Laguna Seca Day 1 Report – Here We Are

Round 9 of the 2010 MotoGP season brings us to the shores of the United States at simply the most famous venue in the nation for two wheels.  Many fans may not know that the first race held at the (also) world-famous Indianapolis Motor Speedway happened to be a motorbike race, but the Mazda Raceway at Laguna Seca has been the standard-bearer for many years, most likely due to a single section of track that carries the same level of legend as a fearsome sea monster – The Corkscrew.  Refer to it by name and everyone knows what you are talking about.   To see it is one thing, to hurl yourself through it on your motorbike is quite another.  After his dramatic victory here, Valentino Rossi stopped at The Corkscrew, waved to the fans, knelt down and kissed it Brickyard-style.  Two fans jumped the barrier to join him and word is they are still serving their life sentences with hard labour.  Totally worth it.

Thursday is always a great day to visit any MotoGP circuit, because the circus is still being set up.  It’s a great time to meet up with riders and teams before the storm of the weekend hits.   I arrived at the media centre at 5PM to listen to the rider press conference that is always held on the Thursday of the race weekend.  Jorge Lorenzo, Nicky Hayden, Ben Spies, Dani Pedrosa and Valentino Rossi were today’s attendees.  Rossi feels that he is in good shape and is looking for a good result.   Ben Spies mentioned that being here in the States for a home race is almost like being on a vacation and he loves having his friends and family around.  Nicky Hayden got the most laughs with a couple of zingers about his brother (Roger Lee Hayden) riding for a team with Playboy sponsorship, and also telling a reporter to speak up when asking his question.  Nicky also had some very insightful comments about pressure as well as the perspective of being a professional motorbike racer, compared to what a lot of people in the world have to deal with.  He specifically mentioned that he had just met a kid via the Make-A-Wish Foundation and that has a way of keeping a person grounded in the world that we all enjoy so much.  Here’s hoping that Nicky (and the rest of the Hayden family for that matter) continues to be an ambassador for roadracing for years to come.  Lorenzo has yet to win at Laguna,  and one has to say that he’s in top form and in control.  Dani Pedrosa is the X-factor.  If he takes off and executes his normal “Leave Them For Dead” plan, then he will win this race for the second year in a row.

Thanks to the awesome PR team at Monster Tech3 Yamaha, I was able to speak with Ben Spies for a few minutes immediately following the Thursday 5PM press conference.  I asked him about the importance of nutrition in his routine during the season, as compared to when he is not racing.   These guys burn so much energy racing bikes that it’s not a major concern during the actual race season but Ben does pay close attention to what he eats, as he is one of the bigger guys out there and has to make sure that he maintains a good balance.  He also stated that he maintains a strict program when he’s staying fit in the off-season.   I also asked when he believed in his heart that he could confidently compete at the MotoGP level.  He answered, “Qatar – you never know what’s going to happen but  I knew that I could do it in Qatar.”   I recall watching him making a great pass on Dani Pedrosa during the race in Qatar and I thought the exact same thing.  Stay tuned for more photos, interviews, and related race info all weekend, as the MotoRaceReports team is “rolling deep” with your dear leader (El Jefe), Cindi Servante, and Sylvia on the scene at Laguna!