Sorry I've been gone for awhile so let me give you my 2cents on a couple of things.

I watched the Laguna Moto GP what I saw cracked me up. The Great Rossi resorting to old club racing tactics which are "if you can't beat'em freak'em out" this was told to me in 1976 when I started racing the WERA series on the east coast. Generally I used it when I was racing up a class where slower rider's had bigger/faster bikes but basically were riding over there heads or were flat slow and in my way. It could be as simple as changing your brake marker at the end of Summit Points front straight and taking them in over their heads or in more aggressive situations where you block down on the line knowing that if you have a wheel on him you could bump and he/she will back off (you have to have the ***** not to). Stoner didn't neither did Gibernau a few years ago and as Rossi correctly said at the time Gibernau never won another race. In case you hadn't noticed this has been a trademark of Rossi throughout his career. Not saying it's sporting but it is an effective technique, but not a friend maker!

Now on to other things. Superbike Planet is reporting today that the jury is still out on 2009 for the big 4, they have not renewed contracts with rider's teams or mechanics and more than a few promoters are pressuring DMG to back off changes till at least 2010 or even 2011. It seems they are saying you an call the class whatever you want but keep the technical rules the same as they are so they can amortize these bikes over a couple more years and come up with a compromise package in 2012.

Finally I watched Mid Ohio superbike racing this weekend and someone at Honda ought to be falling on their sword for this weekend or hell the last 4 seasons for being the biggest budget losers in racing. Hell even Kawasaki caught up to the Suzuki's and blew past Honda in less than 2 seasons. Ray Blank is the guy that should go down for this at Honda but knowing him it will more likely be Ron Hebben, whom I don't know, but have never been able to figure out what he brought to the table other than being a Ray Blank sicophant. {I may be wrong about Ron Heben he may already be gone, replaced by Jon Row who really is the original Ray Blank sicophant}.

To see mighty Honda racing for 5th or worse is flat disgusting. Yeah I know they have a 4th or 2 but that ain't a podium spot and that should be the minimum standard for Big Red!

Sorry to be so long winded but like I said I've been gone so I needed to vent..more to come.

 

I have to disagree about the tactics used by Rossi at Laguna. He is paid to win races, not make friends. He tours around the world racing motorcycles, friendships are part of the comraderie they all share. But when it comes to racing, you have to race.

Everyoes the tactic of late braking their opponent on the inside and blocking to the rumble strip. When did it become dirty racing?

Rossi outraced and intimidated Stoner and got the better of him in that 1 race. The season is not over. Ther are still couses where Stoner and/or Pedrosa could run away. This is a great championship series. The champion is going to have to work for it.

 

Rossi raced a hard race and won. He showed the heart of a champion and would not be denied. Stoner crashed himself out of a chance to win by getting into 11 too hot, and if not for evasive action on his part would have put the Ducati right up Rossi's ***.

Can't blame Rossi for that.

 

To RCVTR and Jbaxx, don't misunderstand me I thought it was a great race, I was simply pointing out what I believe was happening. In my view Rossi completely blew the entrance to the corkscrew went into the dirt and came out on the racing line and as JBAXX said if it weren't for Stoner's evasive action Rossi would have had the DUC up his ***..where I disagree is that would have been Rossi's fault (Like Pedrosa did to Hayden 2 years ago). The result was it did freak Stoner out!

Whats really interesting is the BRNO results where Stoner apparently crashed again while leading Rossi..Has Rossi gotten into his head ala Gibernau..don't know yet cause I haven't seen the race (couple more hours) but then I'll know, and if true Stoner's pretty much done for the season mentally.

Three things about racing;
1. If you can't beat em freak em out...either Gary Nixon or Gary Fisher
2. If your not using the whole track your not going fast enough..Dave Aldana
3. Lovely lets bump...Jammin Jimmie Weinert

 

No doubt Rossi got into the corkscrew too hot and ran Stoner off the race line. I don't think it was intentional, he was riding on the edge and got in too deep. Good save though!

 

Jbaxx what that fails to address is that you never get back on the track after running off unless the track is clear. You probably have seen examples of that hundreds of times in fact it can be penalized though rarely is.