54-year-old motorcycle hill climb racer, Bobby Goodin, has died, after a crash at the annual Pikes Peak International Hill Climb in Colorado. Rest In Peace, Bobby Goodin.
http://www.motorsport.com/hillclimb/news/confirmed-pikes-peak-rider-dies-at-hillclimb/
Here is video of Goodin's last ride. Spellbinding.
http://www.motorsport.com/hillclimb/video/main-gallery/goodin-rides-again/
Monday, June 30, 2014
Sunday, June 29, 2014
Moto 2 & Moto 3: Holland (The Dutch TT)
In Moto 2 action from Assen during the Dutch TT weekend, it was a surprise win for Australia's Anthony West on his Speed Up bike, ahead of Maverick Vinales and Mika Kallio.
#95 Anthony West GBR. Speed Up
Johann Zarco and Alex de Angelis completed the top five, with Tom Luthi, Julian Simon, Tito Rabat, Lorenzo Baldassari, and Malaysian rider Hafizh Syahrin, completing the top ten. 29 bikes finished the race, with Sandro Cortese, Randy Krummenacher, Sam Lowes, Axel Pons, and Azlan Shah, the unclassified finishers.
In Moto 3 action, to start things off, there was a crash on the last turn of the last lap of the race!
http://msn.foxsports.com/speed/motogp/video-riders-escape-uninjured-in-dramatic-last-turn-moto3-crash/
Alex Marquez won the race, another reason for the Marquez family to celebrate, seeing both brothers win.
#12 Alex Marquez ESP. Honda
Alex Rins and Miguel Oliviera finished on the podium. Alexis Masbou and Niccolo Antonelli rounded out the top five, with the second ten comprised of Efren Vazquez, Isaac Vinales, Danny Kent, Brad Binder, and John McPhee. Some of the other top riders had lackluster races, including those who fell out like Jack Miller, Niklas Ajo, and the man who finished caboose on the field... Enea Bastianini.
The next races for Moto 2 and Moto 3 will be in Germany at the Sachsenring, as we reach the halfway mark in the 2014 season, coming up in two weeks.
#95 Anthony West GBR. Speed Up
Johann Zarco and Alex de Angelis completed the top five, with Tom Luthi, Julian Simon, Tito Rabat, Lorenzo Baldassari, and Malaysian rider Hafizh Syahrin, completing the top ten. 29 bikes finished the race, with Sandro Cortese, Randy Krummenacher, Sam Lowes, Axel Pons, and Azlan Shah, the unclassified finishers.
In Moto 3 action, to start things off, there was a crash on the last turn of the last lap of the race!
http://msn.foxsports.com/speed/motogp/video-riders-escape-uninjured-in-dramatic-last-turn-moto3-crash/
Alex Marquez won the race, another reason for the Marquez family to celebrate, seeing both brothers win.
#12 Alex Marquez ESP. Honda
Alex Rins and Miguel Oliviera finished on the podium. Alexis Masbou and Niccolo Antonelli rounded out the top five, with the second ten comprised of Efren Vazquez, Isaac Vinales, Danny Kent, Brad Binder, and John McPhee. Some of the other top riders had lackluster races, including those who fell out like Jack Miller, Niklas Ajo, and the man who finished caboose on the field... Enea Bastianini.
The next races for Moto 2 and Moto 3 will be in Germany at the Sachsenring, as we reach the halfway mark in the 2014 season, coming up in two weeks.
Saturday, June 28, 2014
MotoGP round 8: Holland (The Dutch TT @ Assen)
Today, marks the most legendary race on the MotoGP calendar. It's the annual Dutch TT (or Tourist Trophy) at the Assen circuit in Assen, Holland. This is the only race run on a Saturday, and Assen, is the only track that has always been on the schedule, since the start of the World Championship back in 1949.
It's one of the most anticipated races of the season. We are looking at Aleix Espargaro as our polesitter. The weather will be a factor. Will it be a wet/dry race? Yamaha have won four of the last five races. Will it be time for another Marc Marquez win? If he does, he'll win eight straight races.
Bikes have been raced here since 1925. It once was a road circuit at over 17 miles long. This is an 18 turn course. The track is now 2.824 miles. The current layout has been in existence since 1955. Initially, it was 4.8 miles long. There was a race for Champ Cars in 2007 at Assen as well. Again, watch out for Yamaha. Valentino Rossi has won at Assen, eight times. Last year, Jorge Lorenzo had a broken collarbone from a crash where he had surgery, and came back the next day to race. If Marquez wins, he would become the youngest rider to win eight straight races.
That would mean he takes the record away from Mike "The Bike" Hailwood. In the silly season, there are rumors swirling about Yamaha, Honda, and Ducati. Will Andrea Dovizioso be a Suzuki rider next year? Now, there are clouds, and possible intermittent rain. We don't know if it will be a wet or a dry race here. Q1 was dry and the skies opened just before Q2. The rain came during the 15 minutes for Q2. The riders were on slick tires. Aleix Espargaro put his bike on pole.
Marc Marquez and Dani Pedrosa will start on the front row, too. Cal Crutchlow qualified fifth. Jorge Lorenzo only mustered ninth, and Valentino Rossi (who won the Dutch TT last year), will start 12th. Again, Aleix Espargaro is on pole, and he's also the first rider to put an Open class bike on pole. Danilo Petrucci is back racing this weekend. Nicky Hayden will start caboose on the field, with his injured wrist that he's still contending with.
We also look forward to the Indianapolis Grand Prix, coming up in just over a month. Now, Stefan bradl crashes on the formation lap. He needs his spare bike. Broc Parkes also had issues. So, we have a delay of the start here, chaps. We've got to wait for the rain to pass. It looks OK on one side. But, it's rainy, on the other side. Fans have come to Assen, on their motorcycles. It's called Speed Week. The MotoGP bikes will do two sighting laps to look at the track and decide what tires to use.
The decisions are critical. The riders are ready to go to find out what the conditions are. Watch out, because you might get snookered. It's now starting to dry as we are on the warmup laps to look at the track. This is where the best riders in the world come to the fore. The start of the Dutch TT, is next. These are vital moments. There's a 58 point gap in the top two points positions, and of course, Marc Marquez is going for eight in a row.
Valentino Rossi will start on slick tires. This is a real lopsided grid. We don't know who will be quickest. This is nothing less than a lottery. Weather played it's hand in Moto 2 and Moto 3, too. Look for results and brief highlights of those events, tomorrow. This is a wet race. 26 laps scheduled. Dani Pedrosa won his first race here, in 125cc competition, 12 years ago. Pol Espargaro and Valentino Rossi are both on slicks. Andrea Ianonne is fourth. He's won here in Moto 2. The Ducati's could do well here. Marc Marquez will not have an easy race.
We're on the warmup lap, getting ready for a start. But, Valentino Rossi will go out on slicks in the wet. Pol Espargaro switches to his spare bike with a wet setup, as Broc Parkes is stopped on track, too. Is it game over for Parkes? Valentino Rossi will have to start from pit lane, changing to wet tires. But, will the motorcycles be up to temperature and ready to race? This is going to be wild. Everyone starts this race on wets. Here we go.
At the start, Marc Marquez and Dani Pedorsa get a good start. Parkes and Rossi get away. Everyone is OK except for Danilo Petrucci who stopped. Now, Andrea Dovizioso leads on his Ducati. Aleix Espargaro is fighting back, passing Andrea Ianonne. Marc Marquez is now challenging Dovizioso. Watch the curbs. They are wet, and lethal. Marquez leads this race. Into the chicane, flick it right, then left. Lap one done and dusted, but rain is falling harder now. Rossi passes Michael Laverty and Mike DiMeglio. Yonny Hernandez has changed to wet tires.
Marquez leads Dovizioso. Hiroshi Aoyama is up to eighth. Nicky Hayden is up to 12th with Colin Edwards 13th in his last Assen TT before retiring at the end of this season. Marquez is trying to set a pace. Valentino Rossi needs to catch up, after winning last year. He passes Pol Espargaro. This race is 118 kilometers or almost 74 miles. Cal Crutchlow is ahead of Jorge Lorenzo as Lorenzo struggles for grip on his Yamaha. Marquez is now pulling away.
The Ducati runs well in these conditions, and though Marquez is not a good wet rider, he'll be fine. Marquez has only had two wire-to-wire wins at Circuit of the Americas in Austin, Texas, and at Jerez, in Spain. Aleix Espargaro and Forward Racing want a podium. It's not been raiining for a bit. But, the surface could still be wet even though the camera doesn't make it look wet. Alvaro Bautista passes Bradley Smith for ninth as Andrea Dovizioso sets fast lap, but the time, is unclear.
He is within 7/10ths of a second of Marquez. Stefan Bradl is still at the back of the field. Dovizioso is trying his best to keep up with Marquez. He hasn't won at Assen, but has had some good finishes. Marc Marquez won here in 125cc and Moto 2 competition. Or, maybe, just 125cc. Not sure. Cal Crutchlow and Andrea Ianonne battle. Dovizioso continues to close on Marc Marquez. They are taking the cover off Marc Marquez's spare bike.
Michael Laverty and Scott Redding have come in for spare bikes. Yonny Hernandez pits to switch for slicks. It's not often you see pit stops in these races. Dani Pedrosa pits, too, and so does Marc Marquez. Box, box, box. Dovizioso is also in. No radios on motorcycles. Just come in and switch bikes. The pit speed is 37 miles an hour. Not everyone has come in. Jorge Lorenzo leads after staying out. The Aspar Honda's are second and third. Have they made the right choice?
The rear tires are beginning to take a pasting, and they'll feel spongy to a rider. They might go slow for a bit and then turn up the wick later. Marc Marquez has overshot the corner in the middle of the track. He's back on. No worries. Maybe he can catch back up. He brakes, wiggls, and thank goodness, he hangs on! Jorge Lorenzo is in. Spare bike. Go. Rossi is in, too, and so are other riders. Hiroshi Aoyama leads. Karel Abraham was released ahead of another bike. He was straight in the path of Pol Espargaro!
Yikes! Andrea Dovizioso has taken the lead from Hiroshi Aoyama. Now, Marquez is third. Hiroshi Aoyama has won at Assen on a 250cc bike before. Watch out! Marquez has the confidence in these conditions. Now, Dovizioso has run fast lap. He too, is on slicks as Aoyama pits. Eighteen laps left. This is a wild race. Aleix Espargaro can't slow down, and Dani Pedrosa passes. Broc Parkes has the PBM bike in sixth. PBM stands for Paul Bird Motorsports.
Dovizioso leads Marquez by four seconds. Could Ducati win? Could Marc Marquez be beaten? It's not over yet. Valentino Rossi is quickest, in ninth. Can Ducati win for the first time in four years? Casey Stoner won for them in 2010. Marquez has a quicker lap than Dovizioso. 1:36.6 for Dovizioso, and 1:36.4 for Marquez. Aleix Espargaro wants his first podium in MotoGP as he fends off the challenge of Dani Pedrosa. There's more rain. Broc Parkes is struggling, trying to pass Andrea Ianonne.
Broc Parkes has run at Assen before in the FIM World Supersport championship. 15 laps to go now. Jorge Lorenzo languishes in 16th. He's just got to keep going. Will the rain return? Will Ducati win? Will Marc Marquez close in and take another victory? Dovizioso continues to lead this race. It's Dutch, it's damp, and it's dynamite, folks. The rain stays away, but the skies want to open. We have twelve laps left. The chicane was installed here in 1976 to slow the bikes down.
Rossi passes Cal Crutchlow. Marc Marquez continues to close on Andrea Dovizioso. But he has to make a move. Jorge Lorenzo is 1.2 seconds off the leaders. But, he's 17th. Aleix Espargaro is third. Andrea Dovizioso knows that Marc Marquez will pass him. What will happen if the rain comes? Dani Pedrosa has now taken third place back. Rossi has passed and gone to the top five. Aleix Espargaro overtakes Dani Pedrosa.
Where will Marc Marquez make his move? Pol Espargaro ditches his bike but might continue. This is Marquez's opportunity. Will Marquez do it? Yes. He takes the lead. He sets fast lap of the race. But, Colin Edwards has pitted to change bikes back again. Marquez is pulling away. Andrea Dovizioso will keep going. He led at Le Mans both last year, and this year. Valentino Rossi runs fast lap. Pol Espargaro is back on track, but he has wet tires.
It's not raining. Espargaro has nothing to lose. Aleix Espargaro wants to get his first podium. The rain is holding off. Marquez is going for it. It's good news for #93 right now. But, don't speak too soon. Marquez runs a 1:34.9. Eight laps left. Rain isn't going to be coming. Valentino Rossi, Andrea Ianonne and others, are running very well. So is Broc Parkes. Andrea Ianonne wants by Rossi. Andrea Dovizioso hung in there. But he might just have to settle for second, and it's still a good result. Marc Marquez, if he wins, will do exactly what the great Giacomo Agostini did, winning eight straight races in 1971.
Marc Marquez laps Yonny Hernandez. Five bikes and riders are a lap down. Jorge Lorenzo tries to pass Danilo Petrucci and does. For Pol Espargaro, it's game over. Take your ball, and go home. Colin Edwards is one of the riders a lap down. Andrea Dovizioso will finish second for the second time this year, also doing that, in Austin, Texas. Can anyone stop Marc Marquez? Not necessarily. Five laps to go now. The rain stays away.
Marquez is unbeatable right now. The dark clouds are still above the Assen track. Bradley Smith has passed his former team mate Cal Crutchlow. Dani Pedrosa has opened a gap on Aleix Espargaro. Rossi turns his personal best lap. Bradley Smith is up to eighth past Cal Crutchlow. Three laps to go now. If the results stay the same as they are now, Dani Pedrosa and Valentino Rossi will stay tied for second and third, 72 points behind Marquez. Dovizioso brakes hard into turn one.
The track is damp, but somewhat dry. Alvaro Bautista runs seventh. Bradley Smith closes up on Bautista, who has won at Assen in 250cc competition. Two more laps left now. Can Dani Pedrosa dispense of Andrea Dovizioso? Probably not. Pedrosa will finish third more than likely. This has been quite the race at Assen today, folks. Just over a lap to go, and Marc Marquez will have won eight in a row! Again, it's the first time someone will win eight straight, since Giacomo Agostini.
Agostini is here this weekend and he must be marveling at Marquez's performance. Espargaro and Rossi will have decent finishes. Marc Marquez is going to win at the Dutch TT. He's won, again! He's unbeatable. Marc Marquez, wins eight in a row!
