MotoGP, things might be different in WSBK, after Checa invited him to go race at Imola: "I'd really like to, and there's a chance I would have more fun there than here - he joked - but not while the MotoGP season is still going on.  In 2009 I was very close to doing a WSBK race, but then Yamaha said no.  In the future, who knows?"

[MadDuck]

Rossi, Hayden, & Edwards would all be fun to watch in WSBK!

[freeflydive]

The MotoGP fight for 4th place during the final 3-4 laps were great to watch with Simoncelli, Dovi and Spies battled it out.  I think Simo is "starting" to temper his aggressive style w/ a touch of maturity...great show w/ the last bit of tread left on his tires. 

[MadDuck]

The MotoGP fight for 4th place during the final 3-4 laps were great to watch with Simoncelli, Dovi and Spies battled it out.  I think Simo is "starting" to temper his aggressive style w/ a touch of maturity...great show w/ the last bit of tread left on his tires. 

Wild, huh? That the best racing is for forth. Contracts are coming up and it'll be interesting to see who goes where. Dovi could end up over at Tech3.