It seems like a lifetime ago that Nicky Hayden (Ducati) won his MotoGP championship for Honda. We rarely see American riders near the front, anymore, and when we do it can almost seem like a fluke.

It is true that with Valentino Rossi gone, just about everybody moves up one notch except, perhaps, for his Yamaha teammate Jorge Lorenzo, but there seems to be more going on with the Americans than the absence of Rossi can explain.

Nicky Hayden has been sharp, but finishing just off the podium. Indeed, it was fellow American Ben Spies (Yamaha) who stole third place from Hayden at Silverstone last weekend. Even Colin Edwards (Yamaha) has shown strength at times this year.

Coming off his first podium, Spies goes to Assen quite familiar with the track where he won a WSB race last year after taking pole position. Spies was eighth quickest in practice today, but just 7/10th of a second behind leader Jorge Lorenzo. Hayden, meanwhile, had the third best time, with Edwards right behind him in fourth. Qualifying is tomorrow with the race on Saturday. We will be watching with great interest, particularly to see whether the Americans can be fighting at the front… perhaps more than one of them.

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