Apparently Ben had a clutch issue. If his team didn't let him down so many times this year, he would be in the lead with points. I know Ben had a few of his own issues early on, but at this level, there is no excuse why that team is having these issues. Its also odd that Bens teammates bike doesnt seem to have any issues. .. Mechanical failure, running out of gas, now a clutch issue? thats a lot of issues for such a short time period. I can only imagine Bens frustration.... Of course, you could see it a little when he punched his gas tank... I would have probably thrown the bike on the ground and walked away...HAHAHA.

yeah it was. He was very competitive too. He didnt take any crap from the ducati duo... great racing on his part.

I agree Spies has already shown he has the talent to be one the best ever... But as for now, Rossi is still king. It would be great to get those two on the same track before Rossi retires.. It is interesting looking back at Rossi's beginging of his career. You can see the same domination and sheer confidance in both of them, also their demenor is close to the same.

But Rossi did a lot more by the time he was Bens age. He was the youngest ever to win the MotoGP 250 title at 20. Rossi was only 22 when he won his first MotoGP title. Spies is already 25. He has won titles and I'm taking anything away from him, I think he is an awesome rider. I just don't know if I'd put him in the same league as Rossi. Rossi has done amazing things.

 

The weather at Indy may have made it difficult to be a spectator but it made for great racing. Seeing those guys ride that fast not just in rain, but in the riduculous winds, was amazing. Even if it does rain I'm pretty sure that we won't have a hurricane hit Indiana again for quite a while. Plus this year the race is in August instead of September so it will probably be dry.

 

Spies did it!!! I can't believe I'm cheering for a Yamaha... LOL!!! Honda is looking better as the season progresses. With Haga crashing & breaking some bones, I would say Spies has a chance now to be the 1st rookie to win a WSBK Championship. I know there is still a long way to go, but I would say Haga had it pretty much wrapped up until this past weekend. I am glad now it will be a battle to the end. Hope Honda (Haslam, Rea, Kiyonari & Hopkins) get some more podiums.

As for Indy, that was incredible, but hope this year will be a dry & complete race. I think Rossi (100 Wins) will get another championship, he only has to worry about Lorenzo, Stoner is trying to make a battle but I don't think he will be able to do it & Padrosa I think has been a dissapointment for Honda, but they let Rossi, Stoner & Hayden all get away...

 

yeah, I think barring any mechanical issues, Spies is going to win. I thought Yamaha was doing better with the mechanical issues, until I saw sykes go out due to a mechanical issue last race. Spies was chopping away every race anyway, all this does is equalize one of Bens DNF's. There is already talk of him going to motogp next year for yamaha. It will be interesting. I really want to see what Spies can do on a gp bike. Also see how him and Rossi get along, as Im sure Spies, "given a proper bike" would be at the front of the GP grid too. After all, he is racing against some ex-GP riders right now and demollishing them.

How about biagi? That was a pretty impressive performance for him as well.... finally. I'm not really a fan of him, but its nice to see someone with that much talent finally come to grips with his machine. I would have expected a lot more from him than what he has done so far this season.

I dont think America could have asked for a better representation to the world than what the world is seeing in Ben Spies. I knew he would do well, But I didnt think he would be this dominating, not this soon anyway.

 

IIRC, Ben is on contract for WSBK for 2 years with a 3rd option.

 

I hope that the Laguna Seca weekend is as good as last year was. After all of the pre-season talk about the financial concerns for MotoGP it's great to see a close championship. My money is on Rossi for winning it all in the end. Lorenzo has held it together so far but he had a lot of crashes last year so I think he'll have a DNF or two still. Stoner has looked really fatigued lately. At the end of the last race he looked like he was in pain after crossing the finish line. He also didn't take part in the press conference.

I can't believe that the AMA sportbike race is going to do the retarded rolling start in front of the MotoGP crowd. The DMG doesn't understand how embarrassing this is for American motorcycle racing. All we need now is Darryl Waltrip to yell "Boogity, boogity, boogity. Let's go racing boys" at the start! NASCAR doesn't understand why any other racing series wouldn't like to be exactly like them.

