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The XDL Championship Series was also running an event at Daytona Bike Week in Florida this week. The event went well even if the weather was not cooperating. They have even expanded the women's series of the Championship and put them right up there with the males in the sport. Another change was to the format - allowing two runs versus one in previous years. So, who won - well, none other than reigning champion Yamaha-mounted Bill Dixon. Dena Sodano took the win on the women's side.
http://tinyurl.com/y9stg73
The FB Corse MotoGP team will begin testing in a few weeks - in mid-March - with Gary McCoy. They will be at the Valencia circuit from 15 - 17 March. It has to show that it is competitive against the current MotoGP machines before it will be allowed to race alongside them. They had better get this test right...or, they will be in for a long fight to get into the Championship.
http://tinyurl.com/ydyt2c3
http://tinyurl.com/yf7h3tr
Colin Edwards is very happy with the current state of the Yamaha YZR-M1 machine. He believes that Yamaha is doing a good job of developing the machine to be competitive in the MotoGP series. They seem to have done him right for a change...the season will tell us more.
http://tinyurl.com/ye6vas3
More Morning Moto News - XDL Championships, FB Corse & Colin Edwards
MORE Afternoon Moto News - Speed Dating & Dunlop Supports CSC
Road Racer X's Speed Dating column comes to us again...and I missed it earlier this week. Well, along with myself, Joe Petrali, Randy Krummenacher, Nicky Wimbauer, Takuma Aoki, Joey Dunlop, Toriano Wilson, Alex de Angelis, Joan Lascorz Moreno, Colin Edwards, Jorg Teuchert and Terry Rymer are all celebrating birthdays from this past week. Funny, Edwards and I share the same birthday and we were both born in Texas - but I am no MotoGP racer yet, why? Also, Triumph returned to racing during this week in 2003 in the British Supersport Championship.
http://tinyurl.com/ylq7h8t
The California State Championships (CSC) will now be supported by the Dunlop Motorcycle Tire company. It's a good thing for the three round series in this still bad economy...and they are quite pleased with how it has worked out so far. For more detail, please take the link.
http://tinyurl.com/yz3g5t5
More Afternoon Moto News - MotoGP at Sepang, Marco Simoncelli & Team Recaps
The MotoGP testing is continuing on the Malaysian Sepang International Circuit - and Valentino Rossi is still leading everyone in lap times at the practice. Behind him this time were Casey Stoner, Nicky Hayden, Colin Edwards and Ben Spies. This speaks volumes on what we may see when the first race is complete...Hayden and Edwards are both improving greatly. We may actually see larger groups at the front this year. Either way, 2010 will be a wonderful year for motorcycle racing!
http://tinyurl.com/y8g47ct
Marco Simoncelli is not having such a good test, though, as he had a huge get-off during the practice sessions. He high-sided his Gresini Honda about three laps into his session; everyone was horrified at the accident as Simoncelli landed directly on his head. He was taken in for a CAT scan and all came back clear, but it still caught the attention of every ride and tech in the paddock.
http://tinyurl.com/yc49g7s
Take the link below to the MotoGP section of the Paddock Talk website where you will find several press releases from the MotoGP teams. There are several test 'recap' stories for you to peruse. So, take the link and click on your favorite team's report to see how they think the testing is going for them...
http://tinyurl.com/yznyogq
Saturday Afternoon Moto News - Tech 3 Yamaha & Vulcan 900 Custom SE
The 2010 Yamaha YZR-M1 MotoGP is much better than it was expected to be. With the new six engine limit in the series, many thought that the bikes would lose some performance. However, based on the testing in Malaysia, it looks like that was all wrong. In fact, Colin Edwards is very happy with the power from the M1 - they believe that the 2010 engine is superior to the 2009 engine that started the season. It could be that the new rules just make the prototype motorcycles better!
Very Good Round-Up of Racing News This Week
Again, we come across Road Racer X's Road Racerhead for this week. There is not so much racing news this week as many teams are heading home for the holidays. However, there is always something going on in the motorcycle racing world in one way or another. Check it out and you will get updated on the MotoCzysz MotoGP hopes, Antonio Banderas' Moto2 team, and much more...
http://tinyurl.com/yghqp6n
Jorge Lorenzo Very Confident in Yamaha's MotoGP Future
Lorenzo is one of the top-flight riders in the MotoGP Championship - always a threat to win a race, no matter where it is. Given his experience in the series, he really feels that Yamaha is the one to beat in 2010 and likely beyond. It makes sense when you see who is riding Yamahas in 2010 - Lorenzo, Rossi, Edwards and Spies.