#93 Marc Marquez ESP. Honda
The next MotoGP race is the halfway mark in the season. It's the German Grand Prix at the Sachsenring in Saxony, Germany, in two weeks.
It's one of the most anticipated races of the season. We are looking at Aleix Espargaro as our polesitter. The weather will be a factor. Will it be a wet/dry race? Yamaha have won four of the last five races. Will it be time for another Marc Marquez win? If he does, he'll win eight straight races.
Bikes have been raced here since 1925. It once was a road circuit at over 17 miles long. This is an 18 turn course. The track is now 2.824 miles. The current layout has been in existence since 1955. Initially, it was 4.8 miles long. There was a race for Champ Cars in 2007 at Assen as well. Again, watch out for Yamaha. Valentino Rossi has won at Assen, eight times. Last year, Jorge Lorenzo had a broken collarbone from a crash where he had surgery, and came back the next day to race. If Marquez wins, he would become the youngest rider to win eight straight races.
That would mean he takes the record away from Mike "The Bike" Hailwood. In the silly season, there are rumors swirling about Yamaha, Honda, and Ducati. Will Andrea Dovizioso be a Suzuki rider next year? Now, there are clouds, and possible intermittent rain. We don't know if it will be a wet or a dry race here. Q1 was dry and the skies opened just before Q2. The rain came during the 15 minutes for Q2. The riders were on slick tires. Aleix Espargaro put his bike on pole.
Marc Marquez and Dani Pedrosa will start on the front row, too. Cal Crutchlow qualified fifth. Jorge Lorenzo only mustered ninth, and Valentino Rossi (who won the Dutch TT last year), will start 12th. Again, Aleix Espargaro is on pole, and he's also the first rider to put an Open class bike on pole. Danilo Petrucci is back racing this weekend. Nicky Hayden will start caboose on the field, with his injured wrist that he's still contending with.
We also look forward to the Indianapolis Grand Prix, coming up in just over a month. Now, Stefan bradl crashes on the formation lap. He needs his spare bike. Broc Parkes also had issues. So, we have a delay of the start here, chaps. We've got to wait for the rain to pass. It looks OK on one side. But, it's rainy, on the other side. Fans have come to Assen, on their motorcycles. It's called Speed Week. The MotoGP bikes will do two sighting laps to look at the track and decide what tires to use.
The decisions are critical. The riders are ready to go to find out what the conditions are. Watch out, because you might get snookered. It's now starting to dry as we are on the warmup laps to look at the track. This is where the best riders in the world come to the fore. The start of the Dutch TT, is next. These are vital moments. There's a 58 point gap in the top two points positions, and of course, Marc Marquez is going for eight in a row.
Valentino Rossi will start on slick tires. This is a real lopsided grid. We don't know who will be quickest. This is nothing less than a lottery. Weather played it's hand in Moto 2 and Moto 3, too. Look for results and brief highlights of those events, tomorrow. This is a wet race. 26 laps scheduled. Dani Pedrosa won his first race here, in 125cc competition, 12 years ago. Pol Espargaro and Valentino Rossi are both on slicks. Andrea Ianonne is fourth. He's won here in Moto 2. The Ducati's could do well here. Marc Marquez will not have an easy race.
We're on the warmup lap, getting ready for a start. But, Valentino Rossi will go out on slicks in the wet. Pol Espargaro switches to his spare bike with a wet setup, as Broc Parkes is stopped on track, too. Is it game over for Parkes? Valentino Rossi will have to start from pit lane, changing to wet tires. But, will the motorcycles be up to temperature and ready to race? This is going to be wild. Everyone starts this race on wets. Here we go.
At the start, Marc Marquez and Dani Pedorsa get a good start. Parkes and Rossi get away. Everyone is OK except for Danilo Petrucci who stopped. Now, Andrea Dovizioso leads on his Ducati. Aleix Espargaro is fighting back, passing Andrea Ianonne. Marc Marquez is now challenging Dovizioso. Watch the curbs. They are wet, and lethal. Marquez leads this race. Into the chicane, flick it right, then left. Lap one done and dusted, but rain is falling harder now. Rossi passes Michael Laverty and Mike DiMeglio. Yonny Hernandez has changed to wet tires.
Marquez leads Dovizioso. Hiroshi Aoyama is up to eighth. Nicky Hayden is up to 12th with Colin Edwards 13th in his last Assen TT before retiring at the end of this season. Marquez is trying to set a pace. Valentino Rossi needs to catch up, after winning last year. He passes Pol Espargaro. This race is 118 kilometers or almost 74 miles. Cal Crutchlow is ahead of Jorge Lorenzo as Lorenzo struggles for grip on his Yamaha. Marquez is now pulling away.
The Ducati runs well in these conditions, and though Marquez is not a good wet rider, he'll be fine. Marquez has only had two wire-to-wire wins at Circuit of the Americas in Austin, Texas, and at Jerez, in Spain. Aleix Espargaro and Forward Racing want a podium. It's not been raiining for a bit. But, the surface could still be wet even though the camera doesn't make it look wet. Alvaro Bautista passes Bradley Smith for ninth as Andrea Dovizioso sets fast lap, but the time, is unclear.
He is within 7/10ths of a second of Marquez. Stefan Bradl is still at the back of the field. Dovizioso is trying his best to keep up with Marquez. He hasn't won at Assen, but has had some good finishes. Marc Marquez won here in 125cc and Moto 2 competition. Or, maybe, just 125cc. Not sure. Cal Crutchlow and Andrea Ianonne battle. Dovizioso continues to close on Marc Marquez. They are taking the cover off Marc Marquez's spare bike.
Michael Laverty and Scott Redding have come in for spare bikes. Yonny Hernandez pits to switch for slicks. It's not often you see pit stops in these races. Dani Pedrosa pits, too, and so does Marc Marquez. Box, box, box. Dovizioso is also in. No radios on motorcycles. Just come in and switch bikes. The pit speed is 37 miles an hour. Not everyone has come in. Jorge Lorenzo leads after staying out. The Aspar Honda's are second and third. Have they made the right choice?
The rear tires are beginning to take a pasting, and they'll feel spongy to a rider. They might go slow for a bit and then turn up the wick later. Marc Marquez has overshot the corner in the middle of the track. He's back on. No worries. Maybe he can catch back up. He brakes, wiggls, and thank goodness, he hangs on! Jorge Lorenzo is in. Spare bike. Go. Rossi is in, too, and so are other riders. Hiroshi Aoyama leads. Karel Abraham was released ahead of another bike. He was straight in the path of Pol Espargaro!
Yikes! Andrea Dovizioso has taken the lead from Hiroshi Aoyama. Now, Marquez is third. Hiroshi Aoyama has won at Assen on a 250cc bike before. Watch out! Marquez has the confidence in these conditions. Now, Dovizioso has run fast lap. He too, is on slicks as Aoyama pits. Eighteen laps left. This is a wild race. Aleix Espargaro can't slow down, and Dani Pedrosa passes. Broc Parkes has the PBM bike in sixth. PBM stands for Paul Bird Motorsports.
Dovizioso leads Marquez by four seconds. Could Ducati win? Could Marc Marquez be beaten? It's not over yet. Valentino Rossi is quickest, in ninth. Can Ducati win for the first time in four years? Casey Stoner won for them in 2010. Marquez has a quicker lap than Dovizioso. 1:36.6 for Dovizioso, and 1:36.4 for Marquez. Aleix Espargaro wants his first podium in MotoGP as he fends off the challenge of Dani Pedrosa. There's more rain. Broc Parkes is struggling, trying to pass Andrea Ianonne.
Broc Parkes has run at Assen before in the FIM World Supersport championship. 15 laps to go now. Jorge Lorenzo languishes in 16th. He's just got to keep going. Will the rain return? Will Ducati win? Will Marc Marquez close in and take another victory? Dovizioso continues to lead this race. It's Dutch, it's damp, and it's dynamite, folks. The rain stays away, but the skies want to open. We have twelve laps left. The chicane was installed here in 1976 to slow the bikes down.
Rossi passes Cal Crutchlow. Marc Marquez continues to close on Andrea Dovizioso. But he has to make a move. Jorge Lorenzo is 1.2 seconds off the leaders. But, he's 17th. Aleix Espargaro is third. Andrea Dovizioso knows that Marc Marquez will pass him. What will happen if the rain comes? Dani Pedrosa has now taken third place back. Rossi has passed and gone to the top five. Aleix Espargaro overtakes Dani Pedrosa.
Where will Marc Marquez make his move? Pol Espargaro ditches his bike but might continue. This is Marquez's opportunity. Will Marquez do it? Yes. He takes the lead. He sets fast lap of the race. But, Colin Edwards has pitted to change bikes back again. Marquez is pulling away. Andrea Dovizioso will keep going. He led at Le Mans both last year, and this year. Valentino Rossi runs fast lap. Pol Espargaro is back on track, but he has wet tires.
It's not raining. Espargaro has nothing to lose. Aleix Espargaro wants to get his first podium. The rain is holding off. Marquez is going for it. It's good news for #93 right now. But, don't speak too soon. Marquez runs a 1:34.9. Eight laps left. Rain isn't going to be coming. Valentino Rossi, Andrea Ianonne and others, are running very well. So is Broc Parkes. Andrea Ianonne wants by Rossi. Andrea Dovizioso hung in there. But he might just have to settle for second, and it's still a good result. Marc Marquez, if he wins, will do exactly what the great Giacomo Agostini did, winning eight straight races in 1971.
Marc Marquez laps Yonny Hernandez. Five bikes and riders are a lap down. Jorge Lorenzo tries to pass Danilo Petrucci and does. For Pol Espargaro, it's game over. Take your ball, and go home. Colin Edwards is one of the riders a lap down. Andrea Dovizioso will finish second for the second time this year, also doing that, in Austin, Texas. Can anyone stop Marc Marquez? Not necessarily. Five laps to go now. The rain stays away.
Marquez is unbeatable right now. The dark clouds are still above the Assen track. Bradley Smith has passed his former team mate Cal Crutchlow. Dani Pedrosa has opened a gap on Aleix Espargaro. Rossi turns his personal best lap. Bradley Smith is up to eighth past Cal Crutchlow. Three laps to go now. If the results stay the same as they are now, Dani Pedrosa and Valentino Rossi will stay tied for second and third, 72 points behind Marquez. Dovizioso brakes hard into turn one.
The track is damp, but somewhat dry. Alvaro Bautista runs seventh. Bradley Smith closes up on Bautista, who has won at Assen in 250cc competition. Two more laps left now. Can Dani Pedrosa dispense of Andrea Dovizioso? Probably not. Pedrosa will finish third more than likely. This has been quite the race at Assen today, folks. Just over a lap to go, and Marc Marquez will have won eight in a row! Again, it's the first time someone will win eight straight, since Giacomo Agostini.
Agostini is here this weekend and he must be marveling at Marquez's performance. Espargaro and Rossi will have decent finishes. Marc Marquez is going to win at the Dutch TT. He's won, again! He's unbeatable. Marc Marquez, wins eight in a row!
#93 Marc Marquez ESP. Honda
The next MotoGP race is the halfway mark in the season. It's the German Grand Prix at the Sachsenring in Saxony, Germany, in two weeks.
Friday, June 27, 2014
MotoGP news just before tomorrow's Dutch TT
Before the Dutch TT tomorrow, let's get caught up on more news developments... as this historic event, takes place, tomorrow morning. Yours truly, will provide a race report as always.
*From Thursday
Bastianini fastest on first day of practice
http://www.motogp.com/en/news/2014/TT+Assen+Moto+FP2+Bastianini
Thursday action rounded up with Rabat on top
http://www.motogp.com/en/news/2014/TT+Assen+Moto2+FP2+Rabat
Promising first day for Repsol Honda pair at The Cathedral
http://www.motogp.com/en/news/2014/Promising+first+day+for+Repsol+Honda+pair+at+The+Cathedral
Yamaha pair outside top three in Dutch sunshine
http://www.motogp.com/en/news/2014/Movistar+Yamaha+Assen+FP+review
Ianonne has eventful day in TT practice
http://www.motogp.com/en/news/2014/Pramac+Racing+Assen+FP+Review
NGM Forward's Espargaro delighted with Assen lap time
http://www.motogp.com/en/news/2014/NGM+Forward+Assen+FP+Review
*From Friday
Aleix Espargaro takes pole in rain affected Q2
http://www.motogp.com/en/news/2014/TT+Assen+MotoGP+Q2+Espargaro
*From Thursday
Bastianini fastest on first day of practice
http://www.motogp.com/en/news/2014/TT+Assen+Moto+FP2+Bastianini
Thursday action rounded up with Rabat on top
http://www.motogp.com/en/news/2014/TT+Assen+Moto2+FP2+Rabat
Promising first day for Repsol Honda pair at The Cathedral
http://www.motogp.com/en/news/2014/Promising+first+day+for+Repsol+Honda+pair+at+The+Cathedral
Yamaha pair outside top three in Dutch sunshine
http://www.motogp.com/en/news/2014/Movistar+Yamaha+Assen+FP+review
Ianonne has eventful day in TT practice
http://www.motogp.com/en/news/2014/Pramac+Racing+Assen+FP+Review
NGM Forward's Espargaro delighted with Assen lap time
http://www.motogp.com/en/news/2014/NGM+Forward+Assen+FP+Review
*From Friday
Aleix Espargaro takes pole in rain affected Q2
http://www.motogp.com/en/news/2014/TT+Assen+MotoGP+Q2+Espargaro
A little snippet of Dutch TT History
Going into tomorrow's Dutch TT for MotoGP, here's a link... a short little video, about why the race is run on Saturday. Simple. It is done that way, so as to not disrupt church services on Sunday.
https://www.snappytv.com/tc/252960?autoplay=true&h=244&ss=&w=435
https://www.snappytv.com/tc/252960?autoplay=true&h=244&ss=&w=435
Thursday, June 26, 2014
MotoGP: Espargaro Quickest On Thursday With Record Pace
Watch out for Aleix Espargaro. He was quickest in second Thursday practice for the Dutch TT for MotoGP. Could he be a factor in Saturday's race? We'll see.
http://msn.foxsports.com/speed/motogp/motogp-espargaro-quickest-on-thursday-with-record-pace/
http://msn.foxsports.com/speed/motogp/motogp-espargaro-quickest-on-thursday-with-record-pace/
MotoGP: Yamaha Primed For Assen after Catalunya, Aragon Tests
Yamaha has done some testing at both the Catalunya and Aragon circuits in Spain, and is ready for the challenge of the Iveco TT Assen for MotoGP on Saturday morning.
http://msn.foxsports.com/speed/motogp/motogp-yamaha-primed-for-assen-after-catalunya-and-aragon-tests/
http://msn.foxsports.com/speed/motogp/motogp-yamaha-primed-for-assen-after-catalunya-and-aragon-tests/
Top 10 racing rivalries
A look inside the top ten most heated rivalries in motorcycle racing history in both the AMA and on the world championship level in Grand Prix or World Superbike racing.
http://www.visordown.com/motorcycle-top-10s/top-10-racing-rivalries/25187.html
http://www.visordown.com/motorcycle-top-10s/top-10-racing-rivalries/25187.html
Wednesday, June 25, 2014
AMA Daytona Sportbike Barber Motorsports Park: Race 2
Race two action for AMA Daytona Sportbike from Barber Motorsports Park in Birmingham, Alabama. The next AMA race is at Laguna Seca Raceway in Monterey, California, supporting the FIM World Superbike championship, and will take place in less than three weeks.
