Race weekend musing...

Started on Friday with practice at Sears, the major moment being Spies
crash at the end of qualifying, a nasty spill into the chicane. What was
clear all weekend was that Spies was fastest going into the chicane,
amazing that he'd get through there smoothly every time (well, almost,
and he ran through the dirt late in yesterday's race).

The guys that are stamping their mark on this AMA season both won
on Saturday, Mladin in SB and Hayes in FX, and then repeated yesterday.
For Hayes, the FX race was closer than expected, something happening out
of view that put Gobert in the lead late. The SSport race ended with a
red flag and Hacking out front, but the win went to Hayes, who had led
from the start, then got passed by the two Kawis and looked to be
fading, then fought back and ended up leading at the right time. That's
the kind of stuff that happens when it's your time, and it certainly
appears it's Josh's time. He leads FX by 19 points and SSport by 12.

For Mladin as well, and he put on a crushing exhibition this weekend,
something that has to have put a dent in Spies' confidence. In the first
race Spies error in turn one pretty much ended things, but because Mat
took advantage and didn't give it up. Sunday was a closer duel the
margin three seconds give or take most of the way, but Ben just couldn't
cut into it. Points are tied now, but it's Mat with all the momentum,
and we'll see if Ben can react at the two fastest tracks on the
schedule, Elkhart and Miller coming up next.

The rest really had no chance, although the Hondas came
closest. The fight for third yesterday appeared over early, Zemke
gapping the rest, but then DiSalvo, RL Hayden and Duhamel took turns
trying to make it interesting. E-Boz faded from the start, DiSalvo
charged early (after looking like a podium early on Saturday) but then
faded as well, so the Yamahas aren't quite there yet, and a terrible
weekend for Bostrom. For Kawasaki it wasn't much better, the loss in
SSport, the horrible race for Hacking in SB yesterday (eventually back
with the MVs), Rog's SB motor grenading while he was flying in 4th.

Jordan had a horrible weekend as well, with Holden crashing several
times over the weekend including out of the SStock race, Yates crashing
out of 2nd in that one and further problems had him 11th and 14th in the
SB races. Back to earth for Mike. Not a bad weekend for the Brits,
though, as Davies looked very good in SStock, not quite able to hold the
top three but always there, and Ellison took a pair of top tens in SB
and top privateer. Maybe a new source of immigrants for the AMA? You
know, give us your tired, your weak, your yearning to be paid...

Got up early to watch GP, and this weekend had me thinking it's all
about tires these days. Bridgestone swept the podium at the home GP for
Michelin, their only excuse being that it was a wet race. Well, sort of,
as we once again got to see guys tip-toeing around on slicks on an
increasingly damp track until guys started skittling off, the signal for
everyone to run for the pits and their full rains. Makes for good
television, including the homeboys stretching and leading (briefly,
before crashing), but is it really safe? Of course not. At least the
crashers didn't take anyone else out, although Rossi did run off course
being in the wrong place at the wrong time. And then we see the most
bizarre race for a polesitter that I can remember, Edwards fading
immediately and incredibly rapidly from the start, no grip, then in for
his rains too early, in later for another switch (To what? On what?
Rules say he either had to change tire type, or switch on his existing
bike), and lapped three times in the end. Rossi also got bamboozled by
the new tire rule once again this weekend, although he made a brave go
of it at the start.

So the two rules changes regarding tires dominated this weekend, just as
they seem to be doing this season, although as usual somewhat under the
surface, most of the talk being about the new 800cc Super250s, Ducati
and Stoner. Casey, the right man in the right place at the right time,
moves on toward a possible championship with another podium. Rossi falls
21 points behind after being off the podium once again, and is now deep
in the coldest streak of his career, only 2 wins in the last 11 races,
his worst since his first days in 500, when he won 1 of the first 12
races in 2000. Nick "I could have been Casey" Hayden had his chance to
get a little something going end in bitter defeat in the gravel, and now
has fallen out of the top ten in points (had a discussion with Earl at
Sears yesterday, confirmed pretty much what one has been hearing - just
more emphatically. Much more).

Pedrosa had his best wet race and is within shouting distance, 40 points
back, and Melandri's first podium has him a point behind Dani, With the
Suzuki guys in 5th and 6th, those four are really the only guys still in
it. But Pedrosa and especially Rossi have to live with what Michelin can
manage these days, and Melandri the same with his non-factory Honda.
Realistically it seems to be down to Stoner and Rossi already, with
Pedrosa the only viable alternative. Last year at this point there were
five riders within 18 points of the lead (and Rossi wasn't among them).
And how much of that is down to the rules changes? A shadow grows over
the series. But the tire factories are saving money, and the
championship is down to four 125/250 guys, so they got what they wanted,
I guess...