Round 5: Italian GP @ Mugello

[DooberRoni]

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



PREDICTIONS CONTEST VOTING THREAD FOR MUGELLO (http://www.dooberville.com/forums/showthread.php?p=7580#post7580)


This is one of the most fantastic races of the year and without a doubt has the most insane crowd on the entire planet. Who might win? Hmmm, Rossi maybe? If history is any indication, we might have a clue. Note though that Lorenzo, Pedrosa and Capirossi have also stood on top of the box.



With Mugello being the home race for Ducati as well as the Italian riders, the fervent fans and intense atmosphere make this one of the best and most anticipated races of the year. Recalling last year's race, Rossi debuted the now famous face helmet. Wonder if he'll be up to any antics this year or if he is too serious?



http://i282.photobucket.com/albums/kk279/DooberRoni/MugelloHistory.jpg
history courtesty of wikipedia (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Italian_motorcycle_Grand_Prix)


THE TRACK


Measuring 5.245km in length, the Mugello circuit is one of the longest on the current MotoGP calendar and it stands out from other fast tracks thanks to the drastic elevation changes and the high-speed chicanes. The main straight, at 1,141km, is also one of the longest on the calendar and it is followed by a blind rise into the tight turn one, San Donato, where the riders' speed drops from around 320km/h to less than 100. The front straight is the fastest part of the track, with the rest an exciting mixture of fast sweepers, quick direction changes and long ?parabolica' corners, without any tight hairpins or stop-and-go sections to break up the flow. It is perhaps because of this that the Tuscan circuit is one of the riders' favourites. Mugello hosted its first GP in 1976 but did not become a permanent fixture on the calendar until major reconstruction works took place in the early 90s.



Don't forget! Get your predictions in for Mugello!
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?p=7580#post7580)

Current Standings:
http://i282.photobucket.com/albums/kk279/DooberRoni/MotoGPpoints.jpg

[ÜberDoober]

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

SETUP REPORT 26/05/2009
Fiat Yamaha aim for more success at magnificent Mugello

The Fiat Yamaha Team head to the spectacular Italian circuit of Mugello this weekend flying high at the top of the championship after a formidable start to the season. Jorge Lorenzo and Valentino Rossi lie first and second in the riders' standings while the team, which is based at Gerno di Lesmo, just outside Milan, is leading the team table and Yamaha the Manufacturers'.

22-year-old Lorenzo comes to Italy this weekend in stunning form, lying first in the championship after two wins from four races, with the second having come at the last round in Le Mans. The Spaniard has a good record at Mugello and took victory there from pole in 2006 on the way to his first world championship, but he has a score to settle with the track this time around after sliding out on lap seven on his MotoGP debut there last year. This time he is fully fit and determined to continue the momentum of his season with another trip to the podium.

Rossi shares an unmatched relationship with this Tuscan track, having won there an incredible nine times in thirteen years. The last seven victories have been consecutive, including the last five with Yamaha and this weekend he will be more determined than ever to add another victory to his stunning record. Last time out saw a rare error from Rossi when he fell at Le Mans and he eventually finished last in a race for the first time in his career, meaning he took zero points and surrendered his championship lead to his team-mate, albeit by just one point. This weekend he will put all that behind him in pursuit of more home glory and a second win of the season, when tens of thousands of his passionate Italian fans fill the Mugello amphitheatre and turn the hillsides yellow.

Mugello is one of the fastest and most spectacular circuits in the world, with the 1,141m main straight seeing the 800cc machines reach speeds of over 320km/h before braking into the fearsome downhill right-hander. The track differs from other fast circuits in its frequent changes of gradient and the speed of its chicanes. There is a mix of slower and high-speed corners, although even the slowest corners are still wide - allowing plenty of scope for overtaking as the riders get a choice of line, putting the emphasis as much on their skill as on the precision of their chassis set-up and generally leading to some spectacular racing in an unrivalled atmosphere.

Jorge Lorenzo - "A beautiful circuit"
"Mugello is, along with Phillip Island, the most beautiful circuit that we race at; I love it! Plus I am feeling very confident after our good race in Le Mans. We have had some very strange races with the weather conditions and I would never have expected to recover 24 points in one go. Now we arrive in Italy (where the weather I hope will be better) as leaders, but the most important thing is that I am confident and feeling fit. Last year was not easy for me; I already had problems with my ankles and then I crashed when trying to pass Andrea Dovizioso. Mugello and Montmel??re horrible for me and finished that period of the season having taken no points. This year, just to take some points at this track and at Catalunya will be an improvement and that's my aim! On Wednesday I will be in Rome, watching Champions League Final with my team, Barcelona, against Manchester United. I hope the weekend begins perfectly for me with that title!"

