Round 14: Everything Indy

[DooberRoni]

FIM MotoGP World Championship
http://i282.photobucket.com/albums/kk279/DooberRoni/RedBullINDYGPlogo.jpg

http://i282.photobucket.com/albums/kk279/DooberRoni/IndyCIRCUIT.jpg

LIVE Television Broadcast Info:
3:00pm Eastern
12:00pm Pacific
http://i282.photobucket.com/albums/kk279/DooberRoni/NBCsports.jpg

motogp.com schedule:
http://i282.photobucket.com/albums/kk279/DooberRoni/IndyLocalTime.jpg<<Local Indy Time - - Pacific Time>>http://i282.photobucket.com/albums/kk279/DooberRoni/IndyPacificTime.jpg

It's finally here! Round 14 of the FIM MotoGP World Championship comes to the new circuit at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway for what will either be the most exciting race of the year or a complete dud?

Everyone make sure to vote in this week's poll! If you pick the winner, it's worth 50 rep points.

[Gary]

Edwards, but will the Michelin's work??

[Gary]

For anyone forced to watch on network TV, the MotoGP race is 3-4pm Eastern on NBC, 250 race is 6-7pm (E) on SPEED.

[gonickygo]

Spies... out to prove a point on his last ride on the Suzuki.

[ÜberDoober]

I am a terrible person. My grandson is having his 10th birthday party at a bowling alley at 10:00 on Saturday morning and I'm thinking up ways to get out of it. I don't want to miss qualifying at 10:55 local time. Grrrr! :(

[Gary]

Hey, you can't help it if you aren't feeling well at 10 Saturday! :ack2:

[DooberRoni]

With all the press hitting the streets in hot and heavy fashion, albeit somewhat overshadowed locally by the MIC/DMG deal, Nicky Hayden is finally growing some cajones and saying things that are less than favorable about Honda. At least I took it that way.

http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/70483

[ÜberDoober]

15 minutes into the extended first practice, Anthony West is on top of the time sheet and it is raining.

http://i57.photobucket.com/albums/g223/EKron/IndyWeather.jpg

23º C works out to about 74.3º F so at least it isn't freezing. Everybody has ventured out and Soup is reporting several riders have been in the grass. Spies is in 11th, Stoner's in 13th, Rossi in 14th and Hayden in 16th. Pedrobot is in 18th. Damn I wish there was video. I don't have to go to work for another hour and a half and could watch it, for a change.

[ÜberDoober]

Whoa! Halfway through the session, Spies goes to the top! Looking at Soup's pictures from yesterday, I see Hayden is still wearing his cast thingy and on crutches.

http://i57.photobucket.com/albums/g223/EKron/FP1halfway.jpg

HAHAHAHA! Melandri is ahead of Pedrosa!

[Gary]

Uber, as far as tomorrow morning, will the practice be on live video? I have a feeling only the qualifying session will.

I'm glad Hayden is speaking up. I'm not the biggest Hayden fan, but with him leaving I can get back to hating Honda full-time, lol. Pedrosa has become my least-liked rider, a little too selfish for me.

[ÜberDoober]

Uber, as far as tomorrow morning, will the practice be on live video? I have a feeling only the qualifying session will.

I don't know. As I recall from Laguna, Saturday practice did have video as I remember them dialing in the cameras and audio?

Interesting results of the extended first practice:
http://i57.photobucket.com/albums/g223/EKron/IndyFP1.jpg

[Gary]

I'm wrong as usual. live video appears to be up for this session.

[ÜberDoober]

Halfway through the 2nd session and it is really pouring cats & dogs. West looks like a man possessed.

http://i57.photobucket.com/albums/g223/EKron/FP2half.jpg

[ÜberDoober]

It's a shame about the rain.

Results of FP2
http://i57.photobucket.com/albums/g223/EKron/IndyFP2final.jpg

[ÜberDoober]

One more drag about the weather is it will clobber the big dirt track race unless they plan to run MX bikes, knobbies and outriggers. :(

[Hoofhearted]

I can't help feeling that Rossi will be on top. He doesn't have to but he's a racer. Wonder how Stoner's TC works in the wet?

[ÜberDoober]

Poop! No video for Saturday warmup and I've spent 10 minutes trying to get the live timing to come up. Grrrr!

:angry-004:

[ÜberDoober]

Under cloudy skies and a drying line, times are coming down and yesterday's rain masters are getting closer to their normal positions. With 30 minutes left in the session, Guintoli, of all people, is at the top.

Nicky looking good, Stoner struggling and whaddup with Spies? Only 3 laps?
http://i57.photobucket.com/albums/g223/EKron/IndyQP.jpg

I'm thinking qualifying will be dry but that may be the only chance to really see who's got what. Weather for tomorrow is looking bleak.

http://i57.photobucket.com/albums/g223/EKron/IndyRadar.jpghttp://i57.photobucket.com/albums/g223/EKron/IndyForecast.jpg

[ÜberDoober]

Are we done yet? Hot laps after the checkered flag saw the timing screen jump for 40 seconds with changes. I was whoopin' and hollerin' and my g/f thinks I'm nuts cheering and booing at a bunch of numbers on the screen.

http://i57.photobucket.com/albums/g223/EKron/IndyQPfinal.jpg

Observations:
Anthony West - Hero to Zero
Casey Stoner - there's a story here we don't know yet? Wrist?
Tony Elias - Has figured the Duc out. He has come alive the last few races
Jorge Lorenzo - said he liked the track but prolly not so much today?
Nicky Hayden - If it dried and they used qualifiers, we know Nicky is fast
Dani Pederast - Was nowhere most of the session
Ben Spies - Good showing
Dovi - not too shabby. I think I might like this kid?

