Round 3: Spanish GP @ Jerez

[DooberRoni]

http://i282.photobucket.com/albums/kk279/DooberRoni/JerezPostBanner.png
© images & logos property of their respective owners - graphic composition © DooberVille.com

Previous History
http://i282.photobucket.com/albums/kk279/DooberRoni/JerezHistory.jpg

Jerez was first used as a venue for the world championship in 1987, skipped in '88 but has been on the calendar every year since 1989. Other previous winners of note at Jerez include Eddie Lawson, Wayne Gardner, Kevin Schwantz, Mic Doohan, Alex Criville and even Alberto Puig.


Don't forget! get your predictions in for Jerez.
Pick for Pole votes close at the start of qualifying.
Predictions for the race and fastest lap close immediately prior to race time.

http://i282.photobucket.com/albums/kk279/DooberRoni/contestPostLink.png (http://www.dooberville.com/forums/showthread.php?t=3656)

[ÜberDoober]

This promises to be the best race of the season so far if the weather stays dry and I'm really looking forward to it.

With rain farking up everything to date, it is still hard to get a clear picture of how the season is going to shape up. The results at Motegi don't give much more than a hint of what might happen but did include the surprise that Dani Pedrosa and Honda might be back? Nobody even had Pedrosa in their top five predictions!

With this being a home GP for the Spaniards, I suspect we will see some extra motivation from them and we could see a strong battle and maybe even a duel to the death between Lorenzo and Pedrosa? Throw in a Stoner and a dose of Italian rivalry and the excitement, that some complain is gone, could be more than we could handle?

I hate the new short practice sessions but heard they would get an hour at Jerez, however, it is not reflected in the posted time schedule. I would like to see everybody get a completely dry weekend so we can see who has what, not who gets lucky with the settings.

I'm guessing Stoner and Rossi can't be ruled out to lead the pack but who knows what kind of a weekend Lorenzo, Pedrosa and Dovizioso will have? Colin Edwards seems to think he has a chance to be in the mix and will the Suzukis, which showed some promise at Motegi until things went to hell, be a factor?

I predict that IF we have a completely dry weekend, we are in store for some amazing racing. I can't wait!

[gonickygo]

E, you must cease mentioning r*in. If you use it, it will come. :willy_nilly:

[ÜberDoober]

E, you must cease mentioning r*in. If you use it, it will come. :willy_nilly:

Umm, yeah.

Hey look! It's a beautiful day in Spain!
http://i57.photobucket.com/albums/g223/EKron/JerezSky.jpg

So, FP1 doesn't usually reveal much. Stoner seemed very animated talking to his crew and in need of some tuning and once again Hayden seems completely lost? :( A bit of surprise to see Pedrosa in 10th and Capirossi in second. Rossi seems determined and hungry to win and is off to a good start. Nick and Gavin did mention that Nicky was still struggling with injuries and that when Takahashi hit him last week, it was right where he hurt his back in Qatar's big highside? Dunno?

I'm waiting to make any predictions until after FP2 although early indications tend to favor Rossi. Ugh, FP2 is on at 1:00am my time. It's still curious to see Marco Melandri in the top 10 but I think that's kind of cool. I really thought at the end of his strong 2007 season that he would be contender on the Duc in 2008 but we all know how that turned out.

http://i57.photobucket.com/albums/g223/EKron/JerezFP1.jpg

[ÜberDoober]

I managed to catch the 250's and figured I'd post the results of their FP1 up too. Bautista almost as fast as Canepa (1:42:063)! SuperSic almost a second down. Another good session by Di Meglio too.

http://i57.photobucket.com/albums/g223/EKron/Jerez250FP1.jpg

[ÜberDoober]

Comments, thoughts anyone? A few sentences maybe? :o

I'm trying to figure out what to do. I want to get up at 1:00 to see FP2, even if it's only timing. Then I will place my prediction votes. Then I need to get up at 5:00 to record the Picks for Pole and watch qualifying. That's not a complaint. If I didn't love it I wouldn't do it!

I think having a few beers to get sleepy early is the best way to go to be prepared. Don't want to be too spent tomorrow because if the weather here is good, I'm going to ride my Ninja! :D

[ÜberDoober]

Holy Smokes!

http://i57.photobucket.com/albums/g223/EKron/JerezFP2.jpg

Session notes:

+ Stoner out early and does a 1:39:542 on his 3rd lap
+ Lorenzo and Pedrosa both break into the 39's
+ Edwards 4th, Rossi 5th - Capirossi to 9th
+ Seems to be a bit of a lull at mid-session
+ Pedrosa goes red helmet with a 1:39:422 on his 10th lap
+ 20 minutes remaining
+ 11 minutes to go. De Puniet bumps Edwards from 4th
+ Hayden jumps a few up to 11th
+ 7 minutes remaining - Dovizioso down in 8th
+ Lorenzo bumps stoner from 2nd
+ 4 to go and still only 3 riders in the 1:39's
+ Dovi hops up inth 4th and also into the 39's
+ De Puniet into 4th witn a 39 also
+ 40 seconds left on the clock
+ That looks to be about it?
+ Awesome lap by De Puniet

I don't think Valentino is going to be very happy. That kind of throws my predictions out the window. I'll go make 'em now.

[ÜberDoober]

Wow!

Congrats to gonickygo - picks up a point for correct Pick for Pole!