Valentino Rossi - "Something incredible"
"Racing at Mugello is something incredible for me, but every year it gets more difficult to keep my record going and seven wins in a row is already a lot! I do feel pressure going there, but at the same time it is always amazing and the fans give me an extra motivation that helps me to perform in a different way there. I hope it's the same again this year, because after Le Mans I really need a good result! It was disappointing but everyone has the occasional bad day and that was ours. Everything possible went wrong but hopefully that is all our bad luck for now and this time, at our home race, we will be back to our best. I always look forward to this race; it's very busy for me but I have so many amazing memories. Let's hope to create some more this weekend."

Daniele Romagnoli - "Motivation is high"
"Heading to race in Mugello after the great victory in Le Mans gives high motivation to Jorge and the entire team. This year the top riders are very close and to stay at the top of the championship we are going to have to make sure we're always on the podium, so we have to keep a high level of concentration and our feet on the ground. Last year Jorge crashed in the race when he lost the front but we feel confident of a good result this time around because our technical package has been improved and Jorge is much stronger and of course fully fit. It's the home race for a lot of the guys in our team so we're looking forward to a great weekend."

Davide Brivio - "Excited by the challenge"
"Mugello is of course a great and important race for us, but each year it gets a bit harder to keep the winning record. Now we try for Valentino's eighth in a row but it will be tough because everyone will be out to stop him - he is the man to beat there! It will be difficult but we're excited by the challenge. After Le Mans we need to get back to the form we showed in Spain; we're close to the lead but we need to keep the momentum going and try to get as many points as possible. Let's hope for another Mugello party!"

Valentino Rossi : Information
Age: 30
Lives: Tavullia, Italy
Bike: Yamaha
GP victories: 98 (72 x MotoGP/500cc, 14 x 250cc, 12 x 125cc)
First GP victory: Czech Republic, 1996 (125cc)
First GP: Malaysia, 1996 (125cc)
GP starts: 214 (154 x MotoGP/500cc, 30 x 250cc, 30 x 125cc)
Pole positions: 52 (42 x MotoGP/500cc, 5 x 250cc, 5 x 125cc)
World Championships: 8 Grand Prix (1 x 125cc, 1 x 250cc, 1 x 500cc, 5 x MotoGP)

Jorge Lorenzo: Information
Age: 22
Lives: London, UK
Bike: Yamaha
GP victories: 24 (3 x MotoGP, 17 x 250cc, 4 x 125cc)
First GP victory: Brazil, 2003 (125cc)
First GP: Jerez, Spain, 2002 (125cc)
GP starts: 115 (21 x MotoGP, 48 x 250cc, 46 x 125cc)
Pole positions: 31 (5 x MotoGP, 23 x 250cc, 3 x 125cc)
World Championships: 2 (250cc, 2006/7)

Mugello: Record Lap
C. Stoner (Ducati) 2008, 1'50.003

Mugello: Best Lap
V. Rossi (Yamaha) 2008, 1'48.130

[ÜberDoober]

Let the PR wheels turn...

I posted up the Yamaha press report because it comes to my inbox and I usually have it before Dean Adams can cut and paste to soup. All the rest, like Honda, Suzuki, etc can be read there, roadracingworld.com or cyclenews.com. I'm sure most of you hardcore guys have already seen it all so I won't regurgitate the bulk of it here.

I will grab a few selected quotes that show the psych machine is a crankin'

http://www.motogp.com/en/photos/2009/Casey+Stoner+on+trackhttp://i57.photobucket.com/albums/g223/EKron/stonerC.jpg
credit: © motogp.com (http://www.motogp.com)

CASEY STONER
“Last year I finished second and considering the progress we’ve made since then, I’m sure we can be fighting for it again this time. It will be a tough race because the level of the competition is so high, as you can see from the championship standings, and all the home riders will be more determined than ever to do well, but I also like Mugello a lot - it is one of my favourite circuits. The fans are really passionate and even though they may get behind one rider more than others you can see that in general they have a passion for the sport above anything. Hopefully we can pick up a good result because this is Ducati’s home circuit and that always makes it extra special.”


http://i57.photobucket.com/albums/g223/EKron/RossiBurg.jpg
credit: © motogp.com (http://www.motogp.com)

VALENTINO ROSSI
"Racing at Mugello is something incredible for me, but every year it gets more difficult to keep my record going and seven wins in a row is already a lot! I do feel pressure going there, but at the same time it is always amazing and the fans give me an extra motivation that helps me to perform in a different way there”.

http://i57.photobucket.com/albums/g223/EKron/HayDuc.jpg
credit: © autosport.com (http://www.autosport.com)

NICKY HAYDEN
"It is an honour and a privilege for me to now be a part of this team and this tradition. I hope with all my heart that I can be competitive because those fans don't deserve to see a Ducati at the back". "I'd really like to have some better results on the board and be going into the factory's home race with some more experience under our belts but we are making progress and now I hope we can make a good step on Friday so that we can build on it over the rest of the weekend,".