AMA Daytona Sportbike Barber Motorsports Park Race 1
Highlights of race one for the AMA GoPro Daytona Sportbike championship from Barber Motorsports Park.
Tuesday, June 24, 2014
AMA Superbike Barber Motorsports Park: Race 2
Race two action from the AMA Superbike event at Barber Motorsports Park in Birmingham, Alabama.
The next race on the AMA Superbike schedule, as we are now over halfway through the season, will be a shared bill with the FIM World Superbike championship at Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca in Monterey, California. That race is slated to take place in three weeks time. Stay tuned for updates on both the World Superbike, and AMA races.
The next race on the AMA Superbike schedule, as we are now over halfway through the season, will be a shared bill with the FIM World Superbike championship at Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca in Monterey, California. That race is slated to take place in three weeks time. Stay tuned for updates on both the World Superbike, and AMA races.
AMA Superbike: Barber Motorsports Park Race 1
Here's action from race one of round three for the AMA
Superbike Championship at Barber Motorsports Park in Birmingham, Alabama.
Monday, June 23, 2014
FIM World Superbike Round 7: Misano
This race marks the halfway point in the 2014 FIM World Superbike race season. Chalk up another double victory for Tom Sykes and Kawasaki in the FIM World Superbike Championship in their latest races at the Misano Adriatico circuit in Misano, Italy.
http://www.motorcyclenews.com/mcn/sport/sportresults/world-superbikes/2014/june/jun2214-wsb-race-2
World Superbike Race 1: #1 Tom Sykes GBR. Kawasaki Racing Team Kawasaki ZX10R
World Superbike Race 2: #1 Tom Sykes GBR. Kawasaki Racing Team Kawasaki ZX10R
World Supersport Race: #16 Jules Cluzel FRA. MV Agusta Reparto Corse MV Agusta F3 675
Superstock 1000 Race: #32 Lorenzo Savadori ITA. Team Pedercini Kawasaki ZX10R
Superstock 600 Race: #5 Marco Faccani ITA. San Carlo Team Italia Kawasaki ZX6R
The next race on the schedule for the FIM World Superbike Championship is in two weeks at the Portimao circuit in Portimao, Portugal.
http://www.motorcyclenews.com/mcn/sport/sportresults/world-superbikes/2014/june/jun2214-wsb-race-2
World Superbike Race 1: #1 Tom Sykes GBR. Kawasaki Racing Team Kawasaki ZX10R
World Superbike Race 2: #1 Tom Sykes GBR. Kawasaki Racing Team Kawasaki ZX10R
World Supersport Race: #16 Jules Cluzel FRA. MV Agusta Reparto Corse MV Agusta F3 675
Superstock 1000 Race: #32 Lorenzo Savadori ITA. Team Pedercini Kawasaki ZX10R
Superstock 600 Race: #5 Marco Faccani ITA. San Carlo Team Italia Kawasaki ZX6R
The next race on the schedule for the FIM World Superbike Championship is in two weeks at the Portimao circuit in Portimao, Portugal.
Sunday, June 22, 2014
MotoGP news headed into the Dutch TT
Lots of news headed into the Iveco TT Assen (the Dutch TT) for MotoGP, this coming weekend.
Suppo: 'Honda's priority is to keep Pedrosa'
http://www.motogp.com/en/news/2014/Suppo+Hondas+priority+is+to+keep+Pedrosa
Marquez top in Catalunya testing
http://www.motogp.com/en/news/2014/Catalunya+postrace+test+report
Lorenzo 'very satisfied' with electronic changes
http://www.motogp.com/en/news/2014/Lorenzo+very+satisfied+with+electronic+changes
Moto2 riders join Ducati and Suzuki for testing
http://www.motogp.com/en/news/2014/Energetic+Tuesday+test+for+Ducati+Suzuki+and+Moto2
Marc VDS Racing want 'proper' MotoGP deal
http://www.motogp.com/en/news/2014/Marc+VDS+want+proper+MotoGP+deal
Honda's Nakamoto delighted with both riders
http://www.motogp.com/en/news/2014/Hondas+Nakamoto+delighted+with+both+riders
Marquez: 'I race for the title, not the records'
w.motogp.com/en/news/2014/Marc+Marquez+at+Munich+store
De Puniet keen to improve Suzuki electronics
http://www.motogp.com/en/news/2014/Suzuki+team+test+in+barcelona
Suppo: 'Honda's priority is to keep Pedrosa'
http://www.motogp.com/en/news/2014/Suppo+Hondas+priority+is+to+keep+Pedrosa
Marquez top in Catalunya testing
http://www.motogp.com/en/news/2014/Catalunya+postrace+test+report
Lorenzo 'very satisfied' with electronic changes
http://www.motogp.com/en/news/2014/Lorenzo+very+satisfied+with+electronic+changes
Moto2 riders join Ducati and Suzuki for testing
http://www.motogp.com/en/news/2014/Energetic+Tuesday+test+for+Ducati+Suzuki+and+Moto2
Marc VDS Racing want 'proper' MotoGP deal
http://www.motogp.com/en/news/2014/Marc+VDS+want+proper+MotoGP+deal
Honda's Nakamoto delighted with both riders
http://www.motogp.com/en/news/2014/Hondas+Nakamoto+delighted+with+both+riders
Marquez: 'I race for the title, not the records'
w.motogp.com/en/news/2014/Marc+Marquez+at+Munich+store
De Puniet keen to improve Suzuki electronics
http://www.motogp.com/en/news/2014/Suzuki+team+test+in+barcelona
Friday, June 20, 2014
AMA news headed into Barber Motorsports Park
Stories from the world of AMA motorcycle racing, headed into this weekend's action at Barber Motorsports Park in Birmingham, Alabama.
AMA Pro Supersport heads to Barber Motorsports Park for Round 3 of AMA Pro Road Racing
http://www.amaproracing.com/rr/news/index.cfm?cid=60399
AMA Pro GoPro Daytona SportBike races up for grabs at the Triumph Superbike Classic at Barber Motorsports Park
http://www.amaproracing.com/rr/news/index.cfm?cid=60387
AMA Pro SuperBike riders gearing up for Triumph Superbike Classic at Barber Motorsports Park
http://www.amaproracing.com/rr/news/index.cfm?cid=60378
Kyle Wyman looking for hot streak in Alabama heat
http://www.amaproracing.com/rr/news/index.cfm?cid=60407
Celtic/HVMC Suzuki's Alexander leads AMA Pro SuperSport as team travels to Barber
http://www.amaproracing.com/rr/news/index.cfm?cid=60396
Riders Discount Triumph Previews the AMA Pro Racing Triumph SuperBike Classic at Barber Motorsports Park
http://www.amaproracing.com/rr/news/index.cfm?cid=60394
Injured Combat Veterans to Assist Teams in Birmingham, AL This Weekend
http://www.amaproracing.com/rr/news/index.cfm?cid=60391
Yamaha U.S. Road Racing Teams Take A Little Off The Top With A Visit To Barber This Weekend
http://www.amaproracing.com/rr/news/index.cfm?cid=60390
GEICO Honda riders to teach American heroes valuable riding skills
http://www.amaproracing.com/rr/news/index.cfm?cid=60389
Stump to Substitute for James on James Gang/Hoban Brothers XR1200 at Barber Motorsports Park
http://www.amaproracing.com/rr/news/index.cfm?cid=60386
AMA Pro Supersport heads to Barber Motorsports Park for Round 3 of AMA Pro Road Racing
http://www.amaproracing.com/rr/news/index.cfm?cid=60399
AMA Pro GoPro Daytona SportBike races up for grabs at the Triumph Superbike Classic at Barber Motorsports Park
http://www.amaproracing.com/rr/news/index.cfm?cid=60387
AMA Pro SuperBike riders gearing up for Triumph Superbike Classic at Barber Motorsports Park
http://www.amaproracing.com/rr/news/index.cfm?cid=60378
Kyle Wyman looking for hot streak in Alabama heat
http://www.amaproracing.com/rr/news/index.cfm?cid=60407
Celtic/HVMC Suzuki's Alexander leads AMA Pro SuperSport as team travels to Barber
http://www.amaproracing.com/rr/news/index.cfm?cid=60396
Riders Discount Triumph Previews the AMA Pro Racing Triumph SuperBike Classic at Barber Motorsports Park
http://www.amaproracing.com/rr/news/index.cfm?cid=60394
Injured Combat Veterans to Assist Teams in Birmingham, AL This Weekend
http://www.amaproracing.com/rr/news/index.cfm?cid=60391
Yamaha U.S. Road Racing Teams Take A Little Off The Top With A Visit To Barber This Weekend
http://www.amaproracing.com/rr/news/index.cfm?cid=60390
GEICO Honda riders to teach American heroes valuable riding skills
http://www.amaproracing.com/rr/news/index.cfm?cid=60389
Stump to Substitute for James on James Gang/Hoban Brothers XR1200 at Barber Motorsports Park
http://www.amaproracing.com/rr/news/index.cfm?cid=60386
Thursday, June 19, 2014
Cal Crutchlow: 'I'm still motivated'
Despite the fact that his time at Ducati to this point has been disappointing, Cal Crutchlow still has confidence in himself as a MotoGP rider.
http://www.motorcyclenews.com/mcn/sport/sportresults/motogp/2014/june/jun1614-crutchlow
http://www.motorcyclenews.com/mcn/sport/sportresults/motogp/2014/june/jun1614-crutchlow
Wednesday, June 18, 2014
FIM World Superbike round 6: Malaysia
Sorry this one is late, folks. Round six of the FIM World Superbike Championship, was run in Malaysia, at the Sepang circuit in Kuala Lumpur. Marco Melandri did the double on his Aprilia, winning both of the World Superbike races.
Here's a story about that in Sport Rider magazine.
http://www.sportrider.com/sportbike-news/world-superbike-sepang-melandri-does-double
World Superbike race 1: #33 Marco Melandri ITA. Aprilia Racing Team Aprilia RSV4 Factory
World Superbike race 2: #33 Marco Melandri ITA. Aprilia Racing Team Aprilia RSV4 Factory
World Supersport race: #60 Michael van der Mark NLD. PATA Honda World Supersport Team
Honda CBR600RR
There were no races in Malaysia for either of the Superstock classes (i.e. 1000cc and 600cc bikes, respectively). The next World Superbike race, is this weekend at Misano Adriatico in Misano, Italy.
Here's a story about that in Sport Rider magazine.
http://www.sportrider.com/sportbike-news/world-superbike-sepang-melandri-does-double
World Superbike race 1: #33 Marco Melandri ITA. Aprilia Racing Team Aprilia RSV4 Factory
World Superbike race 2: #33 Marco Melandri ITA. Aprilia Racing Team Aprilia RSV4 Factory
World Supersport race: #60 Michael van der Mark NLD. PATA Honda World Supersport Team
Honda CBR600RR
There were no races in Malaysia for either of the Superstock classes (i.e. 1000cc and 600cc bikes, respectively). The next World Superbike race, is this weekend at Misano Adriatico in Misano, Italy.
Tuesday, June 17, 2014
MotoGP round 7: Catalunya
Marc Marquez attempts to keep his perfect record in MotoGP alive in 2014. He wants to continue breaking records. Jorge Lorenzo, Valentino Rossi, and Dani Pedrosa, are looking to dethrone Marquez. Can they possibly stop his absolute freight train of a season here at Catalunya in Barcelona, Spain. If Honda wins, it's their 100th MotoGP win since the class was begun in 2002. Jorge Lorenzo has won three of the last four races here, and Yamaha, seven of the last twelve.
Rain is in the forecast, on a hot, humid day, in Spain. Supercross champion Ryan Villopoto is in attendance at this race, watching these heroes. He can relate to being on the same level, but has never ridden a road racing motorcycle. Marc Marquez has had a 50% win rate in his brief MotoGP career. Here's how qualifying went down. Can anyone stop Marquez from taking his eighth straight pole? Cal Crutchlow was not fast enough. Nicky Hayden will start 16th. Dani Pedrosa, and Jorge Lorenzo both pushed hard, and Marc Marquez pushed a little too hard, qualifying third. Dani Pedrosa has pole.
Honda is looking for it's 100th win since the MotoGP era began in 2002. Michele Fabrizio will race in place of Danilo Petrucci. Rain is expected in the race. Will that dampen Marc Marquez's winning streak? We're ready for this race. Will Marc Marquez win seven in a row? The bikes are on track, ready for this Grand Prix. Grey clouds are forming. It's dry now. But, the weather is a big concern. Let's go. Are we going to have a repeat of the Mugello battle? What about rain? 25 laps. Go!
Valentino Rossi slices through the field and it looks like Jorge Lorenzo leads. The Honda's come right after the Yamaha's immediately. Pedrosa and Lorenzo battle. Valentino Rossi is coming, too. Marc Marquez also got a good start. Watch the dark clouds. Rain is coming. Cal Crutchlow wants to get by Yonny Hernandez. They race to turn ten, and Marquez wants to pass Pedrosa. But, no. Aleix Espargaro is going for it, on a bright yellow motorcycle. It's a special paint job for this race.
Marquez passes Pedrosa for third. Marquez crashed in Q2. The spare bikes are set up for riding in the rain. Wait for a white flag to signal the use of the spare bikes. Stefan Bradl is also running well in third place. Both he and Pedrosa have had to have arm pump operations recently. Bradley Smith and Alvaro Bautista are down the order as is Nicky Hayden. Karel Abraham has crashed. He fell and hit the gravel. The Czech rider, crashed. He'll get back in. But, in no way is he in contention.
