It's time for Moto 2. The 600cc bikes, will be let loose, soon.
This race marks halfway in the Moto 2 season. Scott Redding and Pol Espargaro are the two main title combatants. Moto 2 bikes have specialized chassis, with custom built bodywork. James Rispoli from the United States, will make his Moto 2 debut, today. Rispoli runs AMA 600 Supersport in the United States. He is a wildcard rider.
The bikes are on the grid before their warmup lap. Taakaki Nakagami is on the front row in third. Pol Espargaro starts second, and on pole, is Scott Redding. The field is on track. We're ready to race. This race will be 25 laps. The temperatures continue to climb. These guys ride custom made chassis' and they are much lighter than a typical 600cc street bike. These are quicker than the old 750cc machines from the United States, too.
The grid is set. Time to race! At the start, Redding looks to get the jump, and, he's in the lead with Pol Espargaro second. Takaaki Nakagami is moving up and is now third. It's a clean start. Esteve Rabat is fourth. Nakagaami is pushing Scott Redding. Julian Simon is also up there on bike #60. They are now into the tightest section of corners just before going down the front straight. Nakagaami has the lead. Nico Terol is pushing Esteve Rabat. Espargaro gets sideways into turn six.
Get out front early. Dominique Aegerter on bike #77 is fifth. Nico Terol is running with the leadeers now. Aegerter gets around Rabat for fifth spot. Nakagaami has fast lap so far at 1:44.3. Nakagaami is running well, and was quickest in the first free practice session. Nico Terol is moving to the front. Get as small as you can, tuck behind thee fairing, and use aerodynamics to your advantage. Keep elbows and knees in. Scott Redding will be in MotoGP next year. It is unclear as to which team he'll ride for.
Johann Zarco runs twelfth right now. Nakagaami continues to lead. Pol Espargaro holds third, with Nico Terol, chasing. Like Moto 3, these guys didn't race at Laguna Seca last time out. So, they too, have had a break, until now. Nico Terol is in a battle with Dominique Aegerter and Esteve Rabat. The bikes lighten up as fuel burns off. Nakagaami hadn't started on the front row since the Italian Grand Prix at Mugello. Nakagaami runs a 1:43.7 and Scott Redding, a 1:44 flat. Redding is trying to save his tires.
Can Nakagaami lead? Redding is trying to win three intermediate class GP races in a single season. Phil Read did that in 1971. Mattia Passini's race is run. He is a DNF. Nico Terol is running well. But the battle to watch is Redding vs. Nakagaami. James Rispoli is running well. He's in 25th, running a Tech 3 chassis. There's just three of those chassis. Louis Rossi, is running another one. Rispoli wants to get into this, and see if, maybe, he'll have an opportunity to race in the world championship.
But, it's tough. The competition in this class is so stiff. Pol Espargaro has been running well. He won last time out at Assen in Holland. Espargaro wants to reach the top three. Nakagaami is running a flawless race. Nakagaami runs a 1:43.722. Redding is also in and out of the 1:43 range. Dominik Aegerter is a tough one to pass. He's after Nico Terol, too. Terol won the U.S. round for Moto 2 in Austin, Texas, back in March.
Nakagaami is the only rider to run in the 1:43 bracket. Nakagaami has the front end of the bike wash out. But, he's hanging right in there. Twelve laps remain in this race. Nakagaami also has the back end of the bike step out. But, he stays with it. Thios race is just over halfway done. Nakagaami is still going for it. Ten laps remain as Rabat is going after Dominik Aegerter. Nakagaami is managing the bike well at the moment. Rabat passes Aegerter for fith as Nakagaami has another bobble. He can't keep getting loose.
Rabat passes Terol. Can he get by Scott Redding? Six laps left, as Aegerter and Terol battle for fifth place. Espargaro is second. Marc Marquez has won this race the last two years. He'll be in MotoGP, coming up next. Rabat and Espargaro are battling for position. Five laps remain in this race. Rabat is closing quickly. Rabat won in Spain earlier this year, and had his first Moto 2 podium, in 2011, at Indianapolis. Nakagaami has used up his rear tire. Redding passes Espargaro.
Redding is into a podium place. Taaki Nakagami is being seriously hounded by Tito Rabat. Rabat makes a move. Nakagaami can't reply to that move. Dominik Aegerter is closing on Pol Espargaro. This is it. This is for all the marbles in Moto 2. Espargaro goes inside of Rddding, and Redding is trying his best to respond. Rabat leads this. He's looking for his second win of 2013. Redding passes Nakagami. Nakagami is fading.
Redding could still get on the podium. Redding is pushing. Can he take the spot from Nakagaami? It's the final lap. It's crunch time. Dominik Aegerter goes deep and Pol Espargaro holds him off. Tito Rabat is going to win this race, should there be no more incidents. Tito Rabat wins at Indianapolis!
#80 Esteve Rabat ESP Kalex Barcelona
James Rispoli has a good finish as the wildcard rider in this race. The next Moto 2 race is next weekend at the Automotodrom Brno in Brno, Czech Republic.
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