MotoGP is the top class. As we all know, these bikes, are the fastest of all. This season has been crazy, because of new rider, Marc Marquez, turning the world championship competition on it's ear. Can Marquez win a third race in the United States? Can he become the youngest rider to win the world championship, beating the mark set by three-time MotoGP champ, Freddie Spencer?
What will happen with Nicky Hayden? He wants to stay in MotoGP. But, it's possible he could also go to World Superbike. If he did, and won the championship, he'd win titles in all three major championships. Time will tell as to where he ends up. It was confirmed yesterday that MotoGP will be back next year at Indianapolis, and for the foreseeable future. Ben Spies had a huge high side. He has broken his collarbone. He had a high side crash.
His team has allowed the broadcast team at Fox Sports, to use the bike as a display for their TV telecast. For Dani Pedrosa, pain is temporary, but regret, can last forever. He wanted to be a racer. Pedrosa was points leader until crashing in Germany. Hopes are still alive for Pedrosa to win a first world championship title. Valentino Rossi is the other contender in this race, and of course, readers will know of his success, taking a win earlier this year, for the first time in three years.
Valentino Rossi is one of the most decorated riders in the sport. But, last year, with Ducati, he had a terrible time. He's back on a Yamaha this year, and has very much improved. Not only that. But, his win in Holland, cemented the fact that he's one of the greats of the sport. Rossi has won nine championships. He is also, a very charismatic human being. It's time for pre-race ceremonies.
Up to a dozen crew members have worked on the bikes to prep them for this moment. This track is 2.62 miles, and it has 16 turns. Qualifying hights. Hector Barbera crashes early. All the riders pushed as hard as they could. Andrea Ianonne had a good qualifying session. That was Q1. In Q2, Jorge Lorenzo, Marc Marquez, and Dani Pedrosa, will start on the front row. In this race, Blake Young is the wildcard rider. The bikes are on their warmup lap.
Warm up your tires. The tires still need to be scrubbed off. This race will be 27 laps. It's 70 miles, and one lap fewer than last year. At the start, Lorenzo leads over Pedrosa and Marquez. The field makes their way through the first lap. Lorenzo and Pedrosa are fighting back from injuries. Theey want to show something to Marc Marquez. Bradley Smith runs ahead of Cal Crutchlow. They are the Tech 3 Yamaha team mates. Blake Young crashes out of the race on his CRT bike.
It's game over Blake Young. He'll be back next year. Crutchlow passes Bradley Smith. Cal Crutchlow is making inroads on Marquez. Next year, Cal Crutchlow replaces Nicky Hayden at Ducati. Stefan Bradl has been running well. But, he did have a crash in practice. Still, he's running wel. Bradl was the first German in the modern era of MotoGP to win a pole. Pedrosa sets fast lap at 1:39.488. He's a tenth up on Lorenzo. But, Jorge Lorenzo keeps the lead.
Cal Crutchlow is moving up. He wants his first podium in a U.S. race. Tbese are the wildest motorcycles on the planet. The riders are up to the challenge. Pedrosa is a two-time winner at Indy. Marc Marquez resets fast lap at 1:39.4. Guest commentator Randy Mammola, (a former rider), explains that calling these races strictly based on lap time, is very difficult to do. Valentino Rossi is eighth behind Bradley Smith, with the Ducati's of Nicky Hayden and Andrea Dovizioso in tow.
Valentino Rossi runs a 1:39.9 compared to a 1:39.6 for Jorge Lorenzo. Lorenzo runs a 1:39.664. New fast lap. Randy de Puniet is out of this race. Game over. He's the second retirement, along with Blake Young. Lorenzo has a new helmet design, with a green mamba snake on it. He strikes, like a snake, when he needs to. The pit crew shows their riders the information of gaps on their pit boards. If the gap has a plus sign, it's more confidence for the riders.