For Abraham, it's game over. Rossi is right behind Lorenzo now. Marc Marquez is keeping his powder dry. He doesn't like the high curbs on thsi track at Catalunya. Pol Espargaro has been passed by his brother Aleix. Marquez sets fast lap. The weather seems to be holding off at the moment. But, the spare bikes are set to go. Rossi is chasing Lorenzo. Valentino Rossi takes the lead. He's won nine times at Barcelona. Rossi is pushing, and so is Lorenzo. Rossi makes the lead stick.
Five bikes are together at the front of this field. Marquez slides by Lorenzo. He's second and will work on Rossi. Dani Pedrosa has fallen from pole to fourth. Alvaro Bautista is out of the race. Rossi wants his tenth win. Jorge Lorenzo has had four wins including three in MotoGP. Marc Marquez has won, but in the old 125cc class. He's never won MotoGP here. He wants it. Rain, please stay away. Rossi continues to lead. Marc Marquez holds second. Dani Pedrosa has passed Jorge Lorenzo. Valentino Rossi won his first race here in 1997. That was a 125cc event.
White paint is flying off the curbs at turn ten. They plunge down through turns twelve and thirteen. Lorenzo continues to push to hang onto Rossi and the two Honda's. Stefan Bradl ran wide, losing traction on his rear wheel. Rossi hasn't won a race since Assen last year. They push 200 miles an hour on the straight and then brake into turn one heavily. Rossi is really running well. But, Marquez surely has something left in the locker. Pedrosa wants by. But he can't quite pass his team mate.
Ah. Never mind. Pedrosa passes. Marquez goes down a place. Pedrosa won in Malaysia, last year. Jorge Lorenzo has not won since Motegi last fall. 95,000 fans are going nuts. Marquez pushes. Lorenzo is having a look in. But he can't quite get to the top three. Pedrosa follows his team mate all the way down the back straight through turns 6-10. Marquez is really quick into turn ten as Rossi continues to lead this race. Rossi hasn't led for a long distance for quite some time. Lorenzo is 1.1 seconds behind Rossi, and half a second behind Pedrosa.
Marquez brakes late. Lorenzo and Bradl are behind. The Espargaro brothers, Andrea Dovizioso, and Andrea Ianonne are running well. But Cal Crutchlow is languishing in 20th. Marquez is closing all the time. Cal Crutchlow has a mechanical issue and he's out. Alvaro Bautista didn't crash. But he stopped. Now, the skies might be clearing, but slowly. Lots of dark clouds are still on the horizon. Pedrosa runs wide into turn one. Marquez is closing up all the time as there's no rain yet. Rossi leads. Marquez tries to pass. Pedrosa runs wide. He's going to pick it up. Correction. Marquez ran wide.
Lorenzo is pushing in fourth. Pedrosa has to sit up, and Marquez fights back immediately. Wow! Marquez wants to pass Rossi, but no. Again, he slides under Pedrosa. Watch out. Don't take out your team mate. Valentino Rossi is really running a superb race right now. Jorge Lorenzo isn't out of this one either. Rossi runs a 1:42.8. Marquez slides right under Rossi, and goes off the road. He ALMOST ran right up Rossi's rear wheel!
The Honda's haven't battled each other for a while. But, the Yamaha's are back into this race, too. This is Valentino Rossi at his best. He's flying, even though he's been doing it for 17 years. Ten laps to go. Rossi leads Marquez and then Pedrosa comes behind. Bradley Smith runs tenth, running his best lap. It's Rossi, Pedrosa, Marquez, Lorenzo, in the top four. Smith ran the fastest lap of the race as Rossi continues in P1.
Aleix Espargaro is running well as Andrea Dovizioso passes Pol Espargaro. Dovizioso is a former rider for Tech 3 Yamaha, (Pol Espargaro's team), before running for Ducati.
Marquez is closing on Rossi. Can Marquez make it seven for seven? Can Rossi win? 19 laps done of 25 scheduled. We're getting down to crunch time. Rossi still leads from Marquez. Marquez can't get through. Rossi is booking it. He's won nine times in Barcelona. Both Honda riders run a 1:42.9. They are quicker than Rossi and so is Lorenzo. Marquez will have a go into turn one. He's right on Rossi. Here comes Marquez, and he slides into the lead. The crowd goes nuts. Rossi wants it but no. Pedrosa passes. Rossi retakes the lead.
The white flag is out. Go get wet tires. Get the spare bikes out with the wet setups. Rossi still leads. Jorge Lorenzo has closed on the leaders. Game over for Mike DeMeglio. No flags waved yet. It's bone dry in the pits or on the track. If the track is dry, the wet tires will be torn to shreds. Marc Marquez passes and Dani Pedrosa gets blocked by Rossi. Can Marquez run away at the front for his seventh win in a row? There is rain in turn three. Can Marquez fight off Rossi? Will the rain appear in the next five laps? This is going to be a sizzler to the finish.
Marquez leads with four laps left. It's anyone's race, with rain. Pedrosa takes the lead. Four laps left. Lap 22 of 25. Can Marquez open any kind of an advantage. Through turns eight and nine, up over the rise, to the dreaded turn ten. Marquez has the lead as Pedrosa is chasing. Have Rossi and Pedrosa got any steam left to beat #93? Three laps to go now. Marquez runs wide in corner number three. The clock is ticking for Pedrosa. Two laps left now. Marquez is pushing hard. They run into the stadium section. Pedrosa can't challenge.
Two laps left now. Dani Pedrosa wants it but he isn't close enough. Marquez is right on it. Two laps left. Into turn four, Marquez shuts the door on Pedrosa. Rossi is watching all this action. Pedrosa will need one place to make his move with just a lap and a half left. Is Pedrosa's locker empty? Has he got the gusto to get Marquez? Pedrosa closes. Hes' got the gumption. Can he pass? Follow Marquiez all around the track. Can he challenge on the front straight? No. Yes. Oh wow! Pedrosa has made it stick! Marquz is second. Marquez fights back. Nnot quite. No. He's got it.
Again another chance for Pedrosa. This is amazing! Pedrosa can't quite make it. He's very close. Go for it in turns nine and ten, down the short chute, on this the 65th anniversary of MotoGP. They touch! Dani Pedrosa runs wide. Rossi gets second. Marc Marquez wins it! His second win in Barcelona, and his seventh win of the season! Phew! Yours truly has to catch his breath after that sizzler of a race, folks. Is that the best MotoGP race of the year, or what?!
#93 Marc Marquez ESP. Honda
The next MotoGP race is in less than two weeks. It's the legendary Dutch TT at the Assen circuit in Assen, Holland, which is now called the Iveco TT Assen. Unlike many MotoGP races, it's run on a Saturday instead of a Sunday. It will be taking place on June 28th, in eleven days time.
Rain is in the forecast, on a hot, humid day, in Spain. Supercross champion Ryan Villopoto is in attendance at this race, watching these heroes. He can relate to being on the same level, but has never ridden a road racing motorcycle. Marc Marquez has had a 50% win rate in his brief MotoGP career. Here's how qualifying went down. Can anyone stop Marquez from taking his eighth straight pole? Cal Crutchlow was not fast enough. Nicky Hayden will start 16th. Dani Pedrosa, and Jorge Lorenzo both pushed hard, and Marc Marquez pushed a little too hard, qualifying third. Dani Pedrosa has pole.
Honda is looking for it's 100th win since the MotoGP era began in 2002. Michele Fabrizio will race in place of Danilo Petrucci. Rain is expected in the race. Will that dampen Marc Marquez's winning streak? We're ready for this race. Will Marc Marquez win seven in a row? The bikes are on track, ready for this Grand Prix. Grey clouds are forming. It's dry now. But, the weather is a big concern. Let's go. Are we going to have a repeat of the Mugello battle? What about rain? 25 laps. Go!
Valentino Rossi slices through the field and it looks like Jorge Lorenzo leads. The Honda's come right after the Yamaha's immediately. Pedrosa and Lorenzo battle. Valentino Rossi is coming, too. Marc Marquez also got a good start. Watch the dark clouds. Rain is coming. Cal Crutchlow wants to get by Yonny Hernandez. They race to turn ten, and Marquez wants to pass Pedrosa. But, no. Aleix Espargaro is going for it, on a bright yellow motorcycle. It's a special paint job for this race.
Marquez passes Pedrosa for third. Marquez crashed in Q2. The spare bikes are set up for riding in the rain. Wait for a white flag to signal the use of the spare bikes. Stefan Bradl is also running well in third place. Both he and Pedrosa have had to have arm pump operations recently. Bradley Smith and Alvaro Bautista are down the order as is Nicky Hayden. Karel Abraham has crashed. He fell and hit the gravel. The Czech rider, crashed. He'll get back in. But, in no way is he in contention.
For Abraham, it's game over. Rossi is right behind Lorenzo now. Marc Marquez is keeping his powder dry. He doesn't like the high curbs on thsi track at Catalunya. Pol Espargaro has been passed by his brother Aleix. Marquez sets fast lap. The weather seems to be holding off at the moment. But, the spare bikes are set to go. Rossi is chasing Lorenzo. Valentino Rossi takes the lead. He's won nine times at Barcelona. Rossi is pushing, and so is Lorenzo. Rossi makes the lead stick.
Five bikes are together at the front of this field. Marquez slides by Lorenzo. He's second and will work on Rossi. Dani Pedrosa has fallen from pole to fourth. Alvaro Bautista is out of the race. Rossi wants his tenth win. Jorge Lorenzo has had four wins including three in MotoGP. Marc Marquez has won, but in the old 125cc class. He's never won MotoGP here. He wants it. Rain, please stay away. Rossi continues to lead. Marc Marquez holds second. Dani Pedrosa has passed Jorge Lorenzo. Valentino Rossi won his first race here in 1997. That was a 125cc event.
White paint is flying off the curbs at turn ten. They plunge down through turns twelve and thirteen. Lorenzo continues to push to hang onto Rossi and the two Honda's. Stefan Bradl ran wide, losing traction on his rear wheel. Rossi hasn't won a race since Assen last year. They push 200 miles an hour on the straight and then brake into turn one heavily. Rossi is really running well. But, Marquez surely has something left in the locker. Pedrosa wants by. But he can't quite pass his team mate.
Ah. Never mind. Pedrosa passes. Marquez goes down a place. Pedrosa won in Malaysia, last year. Jorge Lorenzo has not won since Motegi last fall. 95,000 fans are going nuts. Marquez pushes. Lorenzo is having a look in. But he can't quite get to the top three. Pedrosa follows his team mate all the way down the back straight through turns 6-10. Marquez is really quick into turn ten as Rossi continues to lead this race. Rossi hasn't led for a long distance for quite some time. Lorenzo is 1.1 seconds behind Rossi, and half a second behind Pedrosa.
Marquez brakes late. Lorenzo and Bradl are behind. The Espargaro brothers, Andrea Dovizioso, and Andrea Ianonne are running well. But Cal Crutchlow is languishing in 20th. Marquez is closing all the time. Cal Crutchlow has a mechanical issue and he's out. Alvaro Bautista didn't crash. But he stopped. Now, the skies might be clearing, but slowly. Lots of dark clouds are still on the horizon. Pedrosa runs wide into turn one. Marquez is closing up all the time as there's no rain yet. Rossi leads. Marquez tries to pass. Pedrosa runs wide. He's going to pick it up. Correction. Marquez ran wide.
Lorenzo is pushing in fourth. Pedrosa has to sit up, and Marquez fights back immediately. Wow! Marquez wants to pass Rossi, but no. Again, he slides under Pedrosa. Watch out. Don't take out your team mate. Valentino Rossi is really running a superb race right now. Jorge Lorenzo isn't out of this one either. Rossi runs a 1:42.8. Marquez slides right under Rossi, and goes off the road. He ALMOST ran right up Rossi's rear wheel!
The Honda's haven't battled each other for a while. But, the Yamaha's are back into this race, too. This is Valentino Rossi at his best. He's flying, even though he's been doing it for 17 years. Ten laps to go. Rossi leads Marquez and then Pedrosa comes behind. Bradley Smith runs tenth, running his best lap. It's Rossi, Pedrosa, Marquez, Lorenzo, in the top four. Smith ran the fastest lap of the race as Rossi continues in P1.
Aleix Espargaro is running well as Andrea Dovizioso passes Pol Espargaro. Dovizioso is a former rider for Tech 3 Yamaha, (Pol Espargaro's team), before running for Ducati.
Marquez is closing on Rossi. Can Marquez make it seven for seven? Can Rossi win? 19 laps done of 25 scheduled. We're getting down to crunch time. Rossi still leads from Marquez. Marquez can't get through. Rossi is booking it. He's won nine times in Barcelona. Both Honda riders run a 1:42.9. They are quicker than Rossi and so is Lorenzo. Marquez will have a go into turn one. He's right on Rossi. Here comes Marquez, and he slides into the lead. The crowd goes nuts. Rossi wants it but no. Pedrosa passes. Rossi retakes the lead.
The white flag is out. Go get wet tires. Get the spare bikes out with the wet setups. Rossi still leads. Jorge Lorenzo has closed on the leaders. Game over for Mike DeMeglio. No flags waved yet. It's bone dry in the pits or on the track. If the track is dry, the wet tires will be torn to shreds. Marc Marquez passes and Dani Pedrosa gets blocked by Rossi. Can Marquez run away at the front for his seventh win in a row? There is rain in turn three. Can Marquez fight off Rossi? Will the rain appear in the next five laps? This is going to be a sizzler to the finish.
Marquez leads with four laps left. It's anyone's race, with rain. Pedrosa takes the lead. Four laps left. Lap 22 of 25. Can Marquez open any kind of an advantage. Through turns eight and nine, up over the rise, to the dreaded turn ten. Marquez has the lead as Pedrosa is chasing. Have Rossi and Pedrosa got any steam left to beat #93? Three laps to go now. Marquez runs wide in corner number three. The clock is ticking for Pedrosa. Two laps left now. Marquez is pushing hard. They run into the stadium section. Pedrosa can't challenge.
