Reverend
July 23rd, 2007, 16:58 PM
World championship leader Casey Stoner led from start to finish to claim a comprehensive victory in the US MotoGP at Laguna Seca.
The Australian Ducati rider started from pole and was never troubled to beat Chris Vermeulen by 9.865 seconds.
Marco Melandri, who started from 10th, rode a superb race to finish third.
World champion Nicky Hayden, chasing three wins in a row at the track, failed to finish after being hampered by a first-lap clash with John Hopkins.
Stoner was in dominant form from the start and set a series of fastest laps, including a new track record, to build up an early lead over Dani Pedrosa, who had made a strong start.
Pedrosa saw his second place taken by Vermeulen by the fourth lap but Vermeulen was unable to challenge his Australian compatriot at the head of the field.
But there was plenty of action further back as Melandri, who rode with a dislocated left ankle, got involved in a battle with Pedrosa and Valentino Rossi for third place.
Melandri eventually moved past Pedrosa into third on lap 16 with Rossi also going past the Spaniard four laps later and the riders held their positions to the end.
Frenchman Randy de Puniet was sixth, just ahead of teammate Anthony West and Makoto Tamada.
US MotoGP result:
1. C Stoner (Aus) Ducati
2. C Vermeulen (Aus) Suzuki
3. M Melandri (Ita) Honda
4. V Rossi (Ita) Yamaha
5. D Pedrosa (Sp) Honda
6. R de Puniet (Fr) Kawasaki
7. A West (Aus) Kawasaki
8. M Tamada (Jpn) Yamaha
Championship standings:
1. C Stoner (Aus) Ducati 221 pts
2. V Rossi (Ita) Yamaha 177
3. D Pedrosa (Spa) Honda 155
4= M Melandri (Ita) Honda 113
4= C Vermeulen (Aus) Suzuki 113
6. J Hopkins (USA) Suzuki 104
7. C Edwards (USA) Yamaha 93
8. L Capirossi (Ita) Ducati 77
BBC Sport (http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/motorsport/motorbikes/6910484.stm)
The Australian Ducati rider started from pole and was never troubled to beat Chris Vermeulen by 9.865 seconds.
Marco Melandri, who started from 10th, rode a superb race to finish third.
World champion Nicky Hayden, chasing three wins in a row at the track, failed to finish after being hampered by a first-lap clash with John Hopkins.
Stoner was in dominant form from the start and set a series of fastest laps, including a new track record, to build up an early lead over Dani Pedrosa, who had made a strong start.
Pedrosa saw his second place taken by Vermeulen by the fourth lap but Vermeulen was unable to challenge his Australian compatriot at the head of the field.
But there was plenty of action further back as Melandri, who rode with a dislocated left ankle, got involved in a battle with Pedrosa and Valentino Rossi for third place.
Melandri eventually moved past Pedrosa into third on lap 16 with Rossi also going past the Spaniard four laps later and the riders held their positions to the end.
Frenchman Randy de Puniet was sixth, just ahead of teammate Anthony West and Makoto Tamada.
US MotoGP result:
1. C Stoner (Aus) Ducati
2. C Vermeulen (Aus) Suzuki
3. M Melandri (Ita) Honda
4. V Rossi (Ita) Yamaha
5. D Pedrosa (Sp) Honda
6. R de Puniet (Fr) Kawasaki
7. A West (Aus) Kawasaki
8. M Tamada (Jpn) Yamaha
Championship standings:
1. C Stoner (Aus) Ducati 221 pts
2. V Rossi (Ita) Yamaha 177
3. D Pedrosa (Spa) Honda 155
4= M Melandri (Ita) Honda 113
4= C Vermeulen (Aus) Suzuki 113
6. J Hopkins (USA) Suzuki 104
7. C Edwards (USA) Yamaha 93
8. L Capirossi (Ita) Ducati 77
BBC Sport (http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/motorsport/motorbikes/6910484.stm)