Crap! My plan was to comment on these quotes but I have plum run out of time to do it right now. Come on, guys, do a little analysis and reading between the lines here. Speak up, Doobers!

[ÜberDoober]

Hmmm?

http://i57.photobucket.com/albums/g223/EKron/MugelloFP1.jpg

I think Lorenzo is out to prove his performance so far this season is not a fluke. The boy can ride, no doubt. Dovizioso some what of a no show in FP1 but a decent performance by Edwards in 5th. And then there's Hayden. :o Picked up a second plus but the new crew chief and motivation to improve at Mugello has not done squat for his on track performance. It makes me sad.

They're saying Pedrosa was clocked at 349.3 kph. My calculator converts that to 217.04 mph. Can this be right? It seems like a new world record or something? If that is indeed the correct top speed, it is WAY faster than Formula 1 cars go?

[ÜberDoober]

With the 250 practice on, the guys are still talking about Pedrosa's speed. Indeed, this is the fastest top speed ever recorded in an official session. 347.4 was the previous benchmark.

Dang! :ack2:

[ÜberDoober]

With a lot of good posts last round and some extra points handed out because of, we've suddenly gone quiet again. Did KK go to Miller or drop off the face of the planet again.?

At any rate, here is some selected Nicky Hayden stuff:

Hayden says his plight is demoralising
By Matt Beer Friday, May 29th 2009, 16:20 GMT
SOURCE ARTICLE: autosport.com (http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/75685)

Nicky Hayden admitted that he had been depressed by the results of free practice at Mugello having continued to struggle with the Ducati GP9.
The former world champion had hoped he might achieve a breakthrough on his team's home ground but was only 15th today.

"This is a very different circuit to Le Mans and to be honest I was hoping that coming here, to the track where this bike was born, we would be on the pace," said Hayden. "Unfortunately we're not and the truth is we're struggling again."

The American said the issues slowing him at Mugello were totally different to the problems he had previously suffered.

"It's pretty demoralising because every track we go to at the moment seems to cause us different kinds of problems," Hayden explained.
"Here the worst thing is the bumpiness of the surface, which is unsettling a bike that can already be quite unstable. It is hard to change direction when the bike isn't planted and that's a big thing here."

Hayden has been unable to get the Ducati to his liking since joining the team from Honda at the start of 2009, and his progress was also disrupted by a serious crash in qualifying at Losail.

He has yet to qualify or finish above 12th for the team, and is only 15th in the championship after four races.

Pretty much the same info at motogp.com

You've really got to feel for Nicky. Maybe he's not the fastest kid in the world but he always gives it his all. It really must be depressing. Look what it did to Melandri last season and how he is so happy and doing well this season. I'd like to see Nicky in the top five if for no other reason than to see the boy smile once and a while.

I looked up Hayden's results from last season.

Qatar - 10th Qualified 6th
Jerez - 4th Qualified 4th
Estoril - DNF Qualified 4th
China - 6th Qualified 10th
Le Mans - 8th Qualified 6th

and

Mugello - 13th Qualified 6th

I'd say he would be very happy to even get close to doing this well. I'm depressed too.

[ÜberDoober]

Holy Crap! What a session!

Rossi off the front row for the first time in his career at Mugello. I had Internet problem for the first part of the show and have no clue what happened to Pedrosa. There was talk that he is hurt or dislocated his hip or something? And who bit Capirossi in the ass? I thought for a few seconds there toward the end that he was going to take the dang pole. :ack2:

For sure, I'm going to adjust my predictions. :winky:

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

So, do I watch the 250's qualify or I do go ride my bike a few hours before it gets to be 100º? It's just after 6:00am here and already pretty warm. Hmmm?

[ÜberDoober]

Dammit! A work problem that I need to babysit came up so I'm not out riding my Ninja. :realMad:

Did watch the 250's. Looks like the usual top 3 are at the front and all on the same tenth so it should be a good fight.

http://i57.photobucket.com/albums/g223/EKron/Mug250Qual.jpg

[ÜberDoober]

Just noticed LBJ-OCD is stirring up the schnizzle over on that brit mogogp forum. :winky: Surprised KK isn't a registered contributor. Oh Jeebus, I see amafan is there too. Hahaaa!

Maybe if we spelled funny, said bollocks a lot and in general had more creative swearing, we could get more members here? :) Try it.