Two laps left now. Dani Pedrosa wants it but he isn't close enough. Marquez is right on it. Two laps left. Into turn four, Marquez shuts the door on Pedrosa. Rossi is watching all this action. Pedrosa will need one place to make his move with just a lap and a half left. Is Pedrosa's locker empty? Has he got the gusto to get Marquez? Pedrosa closes. Hes' got the gumption. Can he pass? Follow Marquiez all around the track. Can he challenge on the front straight? No. Yes. Oh wow! Pedrosa has made it stick! Marquz is second. Marquez fights back. Nnot quite. No. He's got it.
Again another chance for Pedrosa. This is amazing! Pedrosa can't quite make it. He's very close. Go for it in turns nine and ten, down the short chute, on this the 65th anniversary of MotoGP. They touch! Dani Pedrosa runs wide. Rossi gets second. Marc Marquez wins it! His second win in Barcelona, and his seventh win of the season! Phew! Yours truly has to catch his breath after that sizzler of a race, folks. Is that the best MotoGP race of the year, or what?!
#93 Marc Marquez ESP. Honda
The next MotoGP race is in less than two weeks. It's the legendary Dutch TT at the Assen circuit in Assen, Holland, which is now called the Iveco TT Assen. Unlike many MotoGP races, it's run on a Saturday instead of a Sunday. It will be taking place on June 28th, in eleven days time.
Monday, June 16, 2014
Moto 2 & Moto 3: Catalunya
In the Moto 2 race at Circuit de Catalunya in Barcelona, it was another win for Tito Rabat and Marc VDS Racing. Completing the podium were Maverick Vinales and Johann Zarco.
#53 Esteve Rabat ESP. Kalex
Neither Sam Lowes nor Simone Corsi completed a lap in the Moto 2 event. Other notable finishers in the top ten included Mika Kallio, Tom Luthi, Mattia Pasini, Ricard Cardus, Axel Pons, Marcel Schrotter, and Anthony West. Nico Terol rounded out the top 20, while riders such as Julian Simon, Takaaki Nakagami, Dominique Aegerter, and Josh Herrin, were scattered through the pack and came across the line.
In Moto 3 action from Catalunya, Alex Marquez won the race followed home in the podium places by Enea Basitanini and Efren Vazquez, who are getting better and better as riders in Moto 3. It's only a matter of time before either of them could be race winners. In fact, most of the bikes and riders finished the Moto 3 event at Catalunya. There were just four who didn't. Sadly, one of the top contenders, (Alex Rins), went out after 18 laps. Hafiq Azmi, and Spanish wildcard rider Maria Herrera, also went out. Niccolo Antonelli didn't even start the race.
Jack Miller, Romano Fenati, Brad Binder, Isaac Vinales, Niklas Ajo, John McPhee, and Francesco Bagnaia, rounded out the top ten.
#12 Alex Marquez ESP. Honda
The next races for Moto 2 and Moto 3, will be the Dutch TT or Tourist Trophy, at the Assen circuit in Holland, coming up in less than two weeks. It will be run on Saturday, June 28th.
#53 Esteve Rabat ESP. Kalex
Neither Sam Lowes nor Simone Corsi completed a lap in the Moto 2 event. Other notable finishers in the top ten included Mika Kallio, Tom Luthi, Mattia Pasini, Ricard Cardus, Axel Pons, Marcel Schrotter, and Anthony West. Nico Terol rounded out the top 20, while riders such as Julian Simon, Takaaki Nakagami, Dominique Aegerter, and Josh Herrin, were scattered through the pack and came across the line.
In Moto 3 action from Catalunya, Alex Marquez won the race followed home in the podium places by Enea Basitanini and Efren Vazquez, who are getting better and better as riders in Moto 3. It's only a matter of time before either of them could be race winners. In fact, most of the bikes and riders finished the Moto 3 event at Catalunya. There were just four who didn't. Sadly, one of the top contenders, (Alex Rins), went out after 18 laps. Hafiq Azmi, and Spanish wildcard rider Maria Herrera, also went out. Niccolo Antonelli didn't even start the race.
Jack Miller, Romano Fenati, Brad Binder, Isaac Vinales, Niklas Ajo, John McPhee, and Francesco Bagnaia, rounded out the top ten.
#12 Alex Marquez ESP. Honda
The next races for Moto 2 and Moto 3, will be the Dutch TT or Tourist Trophy, at the Assen circuit in Holland, coming up in less than two weeks. It will be run on Saturday, June 28th.
Sunday, June 15, 2014
Rookie Jason Aguilar taking AMA Pro SuperSport by storm in 2014
A profile of AMA SuperSport rider, Jason Aguilar.
http://amaproracing.com/rr/news/index.cfm?cid=60349
http://amaproracing.com/rr/news/index.cfm?cid=60349
Friday, June 13, 2014
MotoGP news stories
News to follow going into the Catalunya race weekend.
Record-breaking Moto 3 rolls into Catalunya
http://www.motogp.com/en/news/2014/Preview+Catalunya+Moto3
Miller focused on 2014 rather than future
http://www.motogp.com/en/news/2014/Miller+focused+on+2014+rather+than+future
Quick Ajo demonstrates Montmelo strength
http://www.motogp.com/en/news/2014/Catalunya+2014+Moto3+FP2+review
Rabat looks to extend advantage at home
http://www.motogp.com/en/news/2014/Preview+Catalunya+Moto2
Espargaro quickest overall, Smith fastest in afternoon
http://www.motogp.com/en/news/2014/Catalunya+2014+MotoGP+FP2+report+Espargaro
Record-breaking Moto 3 rolls into Catalunya
http://www.motogp.com/en/news/2014/Preview+Catalunya+Moto3
Miller focused on 2014 rather than future
http://www.motogp.com/en/news/2014/Miller+focused+on+2014+rather+than+future
Quick Ajo demonstrates Montmelo strength
http://www.motogp.com/en/news/2014/Catalunya+2014+Moto3+FP2+review
Rabat looks to extend advantage at home
http://www.motogp.com/en/news/2014/Preview+Catalunya+Moto2
Espargaro quickest overall, Smith fastest in afternoon
http://www.motogp.com/en/news/2014/Catalunya+2014+MotoGP+FP2+report+Espargaro
Thursday, June 12, 2014
AMA Pro Vance & Hines Harley-Davidson Series set to return to Indianapolis Motor Speedway as part of 2014 Red Bull Indianapolis GP
The ground pounding AMA Harley Davidson racing motorcycles, are set to make their return to Indianapolis Motor Speedway, as a support event, or rather, also, as an encore, to the greatest motorcycle racers in the world, joining the cast from MotoGP, Moto 2, and Moto 3 for the Red Bull Indianapolis Grand Prix at Indianapolis Motor Speedway, set to be run between August 8th and 10th.
http://amaproracing.com/rr/news/index.cfm?cid=60309
http://amaproracing.com/rr/news/index.cfm?cid=60309
Wednesday, June 11, 2014
AMA news (including recaps of recent races at Road America)
News from the AMA after their races at Road America in Elkhart Lake, Wisconsin a few weeks ago.
AMA Pro GoPro Daytona Sportbike recap: Road America
http://www.amaproracing.com/rr/news/index.cfm?cid=60257
Statement from AMA Pro Racing on the Recent Event at Road America
http://www.amaproracing.com/rr/news/index.cfm?cid=60259
AMA Pro Supersport Recap: Road America
http://www.amaproracing.com/rr/news/index.cfm?cid=60266
AMA Pro Vance & Hines Harley-Davidson Series recap: Road America
http://www.amaproracing.com/rr/news/index.cfm?cid=60286
Martin Cardenas SuperBike Podium at Road America
http://www.amaproracing.com/rr/news/index.cfm?cid=60300
AMA Pro GoPro Daytona Sportbike recap: Road America
http://www.amaproracing.com/rr/news/index.cfm?cid=60257
Statement from AMA Pro Racing on the Recent Event at Road America
http://www.amaproracing.com/rr/news/index.cfm?cid=60259
AMA Pro Supersport Recap: Road America
http://www.amaproracing.com/rr/news/index.cfm?cid=60266
AMA Pro Vance & Hines Harley-Davidson Series recap: Road America
http://www.amaproracing.com/rr/news/index.cfm?cid=60286
Martin Cardenas SuperBike Podium at Road America
http://www.amaproracing.com/rr/news/index.cfm?cid=60300
MotoGP news stories
The latest news from MotoGP headed into Barcelona this weekend.
Honda close in on 100th win in MotoGP
http://www.motogp.com/en/news/2014/Honda+close+in+on+100th+win+in+MotoGP
Pedrosa on 2014 form, his race philosophy, and the future
http://www.motogp.com/en/news/2014/Pedrosa+on+2014+form+his+race+philosophy+and+the+future
Doohan on the strengths of champion Marquez
http://www.motogp.com/en/news/2014/Doohan+on+the+strengths+of+champion+Marquez
New Iveco Daily to be title sponsor of TT Assen
http://www.motogp.com/en/news/2014/New+Iveco+Daily+to+be+title+sponsor+of+TT+Assen
Aleix Espargaro: 'Suzuki will open more doors'
http://www.motogp.com/en/news/2014/Aleix+Espargaro+Suzuki+will+open+more+doors
Marquez chance to extend lead in front of home fans
http://www.motogp.com/en/news/2014/Marquez+chance+to+extend+lead+in+front+of+home+fans
Ducati Team ready for Barcelona date
http://www.motogp.com/en/news/2014/Ducati+Team+BcnCat+Preview
Espargaro and Smith set for Montmelo assault
http://www.motogp.com/en/news/2014/Espargaro+and+Smith+set+for+Montmelo+assault
Honda close in on 100th win in MotoGP
http://www.motogp.com/en/news/2014/Honda+close+in+on+100th+win+in+MotoGP
Pedrosa on 2014 form, his race philosophy, and the future
http://www.motogp.com/en/news/2014/Pedrosa+on+2014+form+his+race+philosophy+and+the+future
Doohan on the strengths of champion Marquez
http://www.motogp.com/en/news/2014/Doohan+on+the+strengths+of+champion+Marquez
New Iveco Daily to be title sponsor of TT Assen
http://www.motogp.com/en/news/2014/New+Iveco+Daily+to+be+title+sponsor+of+TT+Assen
Aleix Espargaro: 'Suzuki will open more doors'
http://www.motogp.com/en/news/2014/Aleix+Espargaro+Suzuki+will+open+more+doors
Marquez chance to extend lead in front of home fans
http://www.motogp.com/en/news/2014/Marquez+chance+to+extend+lead+in+front+of+home+fans
Ducati Team ready for Barcelona date
http://www.motogp.com/en/news/2014/Ducati+Team+BcnCat+Preview
Espargaro and Smith set for Montmelo assault
http://www.motogp.com/en/news/2014/Espargaro+and+Smith+set+for+Montmelo+assault
Tuesday, June 10, 2014
Casey Stoner on life after MotoGP
Former MotoGP world champion, Casey Stoner, was interviewed by SuperBike magazine writer, John Hogan. Here is that interview.
http://www.superbike.co.uk/race-news/casey-stoner-on-life-after-motogp/
http://www.superbike.co.uk/race-news/casey-stoner-on-life-after-motogp/
Barcelona-Catalunya racing: facts & figures
Facts and figures on the Barcelona/Catalunya MotoGP race, going into it, this weekend.
http://www.motogp.com/en/news/2014/BarcelonaCatalunya+racing+facts+and+figures
http://www.motogp.com/en/news/2014/BarcelonaCatalunya+racing+facts+and+figures
classic MotoGP races
Yours truly has been inspired, after watching the recently posted documentary about the great 500cc motorcycles. In due time, there will be video posts, dedicated to some of the great races in 500cc and MotoGP history. Looking forward to posting these so fans can see what some of the latter half of the 500cc era, as well as the beginning of the MotoGP era looked like, from a competition and racing point of view. Stay tuned.
Monday, June 9, 2014
The Unrideables 2: The monstrous 500cc World Grand Prix Motorcycles Part 2
This is the second installment of "The Unrideables" about the legendary monsters that were 500cc Grand Prix motorcycles. In this second video, a couple of significant things take place, just as in volume one. Wayne Rainey from the United States, wins the first 500cc race using carbon brake discs on his Team Roberts Yamaha YZR500. Then, in 1992, Honda turned 500 Grand Prix racing on it's ear, introducing the awesome NSR 500.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/NSR500
The NSR 500 had what was known as the "big bang engine". The big bang engine, in motorcycle parlance, means a certain firing order of the cylinders.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Big_bang_engine
The very next year, in 1993, Japanese rider Shinichi Itoh, riding one of these monstrous NSR 500 Honda's breaks the 200 mile per hour barrier at the German Grand Prix at Hockenheim. After switching to unleaded fuel in 1998, the 500cc bikes were steadily phased out, and now, of course, the equally awesome MotoGP machines are the standard bearers. Both volumes of this documentary, show just how amazing the 500cc era really was.
The Unrideables 1: The monstrous 500cc World Grand Prix motorcycles part 1
At first, the 990cc four stroke bikes could race with the
500cc machines, before the great 500s were phased out altogether, and the
1000cc machines that are written about on this blog week in and week out, now
reign supreme. But, unlike the MotoGP
machines, which are still amazing motorcycles in their own right, the 500cc
machines, as explained by some of the riders in this documentary, were absolute
beasts to ride. Push it just a shade too
far, and the bike would have none of it, sending it’s rider absolutely into
orbit, should they fall off.
This is part one of a two part documentary on these fantastic machines. Part two, immediately follows.
Sunday, June 8, 2014
The Ronax 500 in action
A 500cc Grand Prix bike for the track, or the street. The Ronax 500. Check this out.
Saturday, June 7, 2014
John McGuinness breaks the SES TT Zero lap record!
Proof that you can go fast, even on a zero emissions, electric motorcycle. John McGuinness breaks a lap record.
Friday, June 6, 2014
TT 2014: Moly secures win number 17 after twenty-five years
In three wheelin' (sidecar) action at the Isle of Man TT, legend, Dave Molyneux has scored his seventeenth race win in 25 years of racing the TT. Remarkable!
http://www.motorcyclenews.com/MCN/sport/sportresults/TT-road-races/2014/June/jun0514-sidecar-tt/
http://www.motorcyclenews.com/MCN/sport/sportresults/TT-road-races/2014/June/jun0514-sidecar-tt/
TT 2014: Harrison makes history with first TT win
Dean Harrison wins the Lightweight motorcycle race at the Isle of Man TT, and makes history as he and his dad Conrad won the sidecar race today. So, that makes Conrad and Dean Harrison, the first ever father/son duo to win TT races in the same year.
http://www.motorcyclenews.com/MCN/sport/sportresults/TT-road-races/2014/June/jun0614-lightweight-tt
More news coming from the TT. Stay tuned.
http://www.motorcyclenews.com/MCN/sport/sportresults/TT-road-races/2014/June/jun0614-lightweight-tt
More news coming from the TT. Stay tuned.