http://tinyurl.com/yhms3ah
Also, here are some photos of his time in Bali where he took a vacation while he was touring Yamaha establishments in Asia last month.
http://tinyurl.com/yjnyryq
And, he is ready to challenge Rossi in the MotoGP Championship next year:
http://tinyurl.com/yz53xat
Tech 3 Yamaha Looks to Win Races in 2010 MotoGP Season
First we hear from Colin Edwards and how he believes that Ben Spies will be a real challenge in the 2010 MotoGP Championship. He really thinks that Spies will be a solid force in his new role at Tech 3 - and who can argue with him after Spies took the WSBK Championship in his first year there. Of course, the MotoGP motorcycle is very different from the Superbike.
http://tinyurl.com/yh4prbd
Next, it the new is from Herve Poncharal - Tech 3 chief - about 2010 and how much they want a victory in 2010. He, too, believes that Spies will be a threat to win once he gets the YZR-M1 sorted...
http://tinyurl.com/ylkautj
And, Poncharal wants Edwrads to stay with the team even long after he stops racing - that's an indication of just how much the team respects Edwards.
http://tinyurl.com/yckenyr
Even Casey Stoner believes that Spies will be a real force when he joins the Tech 3 team in MotoGP in 2010.
http://tinyurl.com/ya3ql8t
Ben Spies Cautious About MotoGP Debut
Spies is being realistic about his first season in MotoGP in 2010. He had an excellent test on the YZR-M1, but he knows that the task ahead is not an easy one. He will be riding a different bike in a different series against different competitors on many different tracks. That's a great deal of change for him, but he is a multiple-time champion. So, it is likely he will be able to handle it with class and skill...
http://tinyurl.com/yj7aoeh
The Tech 3 Yamaha MotoGP Team Wall Will Remain
It seems that the wall necessitated by the ongoing ill will between Colin Edwards and James Toseland (if you do not know about it, look it up) in the Tech 3 garage will remain in place in 2010. Even though Spies and Edwards are actually quite good mates, the team has said that nothing will change in the paddock as far as the separation is concerned. They say that it now provides practical use...
http://tinyurl.com/yfwgopb
Aprilia to Drop Moto2 Attempt for Possible MotoGP Run
It seems that the talk of returning to 1000c.c. motorcycles to compete in the MotoGP series has Aprilia thinking of a return to MotoGP. If you remember back a few years, it was Colin Edwards who first rode for Aprilia on the ill-fated Aprilia Cube MotoGP machine. Well, with the RSV-4 doing so well on tracks around the world, it just might be a good idea to see if they actually create the so-called Moto1. If so, Aprilia will have to build a prototype engine and chassis for the championship - they would not be allowed to use the RSV-4 due to the current rules and the World Superbike owners not wanting any competition with their series...sounds a little confusing, and it is...
http://tinyurl.com/yjvhxkk
http://tinyurl.com/ye8ptgv
MotoGP: 2010 Season Wrap-Up from Jeremy Bowdler
The 2010 MotoGP season was the 60th anniversary of the racing series - it all started in 1949. So, what happened during the season. Well, we all know that Rossi took the championship. Casey Stoner was ill throughout most of it, missed three races completely, and still managed fourth place overall. Colin Edwards was the best of the rest and placed in 5th overall. Jorge Lorenzo came on very strong and Dani Pedrosa came out of nowhere to win two events! It was an interesting if economically depressed year of racing...
http://tinyurl.com/yk5znzv
Colin Edwards Misses Valencia Testing Due to Illness
Edwards was able to test on Monday, but on Tuesday morning he woke up with a serious virus. He at first thought it was food poisoning, but Clinica Mobile determined it was a virus - no further details have been disclosed. Not the best way to end the season, but at least he did not encounter it before the race last Sunday!
http://tinyurl.com/yh9wedu
More Post Race Reports from the Valencia MotoGP Round
After the last race of the 2009 MotoGP calendar, there will be many reports on the events at the race and events elsewhere which are connected to the final race. We have a three-day practice running at Valencia right now with new riders trying out new machines and the racers staying with their team will be working on new technology for 2010. So, here I will gather the reports as they come in and post them here. Expect various 'insider' sections and many, many press releases. Enjoy!
