The Racing Thread - THIS THREAD CONTAINS RESULT INFO

Originally Posted by Peter Henry

But Pedrosa is arguably already a serious threat?

When he overtakes Rossi, then I'll agree

FS...I know where your coming from with your comment.However the person leading the championship has not overtaken Valentino on too many occasions this season has he?

Originally Posted by Peter Henry

FS...I know where your coming from with your comment.However the person leading the championship has not overtaken Valentino on too many occasions this season has he?

No, but I don't consider Hayden a challenge to Rossi either

Hmm interesting comment,however I would certainly say that to bracket young Dani in with Nicky is doing the Catalan boy a grave injustice. Nah he aint gonna win it this year,but already people know he is for sure the real deal.

Just needs to get his ass on a Ducati! :P

Originally Posted by Peter Henry

Hmm interesting comment,however I would certainly say that to bracket young Dani in with Nicky is doing the Catalan boy a grave injustice. Nah he aint gonna win it this year,but already people know he is for sure the real deal.

Just needs to get his ass on a Ducati! :P

Sounds about right to me. I'm sure Dani has the potential with more experience, Hayden has the experience but doesnt have the potential.

Pedrosa has deffinately got what it takes. When he has a bit more riding experience and gets to know the tracks a bit better he will dominate for sure
Nearest thing to a child prodigy on a superbike as possible (including Stoner too!!!!)

[Supervox]

Originally Posted by Peter Henry

Just needs to get his ass on a Ducati! :P

I thought you were a fan of Dani's Peter ?

Why are you trying to knobble any chance of him winning a World Championship ?? :P

Hey folks, thought I might have some info that may not have been discussed in the moto press in the UK. Laguna Seca has been totally re-paved for this race and some of the "quirky" aspects of the track have been changed. For instance, the approach to the corkscrew had a very profound dip in the pavement that seemed to confound the riders that were experiencing it for the first time. In fact, knowing how to exploit this spot was exactly what allowed Hayden to get to the front and stay there last year. It's gone now and from what I've been reading, it's not a great improvement in that this area is notorious for high winds. The previous configuration, with the dip, kept riders out of the wind, but now it's evidently a serious factor to contend with.

The new pavement has everyone on equal footage with regard to tire choice, as no one has any base settings to start with. Should be intersting in that tire choice might be the deciding factor of this one.

Now here comes my "editorial".... I constantly read that Nicky Hayden should win this one going away due to his familiarity with a difficult and unique race track. But hey, give the kid a break.....this is one track out of many that these guys contest. Remember, Nicky is basically a backwoods country kid who, as of a few years ago, probably couldn't pronounce the names of half the tracks he now has to race on. His competitors grew up racing at these venues. One advantage out of the entire season (if you can truly call it an advantage...I'm sure Rossi is going to be more competitive at Laguna this year than last) doesn't hand Nicky the championship. Anyway, that's as nationalistic as I'll ever be. I think it's going to be incredible having "one of our own" leading the championship coming to his home track, and we in the US are looking forward to one heck of a race. Just hope it's a safe one for all involved.

Cheers,

vtour

I believe that Laguna was known as an unbelievably "slippy" surface and so this might level things out a lot more. Also that certain run off areas have been improved or made bigger.

Nicky still has to be favourite there but two or three others will offer a more serious challenge this year.

It is also Colin Edwards and KR Jnr's home track as well . First of all KR Jnr , he is regularly up in the top 5 / 6 now , the Honda V5 engine and the Roberts chasis seeming to forming an excellent partnership , so what price a podium for Jnr ?

Secondly , one of my favourite subjects , the aforementioned Mr Edwards . Colin also has far more local knowledge of Lagunna Seca , probably than anybody , racing there in AMA , many times in WSB as well last year on a Moto GP bike . Now with all talk that Yamaha want Casey , it would seem that Colin's place in the factory Yamaha squad is up for grabs . If ever he was going to turn his season / Moto Gp career around , then now would be a good time me thinks . Last year he had the beating of Vale at Laguna Seca and would need to do the same again to get the win he needs and was so desperately unlucky not to achieve at Assen recently . A win would certainly enhance his prospects of staying with Yamaha , in what has been a generally disappointing season for him so far . Perhaps his biggest advantage in keeping his ride for next season is that Vale very much wants him to remain as his team mate next season , but Yamaha need 2 competitive riders out there and not just Vale .

Whichever way it shakes out it is going to be one hell of a race in what has been so far been an enthralling , exciting ,unpredictable and fantastic season , so let battle commence ....................