TT 2014: Dunlop makes it four in a week with Senior victory
Despite having to withdraw from one of the other races, Michael Dunlop still wins the Senior race at the Isle of Man TT.
http://www.motorcyclenews.com/MCN/sport/sportresults/TT-road-races/2014/June/jun0614-senior-tt
http://www.motorcyclenews.com/MCN/sport/sportresults/TT-road-races/2014/June/jun0614-senior-tt
Dunlop withdraws from TT Lightweight
On this last day of the Isle of Man TT road races, Michael Dunlop has withdrawn from the Super Twin division race.
http://www.motorcyclenews.com/MCN/sport/sportresults/TT-road-races/2014/June/jun0614-dunlop
http://www.motorcyclenews.com/MCN/sport/sportresults/TT-road-races/2014/June/jun0614-dunlop
Thursday, June 5, 2014
AMA Daytona Sportbike Road America: Race 2
Race two for the Daytona Sportbike class from Road America.
The next event on the schedule for the AMA Daytona Sportbike class will be the Triumph Superbike Classic at Barber Motorsport Park in Birmingham, Alabama, coming up in less than two weeks.
The next event on the schedule for the AMA Daytona Sportbike class will be the Triumph Superbike Classic at Barber Motorsport Park in Birmingham, Alabama, coming up in less than two weeks.
AMA Daytona Sportbike Road America: Race 1
Race one action for the Daytona Sportbike class at Road America in Elkhart Lake, Wisconsin. Race two will be posted soon.
Stoner elects against more MotoGP testing
Casey Stoner, "needs a break from motorsport" as he put it, and thus, will not continue testing MotoGP bikes.
http://www.speedcafe.com/2014/06/04/stoner-elects-motogp-testing/
http://www.speedcafe.com/2014/06/04/stoner-elects-motogp-testing/
Wednesday, June 4, 2014
2014 Isle of Man: A guide to the most insane and deadliest race in the world
Check out what the Isle of Man TT is all about. This race is thrilling, but it's also probably the most dangerous one on wheels, in the whole world.
http://msn.foxsports.com/speed/motogp/2014-isle-of-man-your-guide-to-the-most-insane-race-in-the-world/
http://msn.foxsports.com/speed/motogp/2014-isle-of-man-your-guide-to-the-most-insane-race-in-the-world/
AMA Superbike Road America: Race 2
Here is race two for the AMA Superbikes at Road American during the Subway Superbike Doubleheader.
The next race for the AMA is in less than three weeks. It's the Triumph Superbike Classic at Barber Motorsports Park in Birmingham, Alabama.
The next race for the AMA is in less than three weeks. It's the Triumph Superbike Classic at Barber Motorsports Park in Birmingham, Alabama.
AMA Superbike Road America: Race 1
Round two of the AMA Superbike championship was run at Road America in Elkhart Lake, Wisconsin, last weekend. The Subway Superbike Doubleheader. Here's race one. Race two, will follow.
Tuesday, June 3, 2014
MotoGP: Marquez Pushed To The Limit By Lorenzo
Here's another look... a review, of Marc Marquez's hard fought and triumphant win at Mugello.
http://msn.foxsports.com/speed/motogp/motogp-marquez-pushed-to-the-limit-by-lorenzo/?cmpid=tsmfb:fscom:speed
http://msn.foxsports.com/speed/motogp/motogp-marquez-pushed-to-the-limit-by-lorenzo/?cmpid=tsmfb:fscom:speed
Moto 3: Italy
It's time for the Moto 3 race at Mugello Racing Circuit, on a gorgeous day. This is round six of the championship. A huge crowd is on hand for the motorcycle races. 20 laps scheduled for this race, as the weather heats up. Alex Rins has pole, breaking the 1:57 barrier. Jakub Kornfeil is on the front row for the first time in his career. Two Italian wildcard riders are in the field for Moto 3. Watch the run to San Donato on lap one. Scott Deroue is having issues with his bike. Fourteen corners are on this track.
One rider in the pits to start, 34 on track. Here we go. At the start, Alex Rins bogs down and Jack Miller is already ahead coming down to San Donato, turn one. Romano Fenati passes Alexis Masbou. Romano Fenati is up to third. Everyone is still running, as we have Alex Marquez and John McPhee coming fast into Scarperia. Sevelli corner, leads to Arabiatta parts one and two. Rins, Miller, Fenati, and Masbou, the top four. Lap one done and dusted as Alex Marquez passes Jakub Kornfeil, down to fifth after his first ever front row start. Rins and Marquez fly and Marquez gets the lead!
Into San Donato again, they string out. New fairings are on the Moto 3 bikes this weekend. Efren Vazquez is down to 12th. Not the start we expect from him. Vazquez will have to have a ride through penalty after jumping the start. He's got a fraught race on his hands here. Jakub Kornfeil battles Romano Fenati. John McPhee runs seventh. Vazquez needs to move up, but he'll have to serve his jump start penalty as Jack Miller tries going for the lead but can't quite get there.
Now, Miller is inside Fenati. Rule number one in motorcycle racing... never touch. Rins leads over Fenati, as a rider fell down. Not sure who it is. Fenati takes the lead of this race now. Hafiq Asmi is the rider who fell. John McPhee is now leading this race over Alexis Masbou. This race is going to heat up even more now. Five or six wide, Jack Miller came through on John McPhee on lap five, but here comes Alexis Masbou!
McPhee goes back in front now. Vazquez has not taken his penalty, but he'd better do it. Now, Alexis Masbou leads. Vazquez has to pit, now. Come into the pits, please. This is disaster for Vazquez as Niccolo Antonelli crashes, for the third consecutive race! He's tangled with Jakub Kornfeil, and Antonelli clips the back of Jakub Kornfeil's bike! Whoa! Was the exhaust system broken? Jack Miller is running consistently, staying out of trouble.
Miller moves past Fenati, and they run six wide into San Donato! Wow. Efren Vazquez is back on track, but, he's last on track. Asmi and Antonelli are out. Into Casanova and Sevili, through the two Arrabiata corners. Watch Bucine on the final lap. Bucine is the final corner on this track at Mugello. Who's brave, slipstreaming, as Francesco Bagnaia is up from 17th into the top spots! He's Fenati's team mate. John McPhee has crashed! But, he's out of this one, and is disgusted.
He ditched it into the gravel trap, and this was a one motorcycle incident. That corner was Poggio Secco. Fenati leads as Enea Bastianinni is moving up, too. The Italian hasn't got the experience of running at the sharp end of the Moto 3 field. Five wide again! Bastianinni is now leading Moto 3, nearly halfway through this race! Jakub Kornfeil is back in the race, but he's down THE ORDER. Miguel Oliviera and Brad Binder also run well in this race so far.
Alex Rins and Alex Marquez are in this scrap, too. Two new leaders now, though as Alex Marquez and Alex Rins scrap! Whoa! Bastianini touches Rins as Fenati is also looking in. Who will get the advantage through Bucine on the last lap? Francesco Bagnaia has issues, too. He's slowing and it's game over for Francesco Bagnaia. Fenati will have to fend for himself. Rins leads this one so far. Where do you want to be coming to the checkers? In first of course. Now, five and six and seven wide into San Donato! Eek!
Into Poggio Secco, it's close, as Jack Miller retakes the lead. Marquez, Fenati, and Bastianinni are 1-2-3. Niccolo Antonelli will watch his team mate, with nine laps left. Marquez runs wide and Rins takes advantage. The track temperatures are ten degrees hotter than in practice. Karel Hanika is also into this battle. It's close now, between Marquez, Fenati, and Rins. Rins leads this race so far. Basitanini now retakes the lead. Eight laps left. Miller leads it. Six abreast into San Donato this time. Miller. Marquez, Rins, and others, are going to be in with a shout.
Efren Vazquez is down in 24th spot. He'll just have to keep calm and keep pushing. But, inside the helmet, he has to be fuming. On the last lap, watch into Cassanova, and Bucine, (turns six and fourteen). Alex Rins slides by Miller for second. Alexis Masbou and others come through, and now, Masbou leads this one. Masbou, Fenati, Rins. Masbou wants to win his first race ever. He'll throw everything into this, including the kitchen sink.
But, Fenati comes back. Rins is second, coming into Savelli. Rins pops out behind Fenati, trying to pass, with five laps left. This is Masbou's 159th GP race. Oh wow. More pushing. Isaac Vinales is moving up, fast. It's like a qualifying session, waiting to the last possible moment to be in the right place. Game over for Jakub Kornfeil. Bastianini and Fenati are still going for it. Miller and Fenati have been the only winners in Moto 3 this year.
Miller still leads. Four laps to go. Niklas Ajo is coming. Anytime coming to San Donato, a new rider comes into the picture. Into Correntaio and Biondetti, these corners, are key, along with Bucine, onto the front straight. Karel Hanika is into a battle now, too. Once again into San Donato, Miller is back in the lead. This is it. There's a slight gap now, and there will be four riders in contention. Bastianini went by Rins. Miller is third. Bastianinni wants to win. The run out of Bucine is a big deal. Rins is right in the slipstream. Two laps to go now.
Miller is balked. Romano Fenati is leading. Fenati wants to win another race, as he, and Miller, have been the only race winners. Fenati is booking it. Get the slingshot out of the last corner. This is the last lap as Alex Marquez moves, and then, Alexis Masbou moves past Miller. Fenati now leads Rins and Marquez. Masbou is down. Isaac Vinales and others are going for it as Isaac Vinales now has the lead. He had his first podium two weeks ago in France.
Jack Miller is going to be swamped. Isaac Vinales still leads as Miguel Oliveira is third after coing from nowhere. Miller and Marquez crash! He's out, and so is Bastianini. Fenati leads from Rins. Miller could have hurt himself. Fenati and Rins and Vinales are pushiong as Rins leads. What will happen? At the line, it's Rins. No! It's Fenati!
#5 Romano Fenati ITA KTM Ascoli Piceno
Miller ran wide and collected the other bikes, almost running into the other bikes. How is he doing? He's coming back to the garage. The next Moto 3 race is again, in Spain in Barcelona, at the Circuit de Catalunya, in two weeks.
One rider in the pits to start, 34 on track. Here we go. At the start, Alex Rins bogs down and Jack Miller is already ahead coming down to San Donato, turn one. Romano Fenati passes Alexis Masbou. Romano Fenati is up to third. Everyone is still running, as we have Alex Marquez and John McPhee coming fast into Scarperia. Sevelli corner, leads to Arabiatta parts one and two. Rins, Miller, Fenati, and Masbou, the top four. Lap one done and dusted as Alex Marquez passes Jakub Kornfeil, down to fifth after his first ever front row start. Rins and Marquez fly and Marquez gets the lead!
Into San Donato again, they string out. New fairings are on the Moto 3 bikes this weekend. Efren Vazquez is down to 12th. Not the start we expect from him. Vazquez will have to have a ride through penalty after jumping the start. He's got a fraught race on his hands here. Jakub Kornfeil battles Romano Fenati. John McPhee runs seventh. Vazquez needs to move up, but he'll have to serve his jump start penalty as Jack Miller tries going for the lead but can't quite get there.
Now, Miller is inside Fenati. Rule number one in motorcycle racing... never touch. Rins leads over Fenati, as a rider fell down. Not sure who it is. Fenati takes the lead of this race now. Hafiq Asmi is the rider who fell. John McPhee is now leading this race over Alexis Masbou. This race is going to heat up even more now. Five or six wide, Jack Miller came through on John McPhee on lap five, but here comes Alexis Masbou!
McPhee goes back in front now. Vazquez has not taken his penalty, but he'd better do it. Now, Alexis Masbou leads. Vazquez has to pit, now. Come into the pits, please. This is disaster for Vazquez as Niccolo Antonelli crashes, for the third consecutive race! He's tangled with Jakub Kornfeil, and Antonelli clips the back of Jakub Kornfeil's bike! Whoa! Was the exhaust system broken? Jack Miller is running consistently, staying out of trouble.
Miller moves past Fenati, and they run six wide into San Donato! Wow. Efren Vazquez is back on track, but, he's last on track. Asmi and Antonelli are out. Into Casanova and Sevili, through the two Arrabiata corners. Watch Bucine on the final lap. Bucine is the final corner on this track at Mugello. Who's brave, slipstreaming, as Francesco Bagnaia is up from 17th into the top spots! He's Fenati's team mate. John McPhee has crashed! But, he's out of this one, and is disgusted.
He ditched it into the gravel trap, and this was a one motorcycle incident. That corner was Poggio Secco. Fenati leads as Enea Bastianinni is moving up, too. The Italian hasn't got the experience of running at the sharp end of the Moto 3 field. Five wide again! Bastianinni is now leading Moto 3, nearly halfway through this race! Jakub Kornfeil is back in the race, but he's down THE ORDER. Miguel Oliviera and Brad Binder also run well in this race so far.
Alex Rins and Alex Marquez are in this scrap, too. Two new leaders now, though as Alex Marquez and Alex Rins scrap! Whoa! Bastianini touches Rins as Fenati is also looking in. Who will get the advantage through Bucine on the last lap? Francesco Bagnaia has issues, too. He's slowing and it's game over for Francesco Bagnaia. Fenati will have to fend for himself. Rins leads this one so far. Where do you want to be coming to the checkers? In first of course. Now, five and six and seven wide into San Donato! Eek!
Into Poggio Secco, it's close, as Jack Miller retakes the lead. Marquez, Fenati, and Bastianinni are 1-2-3. Niccolo Antonelli will watch his team mate, with nine laps left. Marquez runs wide and Rins takes advantage. The track temperatures are ten degrees hotter than in practice. Karel Hanika is also into this battle. It's close now, between Marquez, Fenati, and Rins. Rins leads this race so far. Basitanini now retakes the lead. Eight laps left. Miller leads it. Six abreast into San Donato this time. Miller. Marquez, Rins, and others, are going to be in with a shout.
Efren Vazquez is down in 24th spot. He'll just have to keep calm and keep pushing. But, inside the helmet, he has to be fuming. On the last lap, watch into Cassanova, and Bucine, (turns six and fourteen). Alex Rins slides by Miller for second. Alexis Masbou and others come through, and now, Masbou leads this one. Masbou, Fenati, Rins. Masbou wants to win his first race ever. He'll throw everything into this, including the kitchen sink.