Quotes from the Valencia MotoGP round: http://tinyurl.com/yzylunm
Jorge Lorenzo takes second position overall in MotoGP: http://tinyurl.com/yg66cnk
Slightly Ducati-based after the race report: http://tinyurl.com/ygtm5wb
MotoGP: 2009 Valencia MotoGP Race Results
Well, it did not go the way I thought it would (you should see my Fantasy MotoGP standings - terrible), but Dani Pedrosa is very happy. He managed to bring home a win at Valencia in front of his home crowd. Stoner crashed out of the race during the warm-up due to 'cold tires' and did not even run in the main event. Valentino Rossi finished second and his teammate, Jorge Lorenzo, made it into a solid third. Tech 3 rider Colin Edwards pulled in with a very respectable fourth place finish - which also gives him 5th place overall, one of his 2009 goals!
http://tinyurl.com/ydhoxch
http://tinyurl.com/ydhv3h2
http://tinyurl.com/yamu5b5
Final MotoGP Standings for 2009: http://tinyurl.com/yb8zmxo
Sunday race report press releases (available on this page for a few days): http://tinyurl.com/yz8elyp
Edwards clenches 5th Overall: http://tinyurl.com/yj72pm8
James Toseland will return to World Superbike, leaving MotoGP: http://tinyurl.com/ygkdkpl
Even more post-race coverage: http://tinyurl.com/yccka9k
Photos: http://tinyurl.com/yhrujj3
Valencia MotoGP: MotoGP World Championship Qualifying
Casey Stoner is sitting on pole for the last MotoGP race of 2009. It turns out that the first practice was very indicative of where the first four would be on the grid for tomorrow's event. Behind Stoner sits Dani Pedrosa, Lorenzo is in third and Rossi finished the session in fourth. Of course, the race is the real event, and only then will we actually know how it all ends in 2009. I am hoping against hope that Edwards can grab his fifth place this season...but, how ever it ends, it will be a good race!
http://tinyurl.com/yjlzocl
http://tinyurl.com/ygfkljo
Practice reports and other team notices: http://tinyurl.com/yz8elyp
How about how Ben Spies qualified, find that here: http://tinyurl.com/ye9njhy
Good summary of all three World Championship classes: http://tinyurl.com/yb6anbm
More Ahead of Valencia - Matt Roberts' MotoGP Column
You have read him before, probably without even knowing it. Well, Mr. Roberts opines on some very interesting situations ahead of tomorrow's race in Spain. So much is left to be decided - placement overall in MotoGP (except fro Rossi), the 250c.c. World Champion, and where will some of the not-yet-signed riders end up in 2010 - there may be announcements all around the Valencia round pertaining to this subject...stay tuned!
http://tinyurl.com/yezmjfr
Valencia MotoGP Finale - Last Race of 2009
The end of the season in MotoGP is always interesting. First of all, since it takes place in Spain, there are bound to be some crazy fans having a very good time at the event. Next, you have all of the new team constructions as riders change teams and even series. And, of course, it is the last race for the 250c.c. two-strokes as next year will see the spec Honda 600c.c. Moto2 class replacing them. What a year in MotoGP it has been...
http://tinyurl.com/yz2ggvw
http://tinyurl.com/ykr2evl
MotoGP: Valencia Preview Notes - Final 2009 Round
There are still many contests to be decided at the final round of the 2009 MotoGP season. Second place in the series is one important question which will be decided this coming weekend. That is not to mention the hard-fought battle for fifth place between Edwards and Dovizioso. Plus, we get to see Ben Spies back in the paddock; I wonder how that will go? The biggest question, though, in my own opinion will be the race to the 250 World Championship, which is now between Aoyama and Simoncelli - also, it will be the last race for the 250c.c. two-strokes as next year we will see the Moto2 series. There are plenty of other answers coming this weekend, so do not miss it!
http://tinyurl.com/yzjth8o
Team race previews: http://tinyurl.com/yz8elyp
Colin Edwards on SpeedTV's "Wind Tunnel" Tonight
If you have access to SpeedTV, you won't want to miss Dave Despain's "Wind Tunnel" tonight, Sunday 1 November 2009. He will talk about Ben Spies, MotoGP in 2010, the 'new' Tech 3 Yamaha team, and plenty of other things on his mind...If you have never watched an interview with Edwards, he is a fantastic speaker - with tons of opinions and some very funny conversation. Don't miss it! Check your local listings for the exact time of airing in your home.
http://tinyurl.com/yeylc2h
Colin Edwards Wants Fifth Place in MotoGP World Championship
He is fighting hard against, well, everything, but mostly Andrea Dovizioso. He only finished 13th in Malaysia, but Dovizioso DNF'ed, so he still has a chance if he can do well at Valencia...
http://tinyurl.com/yhvdovf