Laguna Qualifying

1. Chris Vermeulen AUS Rizla Suzuki MotoGP 1min 23.168 secs
2. Colin Edwards USA Camel Yamaha Team 1min 23.321 secs
3. Kenny Roberts Jr USA Team Roberts 1min 23.420 secs
4. Dani Pedrosa SPA Repsol Honda Team 1min 23.490 secs
5. John Hopkins USA Rizla Suzuki MotoGP 1min 23.498 secs
6. Nicky Hayden USA Repsol Honda Team 1min 23.536 secs
7. Casey Stoner AUS Honda LCR 1min 23.651 secs
8. Shinya Nakano JPN Kawasaki Racing Team 1min 23.656 secs
9. Marco Melandri ITA Fortuna Honda 1min 23.750 secs
10. Valentino Rossi ITA Camel Yamaha Team 1min 24.047 secs
11. Carlos Checa SPA Tech 3 Yamaha 1min 24.153 secs
12. Toni Elias SPA Fortuna Honda 1min 24.230 secs
13. Loris Capirossi ITA Ducati Marlboro Team 1min 24.268 secs
14. Makoto Tamada JPN Konica Minolta Honda 1min 24.578 secs
15. Randy de Puniet FRA Kawasaki Racing Team 1min 24.592 secs
16. Sete Gibernau SPA Ducati Marlboro Team 1min 24.634 secs
17. Alex Hofmann GER Pramac d'Antin MotoGP 1min 25.420 secs
18. James Ellison GBR Tech 3 Yamaha 1min 25.763 secs
19. Jose Luis Cardoso SPA Pramac d'Antin MotoGP 1min 26.567 secs


That's the grid!! Rossi is again in 10th !! Can he win this one too? Another miracle from the doctor... ihe really needs another one

Ducati aren't looking good at all...hope they find a decent setting for the race - else they will have an awfull weekend
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE <div class='quotemain'>"Ducati 'worried' and 'in trouble'"
Ducati Marlboro riders Loris Capirossi and Sete Gibernau are 'worried' and 'in trouble' after finishing the third and final US Grand Prix free practice session just 11th and 15th.

The pair had been 13th and 14th after day one, but had hoped that tyre and set-up progress could improve their situation overnight. However, speaking ahead of this afternoon's qualifying session, the pair admitted that they are still struggling badly for front end grip from their Bridgestones.
http://www.crash.net/news_View~t~Ducati--w...6~id~134226.htm

And Chris Vermeulen takes pole position!



wakes up




..... I just had the strangest dream....

The Yamahas are struggling in qualifying this year.

wow..not quite what anyone would have expected...

Go the V! two poles on a Bridgestone GSV as a rookie after a SBK career. Wonder if he`ll beat Hopper here. That`d be a surprise.

HAHA yessss..... go chris! ...

Isrealiracer .... i told you he would be a good investment for this race! ... but noooooo u didnt listen

damn Katt...I didn't figure you for the "I told you so" type but it's damn funny...

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (The Doctor @ Jul 23 2006, 01:41 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><div class='quotemain'>damn Katt...I didn't figure you for the "I told you so" type but it's damn funny...

whats that meant to mean? ...

and really think about it .... what do i usually have to say "i told you so" about ? .... chris's two poles ... thats it hahaha

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (mjpartyboy @ Jul 22 2006, 04:59 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><div class='quotemain'>The Yamahas are struggling in qualifying this year.
I didn't know Yamahas=Rossi? Did Colin run around the track?

its gonna be another one of those races where you cant rule out anyone by the looks of it ... the top ten are all within a second of eachother .... and hayden can definatley go faster ... he's a second off his race pace from last year... hmmm

should be interesting

i'm not happy about the position from nicky but i hope the race would be better for him.

chris did a great job at the quali. i wish him also good luck for the race.

Can anyone explain to me why Ducati did so poorly? Something about their tires?

For some reason I can't quote..

but anyway.. "The Yamahas are struggling in qualifying this year."

Rossi has, but the Yamaha team isn't just Rossi.. Edwards is where? Unmm.. 2nd, Checa on the Dunlops is 11th, with the other Yamaha Dunlops still at their average qualifying, now how can you say that's bad?

Rossi up against it again in tenth,the battle of the yanks again,but it should be a proper thriller ?

Good qualifying for Chris, I think he's just showed his true colours in Moto GP. Hope he and Rossi do well in the race!

Great stuff from Vermeulen, hope he can stay near the front in the race today. Glad to see Colin on the front row, he may win the thing with his new livery after all. Frankly, I don't think the QP has shown us anything as far as who's got it. Nicky did a 1.22.8 on what I believe to be soft race tires yesterday and was at least a half second off of that on qualys in the QP. I expect Roberts, Edwards, Pedrosa, Stoner and Hayden to be the lead group with the Zooks fading after about 10 or 15 laps and Rossi might be able to catch the leaders. It will be a very interesting race indeed. There really is nothing to go by, Checa was the only man to put in any sort of long stint or race simulation yesterday due to the heat. Look for lots of hard tire compounds for the race tomorrow, it's supposed to be just as hot today as it was yesterday.

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (James @ Jul 23 2006, 11:26 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><div class='quotemain'>Can anyone explain to me why Ducati did so poorly? Something about their tires?

They are struggling badly for front end grip from their Bridgestones.

The press release after qualy:
http://www.crash.net/news_view~t~Ducati-ni...6~id~134231.htm

After last free practice:
http://www.crash.net/news_View~t~Ducati--w...6~id~134226.htm

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Traverser @ Jul 23 2006, 06:25 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><div class='quotemain'>I didn't know Yamahas=Rossi? Did Colin run around the track?
In general all the Yamahas, not just Camel, seem to be struggling this season more than doing well in qualifying.

Capirex, so how is it that Moley had no problems on the Bridgestone shod Zook? And Shinya in 8th.....

I really hope Moley can take his first podium, forget the Fantasy team, I just really want him to succeed, he deserves it. I'm still in doubt as to the race ability of the Bridgestones.

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (IsraeliRacer @ Jul 23 2006, 02:59 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><div class='quotemain'>Capirex, so how is it that Moley had no problems on the Bridgestone shod Zook? And Shinya in 8th.....

I really hope Moley can take his first podium, forget the Fantasy team, I just really want him to succeed, he deserves it. I'm still in doubt as to the race ability of the Bridgestones.
The reason Vermeulen has performed so well this weekend while other Bridgestone riders have struggled comes down to the fact that he is the fastest Bridgestone rider at Laguna Seca. He goes very well at this track, his times were comparable to Hayden and Pedrosa's until the Zook started to let go and had rear wheel lock ups on corner entry.

I was pulling for him to get his first podium, woulda pissed Hopper off quite a bit.