But, Fenati comes back. Rins is second, coming into Savelli. Rins pops out behind Fenati, trying to pass, with five laps left. This is Masbou's 159th GP race. Oh wow. More pushing. Isaac Vinales is moving up, fast. It's like a qualifying session, waiting to the last possible moment to be in the right place. Game over for Jakub Kornfeil. Bastianini and Fenati are still going for it. Miller and Fenati have been the only winners in Moto 3 this year.
Miller still leads. Four laps to go. Niklas Ajo is coming. Anytime coming to San Donato, a new rider comes into the picture. Into Correntaio and Biondetti, these corners, are key, along with Bucine, onto the front straight. Karel Hanika is into a battle now, too. Once again into San Donato, Miller is back in the lead. This is it. There's a slight gap now, and there will be four riders in contention. Bastianini went by Rins. Miller is third. Bastianinni wants to win. The run out of Bucine is a big deal. Rins is right in the slipstream. Two laps to go now.
Miller is balked. Romano Fenati is leading. Fenati wants to win another race, as he, and Miller, have been the only race winners. Fenati is booking it. Get the slingshot out of the last corner. This is the last lap as Alex Marquez moves, and then, Alexis Masbou moves past Miller. Fenati now leads Rins and Marquez. Masbou is down. Isaac Vinales and others are going for it as Isaac Vinales now has the lead. He had his first podium two weeks ago in France.
Jack Miller is going to be swamped. Isaac Vinales still leads as Miguel Oliveira is third after coing from nowhere. Miller and Marquez crash! He's out, and so is Bastianini. Fenati leads from Rins. Miller could have hurt himself. Fenati and Rins and Vinales are pushiong as Rins leads. What will happen? At the line, it's Rins. No! It's Fenati!
#5 Romano Fenati ITA KTM Ascoli Piceno
Miller ran wide and collected the other bikes, almost running into the other bikes. How is he doing? He's coming back to the garage. The next Moto 3 race is again, in Spain in Barcelona, at the Circuit de Catalunya, in two weeks.
Monday, June 2, 2014
Bradl and Crutchlow reflect on costly crash
Thoughts of both Stefan Bradl and Cal Crutchlow on their mega huge crash at Mugello, in yesterday's MotoGP Grand Prix.
http://www.motogp.com/en/news/2014/Bradl+Mugello+Race+Review
http://www.motogp.com/en/news/2014/Bradl+Mugello+Race+Review
Moto 2: Italy
Tito Rabat has pole for the Moto 2 race at Mugello. 21 laps scheduled. Rabat leads his team mate Mika Kallio. Rabat is on pole, with Sam Lowes second, and Sandro Cortese, third. 34 bikes in this field.
Watch Luis Salom, Dominik Aegerter, and Jonas Folger, on row two, at the start of this one. 21 laps. Here we go. At the start, it's a wheelie from Aegrter, and he gets a good start. Jonas Folger and Tito Rabat lead, and Folger gets the lead immediately. Folger leads over Rabat, Aegerter, Lowes, and others. They fly down to Casanova. Mika Kallio is up there, but Tito Rabat has dropped to fourth. Mika Kallio is running well, as Folger is opening a gap already into Arrabiata part one.
Could Tito Rabat's tires be to blame for his losing a spot or two? Into Bucine, Kallio and Lowes are running well. Mika Kallio is up to seventh. Contact between Tito Rabat and Luis Salom, and Josh Herrin is out, again! He's had a horrible season on the Caterham bike so far this year. Luis Salom is in this fight. Johann Zarco is being hounded by Franco Morbidelli. Watch for Mattia Pasini. He's going to go for it. But, so fark we see Jonas Folger and Luis Salom 1-2. Dominik Aegerter is going for it, and he's passed by Tito Rabat.
Sam Lowes is eighth. Jonas Folger continues to lead as the gap is constant. When people get away at the front, they are tough to catch. Luis Salom won an incredible Moto 3 race at Mugello, last year. But so far, it's all Tito Rabat in Moto 2. Salom and Rabat are running in the 1:53 range for their lap times. Simone Corsi started 22nd and is up to eighth spot. He's running Harry Flatters. Bbut, for Tom Luthi, it's game over. He dumps the bike in San Donato after making contact with Takaaki Nakagami.
In front, it's Folger vs. Salom for the lead, with Tito Rabat in third. Mattia Passini is closing in, too. Rabat, Aegerter, and others, will have a ding dong scrap soon. Rabat needs to finish in front his Marc VDS team mate, Kallio. He does not need to win every race. Folger and Salom run 1-2. Salom rode this way in Moto 3, too. He's a tactical rider. We're working lap seven and going on to lap eight. Rabat is quicker than Folger and Salom right now.
Rabat is moving up as Kallio wants by Dominik Aegerter. Mattia Pasini could come up to the sharp end towards the end of this race. If the gap closes, what will Salom do to catch Folger? Kallio, Passini, and Zarco are running well. Johann Zarco is the sole remaining Caterham bike in this race. Mika Kallio moves to fourth. Can he close up on Tito Rabat? They are team mates at Marc VDS Racing. The gap between Salom and Rabat, is closing.
Aegerter wiggles into San Donato. Simone Corsi is also pushing really hard, riding the race of his life. Jordi Torres and Franco Morbidelli scrap. But, Aegerter, Passini, and others, are going for it. Oh no! Passini has crashed! Game over. This was into Arrabiata 2. Nope. It was Scarperia. Rabat runs fast lap at 1:52.872. Folger, Salom, Rabat, the top three. Corsi is cutting through the field like a hot knife through butter.
Meanwhile, Maverick Vinales moves ahead of Sandro Cortese. Rabat is closing in as Maverick Vinales goes by Jordi Torres. Torres passes Franco Morbidelli. Folger leads, looking out for Salom, and Rabat, lurking behind him. Salom bids for the race lead against Jonas Folger on lap 12. Less than ten laps to go. Folger leads. Rabat is closing, as Kallio is four seconds back, in fourth. Rabat is pushing Salom. Through Casanova and Sevelli. Rabat is waiting. Kallio drops behind Simone Corsi, and is now fifth.
Rabat is on the inside into Casanova. Folger is not opening a gap at the front. Corsi, Kallio, and Aegerter complete the top six right now. Rabat runs inside Luis Salom. He needs to fight back. Here comes Salom, and three wide into San Donato. Salom passes both for the lead! Folger did all the work, but got shafted by the other two. Folger will have to keep an eye on Kallio. It's Rabat vs. Salom for the race lead. Seven laps remain now.
Folger was a sitting duck. The lap times are in the 1:53 bracket. Folger is trying Rabat, who is trying Salom. Maverick Vinales is up to ninth. He's Salom's team mate. They run through Casanova and Savelli again as Salom runs wide and Rabat gets the lead again. Rabat still leads through Scarperia. Salom retakes the lead. We'll be in for a very close finish in Moto 2, chaps. Johann Zarco is catching up to the second group.
Zarco attacks Kallio. Dominik Aegerter could finish fourth in this race. Johann Zarco is running well. Sam Lowes is being reeled in by Maverick Vinales. The bikes come back through Arrabiata one more time. It's going to be a battle between Salom and Rabat. Folger is out of this battle. Rabat makes it stick! He's leading. Salom got a great drive out of the final corner. Kallio and Aegerter are scrapping. Johann Zarco wants to stay in contention, too.
Aegerter reels in Kallio. Both are late on the brakes, and Zarco tries to reel in both of them. Rabat is opening a gap over Luis Salom. This is the oivotal point in the race, with three laps left. Now, Rabat looks like he's going to open a gap over Salom, who has lost the tow a bit. Rabat sets his fastest lap as Aegerter passes Kallio. Rabat sets a new lap record at 1:52.587. It's the last lap. Rabat is pulling away.
Aegerter passes Corsi. Dominik Aegerter is up to fourth. Kallio holds sixth. It's the last lap. Luis Salom is desperately hoping Tito Rabat makes a mistake. It's not going to be, though. Rabat looks to be on his way to a win, into Bucine for the final time. Aegerter, Corsi, and Kallio race for position. Rabat wins over Salom and Folger.
#53 Esteve Rabat ESP. Kalex Barcelona
The next Moto 2 event will be at Catalunya, in Spain, in two weeks.
Watch Luis Salom, Dominik Aegerter, and Jonas Folger, on row two, at the start of this one. 21 laps. Here we go. At the start, it's a wheelie from Aegrter, and he gets a good start. Jonas Folger and Tito Rabat lead, and Folger gets the lead immediately. Folger leads over Rabat, Aegerter, Lowes, and others. They fly down to Casanova. Mika Kallio is up there, but Tito Rabat has dropped to fourth. Mika Kallio is running well, as Folger is opening a gap already into Arrabiata part one.
Could Tito Rabat's tires be to blame for his losing a spot or two? Into Bucine, Kallio and Lowes are running well. Mika Kallio is up to seventh. Contact between Tito Rabat and Luis Salom, and Josh Herrin is out, again! He's had a horrible season on the Caterham bike so far this year. Luis Salom is in this fight. Johann Zarco is being hounded by Franco Morbidelli. Watch for Mattia Pasini. He's going to go for it. But, so fark we see Jonas Folger and Luis Salom 1-2. Dominik Aegerter is going for it, and he's passed by Tito Rabat.
Sam Lowes is eighth. Jonas Folger continues to lead as the gap is constant. When people get away at the front, they are tough to catch. Luis Salom won an incredible Moto 3 race at Mugello, last year. But so far, it's all Tito Rabat in Moto 2. Salom and Rabat are running in the 1:53 range for their lap times. Simone Corsi started 22nd and is up to eighth spot. He's running Harry Flatters. Bbut, for Tom Luthi, it's game over. He dumps the bike in San Donato after making contact with Takaaki Nakagami.
In front, it's Folger vs. Salom for the lead, with Tito Rabat in third. Mattia Passini is closing in, too. Rabat, Aegerter, and others, will have a ding dong scrap soon. Rabat needs to finish in front his Marc VDS team mate, Kallio. He does not need to win every race. Folger and Salom run 1-2. Salom rode this way in Moto 3, too. He's a tactical rider. We're working lap seven and going on to lap eight. Rabat is quicker than Folger and Salom right now.
Rabat is moving up as Kallio wants by Dominik Aegerter. Mattia Pasini could come up to the sharp end towards the end of this race. If the gap closes, what will Salom do to catch Folger? Kallio, Passini, and Zarco are running well. Johann Zarco is the sole remaining Caterham bike in this race. Mika Kallio moves to fourth. Can he close up on Tito Rabat? They are team mates at Marc VDS Racing. The gap between Salom and Rabat, is closing.
Aegerter wiggles into San Donato. Simone Corsi is also pushing really hard, riding the race of his life. Jordi Torres and Franco Morbidelli scrap. But, Aegerter, Passini, and others, are going for it. Oh no! Passini has crashed! Game over. This was into Arrabiata 2. Nope. It was Scarperia. Rabat runs fast lap at 1:52.872. Folger, Salom, Rabat, the top three. Corsi is cutting through the field like a hot knife through butter.
Meanwhile, Maverick Vinales moves ahead of Sandro Cortese. Rabat is closing in as Maverick Vinales goes by Jordi Torres. Torres passes Franco Morbidelli. Folger leads, looking out for Salom, and Rabat, lurking behind him. Salom bids for the race lead against Jonas Folger on lap 12. Less than ten laps to go. Folger leads. Rabat is closing, as Kallio is four seconds back, in fourth. Rabat is pushing Salom. Through Casanova and Sevelli. Rabat is waiting. Kallio drops behind Simone Corsi, and is now fifth.
Rabat is on the inside into Casanova. Folger is not opening a gap at the front. Corsi, Kallio, and Aegerter complete the top six right now. Rabat runs inside Luis Salom. He needs to fight back. Here comes Salom, and three wide into San Donato. Salom passes both for the lead! Folger did all the work, but got shafted by the other two. Folger will have to keep an eye on Kallio. It's Rabat vs. Salom for the race lead. Seven laps remain now.
Folger was a sitting duck. The lap times are in the 1:53 bracket. Folger is trying Rabat, who is trying Salom. Maverick Vinales is up to ninth. He's Salom's team mate. They run through Casanova and Savelli again as Salom runs wide and Rabat gets the lead again. Rabat still leads through Scarperia. Salom retakes the lead. We'll be in for a very close finish in Moto 2, chaps. Johann Zarco is catching up to the second group.
Zarco attacks Kallio. Dominik Aegerter could finish fourth in this race. Johann Zarco is running well. Sam Lowes is being reeled in by Maverick Vinales. The bikes come back through Arrabiata one more time. It's going to be a battle between Salom and Rabat. Folger is out of this battle. Rabat makes it stick! He's leading. Salom got a great drive out of the final corner. Kallio and Aegerter are scrapping. Johann Zarco wants to stay in contention, too.
Aegerter reels in Kallio. Both are late on the brakes, and Zarco tries to reel in both of them. Rabat is opening a gap over Luis Salom. This is the oivotal point in the race, with three laps left. Now, Rabat looks like he's going to open a gap over Salom, who has lost the tow a bit. Rabat sets his fastest lap as Aegerter passes Kallio. Rabat sets a new lap record at 1:52.587. It's the last lap. Rabat is pulling away.
Aegerter passes Corsi. Dominik Aegerter is up to fourth. Kallio holds sixth. It's the last lap. Luis Salom is desperately hoping Tito Rabat makes a mistake. It's not going to be, though. Rabat looks to be on his way to a win, into Bucine for the final time. Aegerter, Corsi, and Kallio race for position. Rabat wins over Salom and Folger.
#53 Esteve Rabat ESP. Kalex Barcelona
The next Moto 2 event will be at Catalunya, in Spain, in two weeks.
Sunday, June 1, 2014
VIDEO: Bradl Uninjured In Huge Crash At Mugello
Here's video of that horrendous crash between Stefan Bradl and Cal Crutchlow in the MotoGP race at Mugello. Both riders were fortunate, to walk away from this one.
http://speedblog.speed.com/speed/motogp/video-bradl-uninjured-in-huge-crash-at-mugello/
http://speedblog.speed.com/speed/motogp/video-bradl-uninjured-in-huge-crash-at-mugello/
MotoGP round 6: Italy
Valentino Rossi is a legend. The most decorated racer in current MotoGP circles. He makes his 300th start today. But, can he stop Marc Marquez? The Grand Prix of Italy for MotoGP, is next.