[KingKenny]

KK is just as demoralized as Nicky. Wish I had been able to go to Miller last weekend and get some racing in. Struggling with that right now. Weather here is miserable and causing me major joint and bone pain as well as fatigue. Oh well. My heart hasn't been into talking as much during race weekends since I miss chattin with all my friends at that other forum [MGD]. I am going to discuss my options with an attorney next week in that regard. I am pissed. Pissed enough to file a civil suit.

Go Stoner!

What is with Lorenzo's "X out" helmet. Been wearing it most of the season and the turtle thing on the back is interesting. Must be a story there somewhere. Speculating that X is for no more brain fade?

No... I don't check out a half dozen news agencies as a hard core junkie. I like to go to one place and read it all. THX for the updates and all the work it takes Head Dooberoni ! Oh geez this is depressing again. MGD had it all for me. Long time friends most of which I have met in person at one time or another, news, public opinion, OT's that broke up the monitomy. Wish they would join us here!

I am thinking the forum board name here is the single biggest deterent to regular participation or even joining! It does have conotations ya know?

[KingKenny]

Just noticed LBJ-OCD is stirring up the schnizzle over on that brit mogogp forum. :winky: Surprised KK isn't a registered contributor. Oh Jeebus, I see amafan is there too. Hahaaa!

Maybe if we spelled funny, said bollocks a lot and in general had more creative swearing, we could get more members here? :) Try it.

Hey there are at least two stories behind the speeling debacle. One is my eyesight and the other has to do with Otto.

I have no idea where any other forums are. Care to drop any hints? I am a dedicated MGD loyalist and know no others. I kept Dooberville in my hip pocket out of respect for people I know/knew at MGD. If I don't get reinstated at MGD, with an attorneys help apparently, then I probably am done with the internet for the most part entirely by the end of the yr. School, banking, some email with "real" friends, MotoGP subscription, and news when I really want to hear it ... is about it for me.

Hey you better be nice to me... I am your only regular contributor these days [ :realMad: :ack2: ].

[ÜberDoober]

GAH! Rain!

Morning warmup times:

Pos Rider Bike Time
1. Casey Stoner Ducati 2m01.739s
2. Marco Melandri Hayate Kawasaki 2m02.234s + 0.495s
3. Chris Vermeulen Suzuki 2m02.395s + 0.656s
4. Valentino Rossi Yamaha 2m02.529s + 0.790s
5. Loris Capirossi Suzuki 2m02.666s + 0.927s
6. Nicky Hayden Ducati 2m02.849s + 1.110s
7. Randy de Puniet LCR Honda 2m03.301s + 1.562s
8. Colin Edwards Tech 3 Yamaha 2m03.406s + 1.667s
9. Alex de Angelis Gresini Honda 2m03.880s + 2.141s
10. Andrea Dovizioso Honda 2m04.070s + 2.331s
11. Dani Pedrosa Honda 2m04.196s + 2.457s
12. Mika Kallio Pramac Ducati 2m04.430s + 2.691s
13. Jorge Lorenzo Yamaha 2m04.683s + 2.944s
14. Toni Elias Gresini Honda 2m04.859s + 3.120s
15. James Toseland Tech 3 Yamaha 2m05.100s + 3.361s
16. Yuki Takahashi Scot Honda 2m05.506s + 3.767s
17. Niccolo Canepa Pramac Ducati 2m06.524s + 4.785s

8 laps to go in the 250 race. Bautista and Simoncelli getting silly with each other and an investigation is underway.

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

Now, KK, about your comments...

It is unfortunate what happened to you at the Speed forums but I really doubt there is much you can do about it. It's their game and if they decide to take their ball and go home, that's their business. As a big media organization, they have to be all politically correct and shit which translates to being bland and boring. When someone such as yourself with strong opinions and comments comes along it's just too much for them to deal with. If they wished to punish you, they could have given you a week long ban instead of a permanent one but again, you're at their mercy.

I was actually a mod at Speed for a while and it all ended badly with a huge disagreement, mostly because my idea of what was okay didn't exactly jive with theirs. Like you, I wanted a more open community where people could discuss and even argue about things but any controversy was to be quashed with no questions asked. Truthfully, I am surprised my user account there survived the heated discussions with Speedy.

When they switched the board software a little over a year ago, that was the final straw for me and what prompted me to start this place as an alternate community. If we had a handful of more people that would post, this place would take off but as it is today, in spite of the hours every week I put into it, it is boring. FYI, the "crew" here, HeadDoober and DooberRoni are simply figments of my own imagination. I do all the graphics, I update the calendar, I do everything and when the board languishes all week and gets a handful of posts every weekend, it is demoralizing and frustrating to me to see my efforts (and out of pocket costs) not achieve their full potential. Honestly, the only reason I am still posting at SPEED at all is to advertise and I've already been warned recently about it. They're fukkers over there, KK, just let it go.