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

QUALIFYING NOTES
+ Super gusty winds for this session
+ top 3 in the 1:40's
+ Stoner is looking pretty wobbly
+ I find the dangling leg style less than aesthetic
+ Randy De Puniet bumps Lorenzo from 2nd!
+ Hayden with an early shock change - out for 1 lap and back in
+ 21 minutes left and Rossi jumps to 2nd
+ Capirossi to 2nd bumping Rossi
+ 15 minutes to go Stoner out on fresh rubber hoping to improve on 9th!
+ Lorenzo to the top with a 1:39:6. First lap under 1:40
+ Pedrosa to P1 and Stoner to 3rd - 3 riders under 1:40 now
+ Lorenzo fastest lap of the weekend 1:39:266
+ 10 minutes remaining
+ Top 7 all in the 1:39's -
+ LORENZO - 1:38:933
+ 3 min left - Pedrosa to 2nd and also in the 38's
+ Lorenzo, Pedrosa, Stoner - Front Row
+ Rossi, De Puniet, Capirossi - 2nd Row

[Pablo]

Thanks for the update and getting up so early to watch it. Good Megane win too, EK:cheers2:


Race Position & Fast Lap Prediction
1st:Pedrosa - the boss says "WIN!"
2nd:Rossi - Winning is fun...
3rd:Stoner - Gotta sell some more Ducati's on Monday
4th:Lorenzo - if he doesn't get taken out by Pedrosa ;-)
5th:Edwards - he's riding well
Fastest Lap:Lorenzo - will have way too much testosterone in front of home crowd:realMad:

[ÜberDoober]

Hey, Pablo! Nice to see you and thanks for dropping by!

Thanks for your vote too. I got it copied over to the voting thread to keep everything in one place. Next race, if you enter a Pick for Pole before qualifying, you can maybe pick up an extra point?

Sorry you missed the Megane race this morning. (Pablo and I are in a sim racing league together along with a few other doods here) Actually Kevin won handily but I did finish second. It was Wednesday nights NAGT race that I won and grabbed the pole on too.

So, I'm guessing tomorrow's MotoGP will either be one guy running off and hiding or a five way fight to the line. I hope for the latter. ;)

250 GP looks good too but not sure I want to get up at 3:15am to watch it? Simoncelli fell off twice so far and I'd like him to stay on and take it to Bautista.

[ÜberDoober]

I can't believe I got up at 3:00 AM. 14 laps left to go in the 250 race and it was worth getting up for, so far anyway. :)

<edit>
Wow! That was a kickass race! No regrets about getting up at all.

[ÜberDoober]

I'd almost call this an upset victory for Valentino Rossi? I am a little disappointed to not see the kind of fight at the front I was hoping for, like they had in the 250 race, but it was still an interesting change of fortune for some.

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

Random race notes:

+ Perfect weather
+ bikes on the line, here come the lights
+ Holeshot Pedrosa, Stoner, Lorenzo
+ Rossi to 3rd around Lorenzo!
+ Pedrosa and Stoner with a small gap
+ De Puniet around Dovizioso
+ Hayden running dead last
+ Capirossi around Edwards into 7th
+ Top 3 getting closer or not?
+ Pedrosa gapping - Rossi pressuring Stoner
+ Rossi to 2nd - Stoner fights back - DOGFIGHT!
+ Rossi back to second but it ain't over yet
+ Lorenzo disappointing in 4th and losing ground
+ Rossi closing the gap to Pedrosa
+ Dovi off the track and back on
+ Melanri around Edwards - 3 way battle for 6th
+ 17 laps to go. Not the ding dong battle I was hoping for, not yet anyway
+ Now it's turned into a parade. Crap!
+ 12 to go and Rossi has closed in on Pedro
+ ROSSI TO THE LEAD
+ 8 laps to go - Rossi is gapping
+ Lorenzo closing in on Stoner for 3rd
+ Timing screen just went down and made me log in again
+ Boring except for the Melandri, Edwards & Capirossi fight
+ 3 to go - Lorenzo *might* have a chance to get Stoner?
+ LORENZO CRASHES!
+ 2.5 seconds from Rossi to Pedrosa - it's over
+ De Puniet having a top day
+ Rossi IS a god! Amazing ride
+ Melandri finishes 5th!
+ Rossi to the port-a-john! Too funny
+ Interesting to see Stoner with the perforated upper fairing like the 250's
+ Trophies on the podium look unimpressive
+ 123,000 reported in attendance

This is good for making the championship interesting. Rossi now leads and Lorenzo and Pedrosa are tied. Stoner is in Second. Still open for anybody but still a long way to go.

Two weeks to the next round in Le Mans. Maybe we can get that huge battle there that I keep hoping for? Or maybe not? I am beginning to lean toward the thought that they have screwed up the formula and that has hurt the racing. The 800's really haven't slowed things down but they certainly have changed the style needed to ride them and it just doesn't seem conducive to much passing?

I can't say I was disappointed one bit though. We got to witness a classic Rossi race. He's an amazing guy.

[ÜberDoober]

Ha! Now I'm watching the Red Bull Rookies Cup live stream. Couldn't get it going and missed the start but it's working great now. This should be fun!

[Gary]

It surprised me how many people called that a dull a race. It was no 125 10 riders battle (but then neither was the 125 race!), but I found it interesting from beginning to end.