Moto 2 is up next. Remember, this is the intermediate class. The machines are smaller and less powerful. They have Honda 600cc motors. Maverick Vinales and others moved up from Moto 3. Tito Rabat won last time out in Qatar. Watch Thomas Luthi and Maverick Vinales. Mentioned his name in Moto 3. But, he's here in Moto 2. Watch Johann Zarco, too. It's going to be a stormer. Josh Herrin, American champion, is in Moto 2.
Herrin says he's enjoying this. He was homesick at first. But, he's liking it, and having fun. Herrin crashed in Qatar. He says he's better at racing. But, his confidence is being boosted. Watch Josh Herrin in Moto 2. He ran well, winning the AMA Superbike championship last year. He's got a tall order to try and win. Now, it's starting to rain in Texas. Will it continue? The Moto 2 bikes are forming up on the grid. Let's hope it doesn't downpour. Tito Rabat has pole, with Johann Zarco, and Dominik Aegerter, alongside.
Last year at COTA, Nico Terol won his first Moto 2 race. Freddie Spencer, Valentino Rossi, and Marc Marquez have all won in intermediate class races and championships. Josh Herrin wants to get points and is ready should the rain come. We've got showers on the track. There are some riders to watch in this one, in a 34 bike field. Now, the storm hasn't come. We'll see. Ready for a start.
Go! At the start, Tito Rabat goes off the line well. Up the inside, ooh. There's the wreck already at the back. Josh Herrin was in the wreck! Darn it! Well, let's see here chaps. These guys are pushing already, with Johann Zarco third. Leading it's Julian Simon. Luis Salom is out. Herrin, Nico Terol, and Sam Lowes were all involved in the crash. Lowes is last year's FIM World Supersport champ. Tito Rabat runs fourth, having started from pole.
Dominik Aegerter leads, with Takaaki Nakagami second. This is lap two of 20. Nil points for #81 Jordi Torres. He was involved in that shunt on lap one, turn one. Oh no! Another wreck! It's Team Caterham and Johann Zarco and Josh Herrin. Their team is AirAsia Caterham Moto Racing. Josh Herrin is back in this race. Now, watch Tom Luthi. He's 12th. Into turn 12, how sideways do you want your motorcycle? Don't sit around. Rabat is going for it with Xavier Simeon. Johann Zarco is out. Mika Kallio vs. Maverick Vinales. Xavier Simeon gets the lead. Kallio has fast lap at 2:11.2. Sixteen laps to go.
Xavier Simeon leads Dominik Aegerter. But, Josh Herrin has crashed again. Ouch! What a tumble! This is not what he or AirAsia Caterham wanted. Kevin Schwantz is an ambassador for COTA, and is in the booth with Jonathan Green and Scott Russell. Two champs, on the commentary team. Aegerter is pushing it. He's inside, outside, and everywhere. Simeon runs a 2:11 flat. Aegerter is quicker at 2:10.6. A replay of the start. Turn one is amazing, but, Herrin dive bombed up the inside, and went in way too hot.
Sam Lowes was right in the middle of this mess. Turn in, and boom! Down he goes! Air Asia, crash lands. Ker-runch! Ten laps to go. Kevin Schwantz got to ride the track last week and loves the circuit. It's probably the most physically difficult track MotoGP races on as there's another close call! Yours truly is typing lots of accidental letters trying to call this one. It's a fast, hot race. Watch turn 19. The paint probably got wet.
Tito Rabat is fast, at 2:10.4 on bike #53 with Simone Corsi next. Tom Luthi is up to tenth spot. Takaaki Nakagami is not having a good rac. Scott Russell and Kevin Schwantz raced together just once at the 1988 Daytona 200. Schwantz won it. Russell took over from Schwantz in the same team. But, these two in the booth, are both legends. Wayne Rainey is also here. He's another racing legend of course. Nine laps to go in Moto 2.
Xavier Simeon is going for it and so is Dominik Aegerter. The bikes are pretty stable as we watch the super slow motion pictures. Josh Herrin says he admittedly made a mistake trying to pass where he couldn't and it was too late, on a wet curb. He'll be back for the next race in Argentina. Don't cry for me, Argentina. I'll be back. Seven laps to go in Moto 2. Mika Kallio, Anthony West, and others are running well. Everyone has upped the pace. Fast lap is a 2:10.7.
These blokes are running qualifying lap times. How will this one end? Four laps left. A lead change. Xavier Simeon went off the road. He ran wide. Right now, it's Maverick Vinales leading. Vinales is going for it. Tito Rabat is up there, too. Vinales is taking full advantage, setting sail, with a two second gap. He's pushing hard. Dominik Aegerter, and Mika Kallio are third and fourth. Anthony West is coming. This one is winding down, folks.
Vinales runs fast lapo at 2:10.1. Vinales is in the zone. The s curves are very trick at COTA, before the climb into turn ten, onto the brow of the hill, and down again. Tito Rabat is pushing. Vinales has posted a new lap record for Moto 2 at COTA. Xavier Simeon makes up a spot. Into turn twelve, it's three laps left, and everyone is sideways, including Aegerter. These bikes are all rider. Nico Terol, out. He's not too happy.
Moto 2 has no electronics. It's all rider, unlike Moto 3 or MotoGP. These are the bikes to ride. Now, two laps left. Tito Rabat is still pushing. He's got to keep his head in the game and score points. The s curves are confusing to some riders. Push, push, push. Where's Aegerter? He's got distance behind Rabat. Brake late, but don't overcook the entrance of the corner. Xavier Simeon might still get the podium./ Tom Luthi is being pressured by Anthony West.
West is going for it. Through the triple apex corner and across the line. Maverick Vinales is followed by Tito Rabat, 2.7 seconds behind. Oops! Once again, a wreck. Xavier Simeon crashes. He's out of it. Rabat is not doing well. Don't get mad because you let your rival get away. Just run your race. Dominik Aegerter is third. He'll still get a podium. Vinales is flying, and he could get his first Moto 2 win after winning the Moto 3 title last year.
Maverick Vinales does it all! He does a wheelie, and wins!
#40 Maverick Vinales ESP Kalex Figueres
The Moto 2 race is complete. Coming up, MotoGP! Stay tuned.
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