As far as DooberVille and the "connotations", yeah maybe, if you watch a lot of porn and are familiar with those connotations. (I don't watch pron but I looked it up :)) If we were called DickTown, PenisVille, Choade City or something, I could see what you're saying. One look at the website or the forum should dispell any hint that we're about anything other than motorsports and motorcycles.

So back on track, with the rain, my predictions are probably all shit but I'm not going to change them. The 250 race was pretty exciting with Super Sic making it fun. Let's hope MotoGP is about more then the 3 at the front.

http://i57.photobucket.com/albums/g223/EKron/Mug250Final.jpg

[ÜberDoober]

Oh hell! Lorenzo crashes on the sighting lap coming up to pre-grid! Unreal! :ack2: :ack2: :ack2:

[KingKenny]

Crzy shit huh... ok I'll drop it but ... there is tons I can do about it. Funny I felt everyone else had "strong" opinions and no desire to listen to others as I did. Anyway... you asked previously and I ansewered. Oh and believe it or not I know one of the current mods.

So back to the racing, just a normal race these days in MotoGP. Rain - no rain - more rain - NO TIRE CHOICES to handle all the dynamics of changing conditons [sorry I'm yellin]. LOL.

[KingKenny]

Pretty cool race. Way to go Capirossi !!! [almost the only guy to win a race on 4 mfg's] Nice ride by Dovi. I tink Nickster has lost his fire. Runnin Top 10 and let it go....

Nap time till WSBK. Go Jamie !!!

btw: Uber... I ran EZMotorcycle.com for 3 yrs and some change [98-02] and couldn't pull a mkt share so I wish you the very best and offer my support but ... it is a tough row to ho. Been there done that. I admire your tenacity ! :thumbup1:

[ÜberDoober]

Dang! That was a good race! Very exciting, tons of passing. Ducati wins in Italy, Rossi on the podium. My Internet has become unstable and the feed is coming in and out. Dammit. At least it held out for the race or I'd have blown a gasket, overheated and warped my head.

Crap, I'm missing stuff.

Here's the final:
http://i57.photobucket.com/albums/g223/EKron/MugGPfinal.jpg

Here's my race notes.

+ Mixed conditions and probably bike swappage again like Le Mans
+ Lorenzo must be kicking himself in the ass for crashing on the sighting lap
+ Riders form up on the grid
+ Holeshot Pedrosa!
+ Vermeulen to the lead
+ Stoner around Dovi to 3rd
+ Stoner around Pedrosa AND Vermin to the lead - Cripes!
+ Rossi in 4th with a gap to the front 3
+ Vermeulen hanging on to Stoner and pushing
+ Dovizioso around Vermeulen
+ Dovi takes the lead! Stoner takes it right back
+ Dovi to the front again - Makes it stick for now
+ Toseland in to switch bikes - first one to gamble
+ Lorenzo's 2nd bike still in pieces
+ Melandri around Lorenzo - Holy shiznit
+ Rossi has closed the gap and pushing Vermeulen
+ Rossi pushes up into 3rd and chasing Stoner
+ Dovizioso has opened a gap at the front
+ Toseland 3 seconds slower in the 3rd sector on slicks
+ Rossi around Stoner into 2nd - Melandri now around Vermeulen!!
+ Canepa in and back out on white stripe softs
+ Melandri passes Stoner into 3rd - OMFG!
+ Rossi gets to the front! Many heading to the pits
+ Dry tires starting to work. Stoner dropping like a stone and prolly heading in?
+ Melandri into 2nd - Italians 1-2-3
+ Dovi pits - Rossi and Melandri stay out - Pedrosa in
+ MELANDRI TO THE FRONT AROUND ROSSI
+ Toseland, first in for drys sets fast lap
+ Melandri, Rossi, Lorenzo, Stoner all in at the same time
+ 13 to go, Melandri still leads, Dovi in 2nd and going fast
+ Dovi out on drys first drives around Melandri
+ Stoner around Melandri into 2nd. Lorenzo around Melandri
+ Melandri dropping back quickly - Toseland still fast lapping
+ Capirossi in 3rd and pushing Stoner - Lorenzo 4th, Rossi 5th
+ PEDROSA CRASHES - He's down and hurt. Not good
+ Stoner to the lead over Dovi and Capirex
+ 10 to go. Rossi 4 seconds back and a second off the pace of the leaders
+ Toseland to 6th
+ Capirossi around Dovizioso to 2nd
+ CAPIROSSI TO THE LEAD ON THE SUZUKI
+ Stoner not taking it litely - pushing Loris hard
+ Stoner to the lead down the straight
+ Rossi fast lap - now 2 seconds faster than the leaders
+ 6 to go - Stoner pulling away. Rossi trying to get by Lorenzo - not close enough
+ Stoner fastest lap at the front
+ 4 to go - big battle for 3rd - time running out
+ Lorenzo to 3rd around Dovi
+ Stoner's got it. Rossi around Dovizioso
+ Hang on Cappers, Lorenzo and Rossi are coming
+ Lorenzo around, Capirossi wide.
+ Rossi to 3rd, Capirex off the podium
+ Final lap coming up
+ Whew! Stoner, Lorenzo, Rossi
+ DAMN! That was a good one
+ Stoner now leads the championship