Alvaro Bautista sets fast lap, and goes after Cal Crutchlow. The bikes are topping 209 miles an hour on the front straight here at The Brickyard. Mike "The Bike" Hailwood would drag his foot, at 45 degrees, making his feet bleed from out of his riding boots. Today, these guys can lean over 63 degrees. The battle for second heats up. Lorenzo still leads. But it's a battle between the Repsol Honda team mates. Marquez has second. Pedrosa wants it. Can Marquez sweep the U.S. rounds of the championship? All the riders are running the soft tire.
Marquez is right on top of Lorenzo. Bridgestone is developing a new, even softer tire. The riders can make the tires last longer, because of the electronic assistance, built into the motorcycle. The harder front tires, help with the more aggressive riding styles the riders have, with their lean angle and so forth. Marquez wants his fourth win, and his third in the U.S. Kenny Roberts won four races on the way to his rookie title in 1978. Roberts could start another MotoGP team, which he's done before.
Marquez can't get by Lorenzo at the moment. Lorenzo is looking good, but here comes Marquez, and he sticks it! Can Marequz work his magic? Ooh. He slips. But, he stays on the bike. The track layout is something the riders like. But, the track may need to be repaved. MotoGP will be back at The Brickyard, in the coming years. Alvaro Bautista and Cal Crutchlow battle. The riders drift to pit wall for a millisecond, and then, swing out onto the straight to set up turn one.
Some of these guys run on one wheel briefly coming to the front straight. Marc Marquez has won two Moto 2 races at Indyu. Lukas Pesek is another retirement from this race. The race is closing up with less than ten laps remaining. Crutchlow passes by Alvaro Bautista again. Hee gets a better drive into the right hander. Swinging your leg out, distributes your weight evenly on the motorcycle, and that's why a lot of riders, use that technique.
Crutchlow slides a little bit. Blake Young is out. Ben Spies couldn't start. Nicky Hayden and Colin Edwards are still in it. Jorge Lorenzo was the last non-Honda rider to win a race in the U.S. Yonny Hernandez is out of the race. Game over for the Colombian on the Paul Bird Motorsports ART bike. Eight laps to go now. There are vast distinctions between a MotoGP bike and a street bike. The hweelbase is longer. The engine has more power. The MotoGP bikes have carbon brakes as well. They stiffen the bike, and have great stopping power.
You can buy a Honda CBR1000RR with the Repsol MotoGP paint scheme. But, the CBR1000 is more to the spec of a World Superbike, than a MotoGP machine. Valentino Rossi runs seventh, and is the only rider besides the top three, in the 1:39 bracket for lap times. Marquez stays in the lead. Can Valentino Rossi close in on Stefan Bradl? Four laps to go. Valentino Rossi has made it to sixth. He wants to pass Crutchlow and Bautista.
Cal Crutchlow loses some time. Rossi tries getting a run on Crutchlow as Bautista gaps them both. Rossi tries Bautista. No dice. Lorenzo and Pedrosa continue their fight as Marc Marquez pulls away. He is on his way to winning a third race in the United States. Pedrosa passes Lorenzo for second down the straight. Only two laps remain now. Rossi makes a pass on Bautista. Can he pass Crutchlow next? Marquez is earning respect quickly. This is the last lap. Will Rossi pass Crutchlow? It's going to be a Repsol Honda 1-2.
Rossi runs wide and gets passed back by Cal Crutchlow. Can Rossi try again? This is like Harley Davidson dirt track racing? Oh. Rossi's stuck. He's not going to make it. But Marc Marquez sweeps the United States at Austin, Laguna Seca, and Indy! Rossi gets past Crutchlow and holds on for fourth! Here come Ducati's. Nicky Hayden passes Dovizioso, but Bradley Smith got by both of them! What a finish! It's like a triple jump Supercross finish. Holy cow! What a race, folks!
#93 Marc Marquez ESP Honda
The next MotoGP race is in the Czech Republic at the Brno Autodrome, next weekend.
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