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View Full Version : Americans have strong showing in Spain!



AZJD
06-18-2006, 08:51 AM
(Cycle News)MOTO GP Results
Camel Yamaha's Valentino Rossi survived a wild Catalunyan Grand Prix to beat Repsol Honda's Nicky Hayden in a race marred by a first-corner crash that eliminated many of the top men and forced the race to be red flagged and restarted some half an hour later.
It was a banner day for American riders as in addition to Hayden finishing second, Kenny Roberts Jr. put his father's KR211V on the podium for the very first time in third place after racing with former Suzuki teammate John Hopkins to the very end. Hopkins finished fourth, despite having been involved in the first-corner crash. Then came another American with Camel Yamaha's Colin Edwards finishing fifth.
Hayden's second place extended his championship points lead to 20 over Marlboro Ducati's Loris Capirossi, who was involved in the first-corner melee. Rossi, meanwhile, has closed to within 29 of Hayden.
The race was red-flagged when Sete Gibernau appeared to run into his teammate Capirossi, with Gibernau's Ducati locking the front and flipping over. That started a chain-reaction crash that took out Gibernau, Capirossi, Dani Pedrosa, Randy de Puniet and Hopkins.
Hopkins and Pedrosa would make the restart, but only 11 men would finish the restarted race after many didn't make it back to the line, with Capirossi and Gibernau being transported to hospital. Pedrosa would later crash out of the race again, losing the front end in simple lowside.
From there Rossi and Hayden battled until Rossi gapped the Kentuckian late in the race and eventually won by 4.5 seconds.
Rossi said it was difficult to concentrate on the re-start, and he was also cautious with a full tank, "but after when I take my rhythm I arrive on the first group and I was a little bit faster. So after I overtake Casey Stoner, after I see on the board Nicky (Hayden) and I say, I know Nicky is behind on the board the battle continues to the last lap. So tried to push my bike; the Yamaha is very good to ride so I’m happy about the work together with my team in the practice and the tire go to the end. So is a great victory and a lot better my position in the championship."
Said Hayden, "I was trying to stay with Valentino (Rossi), but he was really playing with me today, saving his tire. I knew he had more in his tank. We had a few little issues and with all that drama we just brought it home." Hayden also had a greeting for his father Earl, who's at Miller Motorsport Park with Tommy and Roger Lee Hayden. "Happy Fathers Day to Pops," he said.
The battle for third went almost full distance until Roberts Jr. put Hopkins away late in the race, with Hopkins suffering from an injured ankle and back.
"I gave it everything I had, but my back's a little bit sore from putting it into the barrier," Hopkins said. "I gave it my all and I'm happy."
Edwards finished 2.6 seconds ahead of Rizla Suzuki's Chris Vermeulen with Makoto Tamada finishing seventh. The Dunlop-clad Yamaha of Carlos Checa had its best finish of the season in eighth place, followed by his teammate James Ellison in ninth. Alex Hofmann rounded out the top 10 on his Pramac d'Antin Ducati.
LCR Honda's Casey Stoner was also among the non-finishers, the Australian going out in a single bike crash.
MotoGP:
1. Valentino Rossi (Yamaha)
2. Nicky Hayden (Honda)
3. Kenny Roberts Jr. (KR211V)
4. John Hopkins (Suzuki)
5. Colin Edwards (Yamaha)
6. Chris Vermeulen (Suzuki)
7. Makoto Tamada (Honda)
8. Carlos Checa (Yamaha)
9. James Ellison (Yamaha)
10. Alex Hofmann (Ducati)
11. Jose Luis Cardoso (Ducati)

RT21
06-18-2006, 12:41 PM
you couldnt have waited until AFTER the race aired on Speed to post that header?? sheeesh