American Ben Spies took pole position at Indianapolis last year, and finished the race in second position.
With eleven races down and seven to go, Casey Stoner (Honda) rolls into Indianapolis this weekend with a 32 point lead over Jorge Lorenzo (Yamaha) and a head full of confidence. Lorenzo knows he needs to start winning races if he is going to defend his championship from last year. The only other rider seemingly capable of winning races at this point is Dani Pedrosa (Honda), but thanks to injuries sustained earlier in the year and missed races, Pedrosa is likely out of the championship equation as he sits more than 100 points behind Stoner in fifth position.
New pavement at Indy will make it much easier for the teams to set up their bikes this year. The Americans, of course, will be trying their best to impress the home fans, particularly, Nicky Hayden (Ducati) who hails from this part of the United States.
The two Texans, Ben Spies and Colin Edwards, will be aboard their Yamahas pushing hard as well. Spies, of course, having won a race this year, and sitting above the two other Americans in the points, might be the one to watch most closely. If he can qualify well, he will be expecting nothing less than a win on home soil. Edwards has struggled this year, for the most part, and might be lucky to finish in the top five.
As everyone seems to know by now, Ducati is struggling, and hence Hayden is struggling. A top five would be a good result for Nicky this weekend, although you know he wants something better.
It will also be interesting to watch Marco Simoncelli (Honda) following his first podium at the MotoGP level recorded in the last race. He is very fast, as we know, but can he find the consistency to podium again at Indianapolis?
In the end, it is hard to bet against a Stoner/Lorenzo dog fight for the win, as we have seen at some of the earlier rounds. The Yamaha has improved, and both Spies and Lorenzo will do their best to push a couple of Hondas off the podium, just as they did last year (finishing second and third).
Friday update:
Spies fastest in first practice, followed by Stoner and Edwards. All 3 in the mid/low 1.43s
Pace picked massively in second practice (like it usually does). Stoner fastest, followed by Spies and Pedrosa. Only Stoner and Spies got into the 1.40s.
If first practice at Assen was anything to go by, it’s looking good for Spies so far.
Who cares about the riders! That babe is drop dead gorgeous!
bwaaaa you guys are funnnny more like kevin schwanse to win on his road going gsxr1000 n max biaggi to pull another famous oh shitttttttttttt wheely over the line.
Hope Spies wins, with Lorenzo second and maybe Dovi third.
Simo to lose control on bike on straight, Simo jumps off safely but bike snakes and tumbles over wall, into pit-road and on top of Alberto Puig.
I couldn’t have come up with a better scenario;)
I’m predicting Spies, Hayden and Edwards going 1-2-3, with Simoncelli taking out the rest of the field. Spies did lead most of this race last year and holding on for 2nd on the Tech 3 bike, and now he’s on a full factory bike, but Pedrosa is very fast at Indy, and Stoner and Lorenzo are fast everywhere. Last year for the 125cc 2-strokes…sigh.
Laughing at “Simoncelli taking out the rest of the field.”
But I could see it!
No Way!!
It’s Hayden, Spies, Edwards, then John Hopkins on a Vespa. Simoncelli does take out the rest of the field however..
Dovisioso deserves mention too. He has been fast all year and could be right in the thick of things. Personally, I’m hoping for a Spies win, but I’m not sure the track favors his strengths.
Exactly what I was going to say, he’s definitely going to be on the top of the podium one of these days.
got into moto gp thru the antics of Rossi, the most entertaining and maybe the best motorcycle racer of all time… (debatable I know, but without doubt the most entertaining.) this current crop of leaders, bland, no interest… don’t even watch anymore.
Right?
that guy with the headphones on in the photo has the best view of everyone, and he looks like he is sucking on a lemon?
LOL