Hopefully I can post this when I'm done? I can't get the video to reload so I'm not going to get to see the interviews. Got more to add but want to try and get this up before I lose my connection entirely.

Here's what I saw last:
http://i57.photobucket.com/albums/g223/EKron/MugCrowd.jpg

[ÜberDoober]

It seems I am back online now?

If you haven't seen the great save by de Rosa in the 250 class, here it is:

e7ep1osg6vQ

[ÜberDoober]

Follow up:

Simoncelli gets off with a warning and keeps his win for the banzai pass attempt on Bautista that put them both in the dirt.

No definitive word on Pedrosa but it appears nothing new is broken? He's off for further evaluation.

[gonickygo]

What is with Lorenzo's "X out" helmet. Been wearing it most of the season and the turtle thing on the back is interesting. Must be a story there somewhere. Speculating that X is for no more brain fade?

That's his "trademark" symbol more or less... his nickname is "por fuera" or "around the outside". Got the nickname from a pass he pulled in a 125 race @ Rio. Went around the outside of 3-4 other guys on the last lap in the last corner. Can't remember the exact year, but look up what year he won the Brazilian GP, and watch on motogp.com since you have a subscription.

[Gary]

I am going to discuss my options with an attorney next week in that regard. I am pissed. Pissed enough to file a civil suit.

It is a private forum, KK - they have the right to ban whoever they want. What they have accomplished, imo, is a fairly dull forum at this point, but there is no civil liability.

Good races in GP - I haven't seen the 125 race yet but the others were fantastic. SBK was ok, but Spies left them in the dust in race one, and did the same with all but Fabrizio most of the race and then left him as well. While it's great watching the mess, I am looking forward to a dry race - or even an all wet one.

[KingKenny]

thx for the update GoNicky. Good to know.

[KingKenny]

It is a private forum, KK - they have the right to ban whoever they want. What they have accomplished, imo, is a fairly dull forum at this point, but there is no civil liability.

Good races in GP - I haven't seen the 125 race yet but the others were fantastic. SBK was ok, but Spies left them in the dust in race one, and did the same with all but Fabrizio most of the race and then left him as well. While it's great watching the mess, I am looking forward to a dry race - or even an all wet one.

Gary your opinion means little to me. For the record you were on my official ignore list at Speed and I couldn't wait for the fix to begin working as promised. Your not an attorney and they know contrary to your opinion. You really like to start arguements don't you. It seems to be your only contributions at most of the sites you post at.

If you hate the site so much, why do you persist in posting there and annoying everyone? :confused: :realMad: As Joe_B indicated, if you hate AMA so much why are you the first to post on the thread and why can't you leave those who enjoy AMA racing alone and let them discuss without your political agenda and trash talk.... :smilielol5:Your a joke dude. :thumbup1:

[Gary]

I should know better than to talk to a nut. You are one strange guy, KK.

If you had me on ignore why do I have this persistent message about you adding me as a friend here? You are correct, I am not a lawyer - but I deal with law all day. Your right to freedom of speech does not extend to private forums, who have the right to ban anyone - and your posts were obnoxious. I read it all just as they were deleted and you were banned, and I read all the deleted posts of the other forum members laughing at you and telling you to shut up.

I may be a joke, but I am a sane and informed joke, rather than a lunatic who posts without any knowledge of the topic.

Sorry Uber, I will try to keep it off this forum. Some flakes can get me going...

[ÜberDoober]

I think we've all said our little piece now but let's move on. We're all big boys and girls and all diverse individuals. Let's leave it at that and talk about racing and motorbike stuff. We're all thick skinned enough to take a few knocks here and there but let's do try to be somewhat civil with one another.

BTW, there is an off-topic section and an alternative/conspiracy/NWO/UFO section where the posting of non-racing discussions is encouraged.

Now, :grouphug: group hug.

[Gary]

Again, I apologize Uber.