 

When is the MotoGP round at Laguna broadcast? I don't see it in my guide...HELP!

 

Sorry I just checked the thread... Qual was on Speed & the race was on FOX Sports, hope you got to see it. Moto GP @ Indy also will be on Fox Sports. Qual was WICKED!!! Lorenzo got my respect as TOUGH MAN!!! Won't saw anything yet for those who haven't watched the race yet...

 

My PVR got qualifying but....was the Race on already???? Did I miss it?
Just saw this Roadracing World Article:


Two U.S. MotoGP Rounds Will Be Broadcast On Fox Network

Apr 08, 2009, ©Copyright 2009, Roadracing World Publishing, Inc.

From a press release issued by Dorna Communications:

This year’s FIM MotoGP World Championship will receive more coverage than ever before, thanks to the expansion of commercial rights-holders Dorna Sports’ portfolio of worldwide television broadcast partners and agreements which extend coverage in several key territories for the 2009 MotoGP Season.

The portfolio expansion over recent months means that more than 65 networks will broadcast live coverage of MotoGP this season.

Dorna have agreed television deals with national broadcasters across Europe, in countries such as Czech Republic, with Nova, Germany, with DSF, Greece, with Skai, Bulgaria, with BNT and France, with NT1 and Eurosport. Simultaneously, new agreements have been reached for the 2009 season with television partners in Bosnia, Cyprus, Denmark, Estonia, Israel, Latvia, Lithuania, Macedonia, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Russia, Serbia, Sweden and Ukraine, with all MotoGP races and qualifying sessions to be shown live in these markets.

Meanwhile, extended coverage in territories such as the United Kingdom, Spain, Italy and Scandinavia, has seen broadcast partners in these territories request additional rights to increase their MotoGP programming on Grand Prix weekends. Audiences in these countries will now be able to watch all practices and races live, with full coverage from Fridays through to Sundays.

In Asia, ESPN Star Sports will continue to broadcast MotoGP on its networks throughout the region. Ten Sports will also continue broadcasting through the Indian Subcontinent and NEO Sports will start to offer coverage of the championship in India. In China, new agreements with regional broadcasters including, Shanghai Media Group, Guangdong TV and the CSPN network, will see MotoGP beamed into a potential 139 million homes.

In Japan besides G+ live coverage, NTV will offer same day delayed coverage of MotoGP races, plus the Grand Prix of Japan live. Free to air coverage will continue to be offered in Malaysia, in Indonesia by Trans7 and in Thailand, by Ch9. A new deal has also been reached with Mai TV in the Pacific Islands.

In the United States Speed TV will cover every Grand Prix live, whilst the two U.S. GPs at Laguna Seca (California) and Indianapolis (Indiana) will be broadcast via national network Fox TV.

MotoGP will be broadcast in Africa through Super Sport and a new deal has been agreed with TV Zimbo in Angola, a free to air broadcaster.

In Australia, both Fox TV and Network Ten will continue their coverage of the championship and in New Zealand live coverage will be available on Sky TV with highlights being shown on a delayed basis on TVNZ.

Al Jazeera Sports Channel, with full coverage through out the Middle East, has also renewed its agreement and will start its MotoGP live broadcasts with its home round next Sunday in Qatar.

In Latin America, in addition to ESPN, Meridiano in Venezuela and Sport TV in Brazil will offer MotoGP to millions of further viewers.

Dorna Sports’ Managing Director Manel Arroyo commented, “The prestige of MotoGP and its standing as a globally recognised sport was a key factor in our signing with 20 new television broadcast partners for this season. These agreements will allow many more MotoGP fans to easily access high quality, locally focused programming and the interest in MotoGP shown by broadcasters around the world this year again highlights the strength of our programming, the quality of our production and the excitement of watching Grand Prix racing live.”

 

There was a place I used to go to (don't remember) to download missed GP races.