[ÜberDoober]

Happened to leave the timing up. Red flag in the 250's five minutes into the session. Uh Oh! :(

Back to green.

[ÜberDoober]

This is interesting.

Free Practice Three Top Speeds:
1. Nicky Hayden (Honda) 192.6 mph
2. Dani Pedrosa (Honda) 192.6 mph
3. Ben Spies (Suzuki) 189.1 mph
4. John Hopkins (Kawasaki) 188.1 mph
5. Randy De Puniet (Honda) 186.5 mph
6. Alex De Angelis (Honda) 186.5 mph
7. Valentino Rossi (Yamaha) 186.5 mph
8. Sylvain Guintoli (Ducati) 186.3 mph
9. Toni Elias (Ducati) 185.5 mph
10. Chris Vermeulen (Suzuki) 185.5 mph
11. Andrea Dovizioso (Honda) 184.7 mph
12. Shinya Nakano (Honda) 184.4 mph
13. Loris Capirossi (Suzuki) 182.9 mph
14. Colin Edwards (Yamaha) 179.5 mph
15. James Toseland (Yamaha) 179.1 mph
16. Marco Melandri (Ducati) 178.5 mph
17. Casey Stoner (Ducati) 177.6 mph
18. Anthony West (Kawasaki) 173.9 mph
19. Jorge Lorenzo (Yamaha) 169.3 mph

[ÜberDoober]

A beautiful qualifying session is half over. Nice day and nice crowd.

http://i57.photobucket.com/albums/g223/EKron/IndyQualHalfway.jpg

[ÜberDoober]

Nicky bumped from the front row after the flag by Lorenzo.

http://i57.photobucket.com/albums/g223/EKron/IndyQualFinal.jpg

I'm late but I'm off to the birthday party!

[ÜberDoober]

I can't believe they actually were able to run the Indy mile last night. That's great news.

Still waiting to see it the start times might be changed today. F1 is almost over and I'll tune into motogp.com for morning warmup and see if I hear everything. Also keeping my eye on all other sources.

I did make it to my grandson's 10 birthday party but managed to leave my cell phone over in Phoenix like a dumbass. I'm going to scoot over there on my bike this morning (45 mile roundtrip) but don't want to miss things if they change the times?

[ÜberDoober]

Stoner tops morning warmup by over half a second.

http://i57.photobucket.com/albums/g223/EKron/IndyWarmup.jpg

[ÜberDoober]

Well, this is rather ominous. With 6 laps to go, the 125's were just red flagged for rain. I don't want the MotoGP boys to race in dangerous conditions but I'll be really bummed it the race it cancelled/postponed.

Grrr! I think the big boy race was really going to be good but if they do race in the rain, should we look for Ant West to return to Friday's form?

:ack2: :ack2: :ack2: :ack2:

[ÜberDoober]

250 riders all gridded and the start has been delayed. This is so unfortunate for everyone. It's really coming down and the safety car was splashing through huge standing puddles.

Hopefully it will clear up soon? I'll look for a radar...

[ÜberDoober]

Got one! It looks like the edges of the storm are clearly defined so it might move through and clear up?

http://i57.photobucket.com/albums/g223/EKron/indyRadar2.jpg

Not sure where the track is, exactly.

So, with the audio and video up and the volume high for monitoring from the other room, I'm off to mop my kitchen floor and standing by.

[ÜberDoober]

DOH! Browser crashed and can't get back into motogp.com's video. Will keep trying, not that I'm missing much, at the moment.

[ÜberDoober]

All back in business. Things are looking much better. 50 minutes to the scheduled start.

http://i57.photobucket.com/albums/g223/EKron/IndyRadar3.jpg

[ÜberDoober]

Warmup lap. Broadcast is on. Oh hell, it's SHAHEEN.

[LittleAlguy]

I can see why you can't stand him, lol.

[ÜberDoober]

Well, this sucks. 8 laps to go, red flag and it is sounding like they are going to go back out. Nicky was about to lose 2nd and is probably hoping it is over. On TV, he said he was 50/50 about it.

It's been an excellent race so far.

It looks like they just called it. Rossi Wins!

[ÜberDoober]

The 250 race has been cancelled. Bummer.

Good finish by Spies in 6th. Looked to be challenging Stoner there for a bit. What a forever wait for the podium celebration.

What a show!

[DooberRoni]

And our winning Doobers are:

Darby - Clever getting points without ever posting! ;)
LittleAlGuy - like he needs any more! :)

+50 reputation points to you both! Only 189,950 more and you're automatically entered in our drawing for a free toaster or the beer and donut of your choice.

Thanks for playing, guys. We'll do it again in two weeks. :seeya:

[Hoofhearted]

I can't help feeling that Rossi will be on top. He doesn't have to but he's a racer. Wonder how Stoner's TC works in the wet?


Like I said he doesn't have to but he's a racer. Stoner's head is definitely messed up.

[LittleAlguy]

No problem. :)

Bummer that they didn't go the full distance. That said, that Rossi fellow just amazes me.