[ÜberDoober]

NICKY HAYDEN – (Ducati Marlboro Team) 12th
“Once again we got hit by some crazy weather although to be honest I was hoping for a wet race today after being sixth fastest in the warm-up. I didn’t get away well in the race but I managed to get past a few guys pretty quickly and my team did a great job to change the settings on my second bike and allow me to be amongst the first to change over. That allowed me to make up even more ground and I was up to ninth, having a good race until the rear brake wore down towards the end and I lost three positions. I was using it too much to stop the rear from spinning up and moving around and it has cost me a lot in the end. It’s a shamebut we can take some positives out of this race – I was back in the top ten for several laps and we have something to work from in the next race.”You know, you've got to credit Nicky for trying to find the bright spot in the day and trying to maintain some glimmer of positive attitude. We've seen how polite and diplomatic Nicky can be in an interview so I wonder if deep down in his heart, he believes there was anything good about Mugello?

We've seen the psychological effect it (the cursed Ducati) had on Melandri and we read at Le Mans that Nicky was getting depressed. Let's just hope he doesn't spiral downward into the same self doubt and embarrassment.

So Nicky is using the back brake to stop the bike spinning up? This is a technique I have not heard of before. Don't they have a couple of different on-board maps they can switch to to prevent this?

[Gary]

I am impressed the way Hayden keeps at it - I think Melandri basically threw in the towel pretty quickly. The problem now is that there is no way for him to get any seat time. By this time last year they had been to 3 two day tests during the season, now none.

[KingKenny]

Well I think I posted up before that he had dumbed down TC to get better feel for the bike. THis is confirmation of that fact. He's using the rear brake to do the job TC normally does. AND YOU MOCKED !!!! I know my schlitz don't I !!! You'd have to be a "rider" to catch on to some of these things friend !!!

He got a new EC system for his TC and they are collecting data to determine how to best set it up for him. It takes track time to collect the data they need. This is normally performed in "testing" which was greatly reduced this yr. I expect to see him back towards the front and potentially on the podium by summer holiday as an objective. Again, you said, "He has to make the top ten". He just ran in the top ten albiet briefly the first race since your post. LOL. Who's the nut job?

psst: Don't know any civil rights attorneys do you. They would vehemently disagree with your statement. :thumbup1:
psst: My paternal grandmother is a "Hayden" friend. Like Earl & I share great uncles! Like I told you before... you never know for sure who your talking to at the "other board". Heck a Kenny Roberts crew member used to post regularly.... and many other "celebrities". You need to chill out over there. It's not your typical "forum"! Yeh sure... you and your 3 friends... LOL. Dude my friends have been posting for 6 yrs and they put you on the same level as Roberto Rolfo and are so tired of you they quit posting for the most part. That would include people like Josh Hayes and the racing director of Factory Yamaha !

[Gary]

KK, and I am not arguing, everything you read everywhere states that Hayden (and all the Ducati riders aside from Stoner) have the TC cranked WAY up.

Stoner has personally suggested that they turn it down, and also that they try the same outdated TC unit he uses instead of the latest unit they all have fitted. He feels the old unit gives more feel. All the journalists were commenting that while Stoner's TC could rarely be heard kicking in during recent races, Hayden's was kicking in constantly. Maybe he tried less TC in the last race, but it was a damp track which throws another question in.

Again, this is not argumentative, it is what is posted in a number of places, and was discussed in interviews with both Stoner AND Hayden himself.

His TC is, or was, on.

I'm not going to continue to argue with you about the SPEED boards - you are off them, let it go. I don't care who posts there, if I speculate I say 'in my opinion', I don't state it as fact, and I don't care who is reading it. It is a discussion board. And honestly, I don't care who you are related to - if what you post is wrong based on the facts I will say so. I am not in awe of the Hayden family - good racers but they are just people like you and I.

Oh, as far as a lawyer - go pay for one! Feel free. A website is private property - I am not required to let you in my home.

[ÜberDoober]

Jeesus freakin' Christ. KK, stop taking potshots at the Speed boards and at Gary. You've got an opportunity to start over fresh and present yourself as a friendly and knowledgeable person but yet you dredge up the past repeatedly and fall right back into the same patterns that got you booted over there. I'm just sayin'...

Gary is entitled to his opinions, as are you but please, don't think you have some secret insider knowledge because your grandmother was the third cousin once removed of the Haydens. Isn't everybody in Kentucky related anyway? :)

Disagreement is fine but everyone, please refrain from the name calling and personal attack crap. I don't have the time nor the desire to play referee. Let bygones be gone and if you are going to post up wild speculation or opinion as fact, post links or quotes to back them up. Opinions are like assholes, everyone has them and everyone is entitled to them. Just make sure, as Gary noted, they are flagged as such and not presented as ha-ha, I told you so facts. Please.