Can anyone derail the Marquez Express? Three different manufacturers on the front row. Honda, Ducati, Yamaha. If Marquez wins, he'll become the first rider to win six straight races in MotoGP since Rossi did it in 2002. The bikes line up on the grid, ready to race.
Go! At the start, Andrea Ianonne, Cal Crutchlow, and Andrea Dovizioso get great starts. Lorenzo drops back and Marquez is going for it. Everyone is safely through with Andrea Iannone leading this 27 lap race as we go through Casanova and Sevelli. Into Arrabiata, Lorenazo passes for the lead, pushing Ianonne out into Scarperia. Rossi is now sixth. Pol Espargaro is fifth, running wide. Lorenzo leads. Ianonne has the pace. Lorenzo will move ahead. Pol Espargaro has made a pass and Valentino Rossi is coming. Lorenzo is pushing as hard as he can to keep Ianonne at bay.
Dani Pedrosa is eighth, stuck behind Cal Crutchlow as Valentino Rossin goes to fourth past Cal Crutchlow. Marquez is stuck behind Andrea Ianonne. Ianonne was a surprise in qualifying, and he's won Moto 2 at Mugello, twice. 217 miles an hour in the slipstream to San Donato! Marquez takes Iannone but no. Iannone gets him back! Rossi is coming fast now, too. Iannone is going to push Marquez as Lorenzo sets fast lap.
Rossi wants to be as close to Marquez as he can. Dovizioso, Crutchlow, Pedrosa and others are battling. Ianonne is on a charge. But, Bradley Smith crashes, and it's game over. Pol Espargaro is doing well with the second Tech 3 Yamaha. Pol Espargaro attacks Andrea Dovizioso. Rossi has passed Andrea Iannone. They plunge down through Casanova and Sevelli. But, Crutchlow is out! He and Strefan Bradl have both crashed. Crutchlow dumped it, and, wham! Bradl had no place to go.
Smith, Bradl, and Crutchlow, are all out. Jorge Lorenzo leads Marc Marquez. Big points are up for grabs. Valentino Rossi is the quicker of the two Yamaha's. They fly through Bucine and onto the front straight. Brake hard into San Donato, the hardest braking zone in the MotoGP World Championship. What can Lorenzo do about Marquez? Bradley Smith is OK. Pol Espargaro, Andrea Dovizioso, and Dani Pedrosa, battle for fifth place. Pedrosa passes into Scarperia.
Lorenzo is not letting Marquez get away. Andrea Ianonne is fourth, and is on the softer option tire for the Open class. 15-time World Champion Giacomo Agostini, is here at Mugello watching the race. Marquez is closing, but he's not close enough to move on Jorge Lorenzo. Hector Barbera is out, and Michele Fabrizio, is headed for pit lane. What can Valentino Rossi do in his 300th race? Can Lorenzo win? Can Marquez win six in a row?
The air horns go off as the fans are ecstatic. Nine laps into this 23 lap contest. Jorge Lorenzo is running at his best in some time. Marquez is being told that he's clear of Rossi. But he wants to make a move on Jorge Lorenzo. These guys run very close through Borgo San Lorenzo... turn five. Andrea Ianonne has to be calm, as he's catching Dani Pedrosa. Pedrosa won't get it easily. Marc Marquez is trying and keeping up with Jorge Lorenzo.
The road drops away, and the gap is 1.6 seconds. 2.5 seconds between the leaders with 14 laps to go. This is one of just two tracks where Marquez has not scored points. Lorenzo is looking for his fourth straight win at Mugello. Stefan Bradl is upset, but OK, after his crash. He did not go to the medical center. Dani Pedrosa is gaining on Pol Espargaro. Marquez is gaining on Lorenzo, still. He wants to try into Savelli. Marquez watches Lorenzo slide through Biondetti and into Bucine.
There is a 2/10ths of a second gap. Andrea Ianonne is back to fourth, passing Dani Pedrosa. Will Valentino Rossi close in on Marquez and Lorenzo? Michele Fabrizio is out, making his first start in MotoGP in almost a decade. Lorenzo runs really well through Bucine. Into San Donato, he's also clean. What an awesome race so far! Nine laps to go now. Marquez wiggles. Lorenzo has been quicker on two of the last three laps as Rossi continues to reel in the top two.
Ten laps left, into Correntaio. But, this race will be between Lorenzo and Marquez. Can Lorenzo beat Marquez for the first time this year? Pedrosa has passed Ianonne and Alvaro Bautista is now moving up, too. Yonny Hernandez, Michele Pirro, and Scott Redding all battle. Lorenzo has five podiums at Mugello. He's won four straight, and won in 250cc class competition. Marquez scored his first ever win, here, last year.
Eight laps left this time into Bucine. Can Jorge Lorenzo beat the world champ and make him feel like he has to pull a miracle out of his hat? Now, Marquez retakes the lead. Wow. Marquez just slid by Lorenzo. Slipstreaming on the front straight, using the pit exit, this opened the door for Marquez with just seven laps to go. They've put a gap on Valentino Rossi. Lorenzo runs wide and almost gets to Marquez, he's back now. Lorenzo had to use the pit exit. Into Casanova, Sevelli, and now into Arrabiatta 1 and 2. Lorenzo is taking the fight to Marquez.
Through Correntaio and into Bucine again. Can they do the same next time around? Ooh! Lorenzo holds the position with just five laps left. These guys are equal on top speed. Marquez wants six straight race wins. Lorenzo wants a fourth straight victory at Mugello. We saw head to head battles between these two late last year in Malaysia and Japan, last fall. Marquez flies past Lorenzo in the slipstream as Lorenzo comes back on the brakes but no! Marquez leads, and then, Lorenzo goes back.
These guys mean business. Neither of them is giving the other an inch. Just three laps to go now. Marquez is trying everything to pull around the Yamaha. Rossi has faded by three seconds, behind these guys. Marquez goes back to the lead into San Donato. He runs wide and Lorenzo is back into the lead but no. Marquez is now holding Lorenzo at bay through Palagio, Correntaio, Biondetti, and Bucine corners. Lorenzo gets past Marquez with just two laps left.
Lorenzo is using all the road, and all the curves. Is Marquez close enough? He is. He sweeps by into San Donato, pushing wide. He can't get by Lorezo. Could Marquez have his streak broken? Just a lap remains. Arrabiata again. Marquez has the inside. At Scarperia, the right/left flick, Lorenzo is holding Marquez at bay. Marquez is being pushed to the breaking point. Into the critical Bucine corner for the next to last time. Here we go. One lap left at Mugello. Marquez slides around the outside into the lead. Marquez runs wide, Lorenzo closes.
Marquez is now shutting doors on Lorenzo. This is a hammer and tongs battle. Correntaio is the key corner. Half a lap left. Can Marquez make it six wins in a row? Through Scarperia, Correntaio, and Biondetti. Who will have it into Bucine? Has Lorenzo got enoguh? No! Marquez wins Mugello, winning six in a row!
#93 Marc Marquez ESP. Honda
Six straight wins. More new records for Marquez. The fans go crazy! Valentino Rossi, continues a stellar record in his own right. Over half of his starts, have resulted in podiums. 151 podiums, in 300 starts! The next race, sees a return to Spain for MotoGP. It's at the Circuit de Catalunya, in Barcelona, Spain, coming up in two weeks.
Can anyone derail the Marquez Express? Three different manufacturers on the front row. Honda, Ducati, Yamaha. If Marquez wins, he'll become the first rider to win six straight races in MotoGP since Rossi did it in 2002. The bikes line up on the grid, ready to race.
Go! At the start, Andrea Ianonne, Cal Crutchlow, and Andrea Dovizioso get great starts. Lorenzo drops back and Marquez is going for it. Everyone is safely through with Andrea Iannone leading this 27 lap race as we go through Casanova and Sevelli. Into Arrabiata, Lorenazo passes for the lead, pushing Ianonne out into Scarperia. Rossi is now sixth. Pol Espargaro is fifth, running wide. Lorenzo leads. Ianonne has the pace. Lorenzo will move ahead. Pol Espargaro has made a pass and Valentino Rossi is coming. Lorenzo is pushing as hard as he can to keep Ianonne at bay.
Dani Pedrosa is eighth, stuck behind Cal Crutchlow as Valentino Rossin goes to fourth past Cal Crutchlow. Marquez is stuck behind Andrea Ianonne. Ianonne was a surprise in qualifying, and he's won Moto 2 at Mugello, twice. 217 miles an hour in the slipstream to San Donato! Marquez takes Iannone but no. Iannone gets him back! Rossi is coming fast now, too. Iannone is going to push Marquez as Lorenzo sets fast lap.
Rossi wants to be as close to Marquez as he can. Dovizioso, Crutchlow, Pedrosa and others are battling. Ianonne is on a charge. But, Bradley Smith crashes, and it's game over. Pol Espargaro is doing well with the second Tech 3 Yamaha. Pol Espargaro attacks Andrea Dovizioso. Rossi has passed Andrea Iannone. They plunge down through Casanova and Sevelli. But, Crutchlow is out! He and Strefan Bradl have both crashed. Crutchlow dumped it, and, wham! Bradl had no place to go.
Smith, Bradl, and Crutchlow, are all out. Jorge Lorenzo leads Marc Marquez. Big points are up for grabs. Valentino Rossi is the quicker of the two Yamaha's. They fly through Bucine and onto the front straight. Brake hard into San Donato, the hardest braking zone in the MotoGP World Championship. What can Lorenzo do about Marquez? Bradley Smith is OK. Pol Espargaro, Andrea Dovizioso, and Dani Pedrosa, battle for fifth place. Pedrosa passes into Scarperia.
Lorenzo is not letting Marquez get away. Andrea Ianonne is fourth, and is on the softer option tire for the Open class. 15-time World Champion Giacomo Agostini, is here at Mugello watching the race. Marquez is closing, but he's not close enough to move on Jorge Lorenzo. Hector Barbera is out, and Michele Fabrizio, is headed for pit lane. What can Valentino Rossi do in his 300th race? Can Lorenzo win? Can Marquez win six in a row?
The air horns go off as the fans are ecstatic. Nine laps into this 23 lap contest. Jorge Lorenzo is running at his best in some time. Marquez is being told that he's clear of Rossi. But he wants to make a move on Jorge Lorenzo. These guys run very close through Borgo San Lorenzo... turn five. Andrea Ianonne has to be calm, as he's catching Dani Pedrosa. Pedrosa won't get it easily. Marc Marquez is trying and keeping up with Jorge Lorenzo.
The road drops away, and the gap is 1.6 seconds. 2.5 seconds between the leaders with 14 laps to go. This is one of just two tracks where Marquez has not scored points. Lorenzo is looking for his fourth straight win at Mugello. Stefan Bradl is upset, but OK, after his crash. He did not go to the medical center. Dani Pedrosa is gaining on Pol Espargaro. Marquez is gaining on Lorenzo, still. He wants to try into Savelli. Marquez watches Lorenzo slide through Biondetti and into Bucine.
There is a 2/10ths of a second gap. Andrea Ianonne is back to fourth, passing Dani Pedrosa. Will Valentino Rossi close in on Marquez and Lorenzo? Michele Fabrizio is out, making his first start in MotoGP in almost a decade. Lorenzo runs really well through Bucine. Into San Donato, he's also clean. What an awesome race so far! Nine laps to go now. Marquez wiggles. Lorenzo has been quicker on two of the last three laps as Rossi continues to reel in the top two.
Ten laps left, into Correntaio. But, this race will be between Lorenzo and Marquez. Can Lorenzo beat Marquez for the first time this year? Pedrosa has passed Ianonne and Alvaro Bautista is now moving up, too. Yonny Hernandez, Michele Pirro, and Scott Redding all battle. Lorenzo has five podiums at Mugello. He's won four straight, and won in 250cc class competition. Marquez scored his first ever win, here, last year.
Eight laps left this time into Bucine. Can Jorge Lorenzo beat the world champ and make him feel like he has to pull a miracle out of his hat? Now, Marquez retakes the lead. Wow. Marquez just slid by Lorenzo. Slipstreaming on the front straight, using the pit exit, this opened the door for Marquez with just seven laps to go. They've put a gap on Valentino Rossi. Lorenzo runs wide and almost gets to Marquez, he's back now. Lorenzo had to use the pit exit. Into Casanova, Sevelli, and now into Arrabiatta 1 and 2. Lorenzo is taking the fight to Marquez.
Through Correntaio and into Bucine again. Can they do the same next time around? Ooh! Lorenzo holds the position with just five laps left. These guys are equal on top speed. Marquez wants six straight race wins. Lorenzo wants a fourth straight victory at Mugello. We saw head to head battles between these two late last year in Malaysia and Japan, last fall. Marquez flies past Lorenzo in the slipstream as Lorenzo comes back on the brakes but no! Marquez leads, and then, Lorenzo goes back.
These guys mean business. Neither of them is giving the other an inch. Just three laps to go now. Marquez is trying everything to pull around the Yamaha. Rossi has faded by three seconds, behind these guys. Marquez goes back to the lead into San Donato. He runs wide and Lorenzo is back into the lead but no. Marquez is now holding Lorenzo at bay through Palagio, Correntaio, Biondetti, and Bucine corners. Lorenzo gets past Marquez with just two laps left.
Lorenzo is using all the road, and all the curves. Is Marquez close enough? He is. He sweeps by into San Donato, pushing wide. He can't get by Lorezo. Could Marquez have his streak broken? Just a lap remains. Arrabiata again. Marquez has the inside. At Scarperia, the right/left flick, Lorenzo is holding Marquez at bay. Marquez is being pushed to the breaking point. Into the critical Bucine corner for the next to last time. Here we go. One lap left at Mugello. Marquez slides around the outside into the lead. Marquez runs wide, Lorenzo closes.
Marquez is now shutting doors on Lorenzo. This is a hammer and tongs battle. Correntaio is the key corner. Half a lap left. Can Marquez make it six wins in a row? Through Scarperia, Correntaio, and Biondetti. Who will have it into Bucine? Has Lorenzo got enoguh? No! Marquez wins Mugello, winning six in a row!
#93 Marc Marquez ESP. Honda
Six straight wins. More new records for Marquez. The fans go crazy! Valentino Rossi, continues a stellar record in his own right. Over half of his starts, have resulted in podiums. 151 podiums, in 300 starts! The next race, sees a return to Spain for MotoGP. It's at the Circuit de Catalunya, in Barcelona, Spain, coming up in two weeks.
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