[Gary]

By the way, using the rear brake to keep the back from spinning has been around at least since '81 (because I specifically remember Mamola talking about it at Laguna that year - I was in awe), but I believe it was common on TZ750s before then. Those skinny tires from the 'olden days' would light up pretty easily.

Stoner had clutch problems in the race, which required an adjustment on the fly. If you can re-watch the race, you'll Vermeulen shoot by Stoner - his clutch was spinning up. The next lap, same spot (the long 'straight'), Stoner leaves him for dead. Apparently the Ducati's were not perfectly set up for the conditions.

[KingKenny]

The old school method was to stab the front brake and catch the rear brake on the upswing of the forks [rebound] then reapply the front brake to complete the process. They goal was to keep the front suspension a little higher on corner entry. Hayden seemingly is implying he is "trailing" the rear brake under acceleration in this case which is kinda new. I believe they will be able to sort this data out and eventually begin applying TC in a manner condusive to riders other than Stoner. Fingers crossed anyway.

Thinking about the data collection aspects. By trailing the brake they are able to collect the duration and strength of application in conjunction with other data aspects. This should aid them greatly in restructuring the TC. I think anyway. That is what I would do with it. Hope the new electronic parts give them new approaches to make this work.

They biggest question mark of all is "WHY" can Stoner ride the bike with this TC system and nobody else. Drivin me crazy and many good people nuts trying to figure out what aspect that is. Weird stuff. Next question is "will Stoner or can Stoner ride the bike if they get new TC system working?" Jury is still out.

^ I'm tired of the put downs or comments directed straight at me calling me "dumb" or "crazy" or implying I should "take me meds". Those are not differing opinions. They are "battery". Nobody would put up with that crap. I'm tired of being the entertainment or the "kick the dog" object of people to vent their frustrations on. Opinions are fine and wholly welcomed by me. It's not me that has the problem. It is others and how they say things to me. Get over it folks. I'm not going to tolerate the personal assaults. If it were an isolated instance that is fine. I am bigger than that. When it becomes every friggin post I make. I'm done with ya! You have the problem !!! I'll chill on the "I told ya so" going forward when others chill on the "Your a Dumbass" and don't know what your talking about. I know as much as they do and more in some cases. If ya wanna call me a dumbass then ya have to be willing to take the "I told ya so's" ! period. Can't have it both ways. Nuf said? If ya all really knew me, you would know I am one of the easiest and nicest people to get along with. I'd give anyone the shirt off my back to help em out. Always have and always will. Even people I don't particularly care for. Call it southern hospitality. One can smile at and treat people with respect while thinking "What a moron" without them ever even knowing it. Just the way I was raised I guess. Can't expect everyone to share the same values. But, everyone likes to be treated with respect ya know? My rule of thumb is to strive to never steal a person's dignity. That mean everyone. That's how I try an operate. When I screw up I feel worse than they do belive me.

[ÜberDoober]

I also read somewhere that Stoner had a problem with his steering damper and he had to reach up and fiddle with it. And was that Vermeulen that whinged by him or was that when Capirossi got to the front?

Interesting to hear about the rear brake manual TC thingy. I never knew anybody did that.

I just posted this in another thread but I'll do it again anyway because I want to whine. My main PC crashed this morning and I am in recovery mode until I get it back to normal. Ungodly amounts of software to re-load and stuff to configure. The backup system that I'm using now isn't quite up to snuff so I'm going to be busy for the next 20 hours. :realMad:

Oh look, there's a thread up now for DMG motorbike racing! How fun!

[Gary]

I believe you are correct Uber - it was Capirossi. I don't remember Vermeulen up front except at the very start of the race.

Sorry to hear about the PC - what a pain!

Could be worse though - did you read this? http://www.roadracingworld.com/news/article/?article=36803

On his 12th birthday... The femur was a compound fracture - ouch.

[KingKenny]

I read that at his site www.peterlenz.com (http://www.peterlenz.com) I was going to go and say hi if he made it up to Denver High Plains Raceway this weekend and take the family to dinner if they'd let me. Sorry to hear the season is over. He'll be back to racing I believe. Seems to have the heart not to give up. Hope he bails before the tire wall next time. Got to learn to let go and not try and save it. Had to break a few bones myself before I learnt... not funny but it is if ya know what I mean. LOL.

Glad dad is buying a new bike. 96's aren't that competitive anymore. You go boy !!!

[Gary]

Yeah, they are trying to decide between another (later model) 125 or possibly one of the 250cc 4 stroke Moriwakis. He is planning on trying to spectate at Laguna if his parent's will allow, and Colin Edwards Sr. has volunteered to drive him around in his golf cart. Very nice of him!