Church of Choppers Blog: MotoGP Catalunya

June 15, 2009

MotoGP Catalunya

'Holy shit!' ...I must've said this more than a dozen times during the last 3 laps of this race. The 90,000 fans that packed the Barcelona circuit definitely got their Euros-worth as Rossi and Spanish homeboy Jorge Lorenzo, more or less, beat the shit out of each other with Rossi crossing the line 9/100 of a second in front of Lorenzo. With this win, Rossi took his 99th MotoGP win over the number 99 of Lorenzo...did I hear a 'niner' in there?

As far as the actual race...Polesitter Lorenzo got the holeshot followed by Rossi, Stoner, and everyone else. For the first few laps, everyone held station, with the exception of Takahashi, who fired his Honda into an airfence on the first lap. While all this was going, little Jorge managed to open a small gap over Rossi and company.

At this point I think it's going to be another boring race and check to see if 'House' is on. Nope. Back to the race.

Stoner looked to be on the same pace as the leaders for the first half of the race, but eventually dropped off and barely held off Dovisioso for the final podium spot. Stoner had been struggling with the flu all weekend, and you could tell by the way he wobbled up to the podium, that this race really kicked his ass.

22 laps to go...Rossi draws first blood by killing Lorenzo on the brakes taking the lead at the end of the start/finish. Point: Rossi

16 laps to go...Apparently, the last time someone made a last-lap pass for the win in MotoGP was back 2006 in @ Portugal. Spaniard Tony Elias was man who stuffed Rossi for this honor. Here in 2009, Elias also took the honor of being the only rider to crash out (with 22 laps to go) of the Catalan GP race. Nice work, amigo. Donned in their 'throwback' orange jumpsuits, Slipknot ran out(Sid changed his number from '0' to 'Medic') and helped Elias up a step stool and onto his bike. He putted back to his pitbox, yelled at his girlfriend, and took a nap.

13 laps to go...Same as it ever was.

12 laps to go...Lorenzo repays the favor on the brakes and attempts to break away. Point: Lorenzo

3 laps to go...After following Lorenzo around for the last few laps, Rossi decides it's time to go, and, once again, kills Lorenzo on the brakes at the end of the start/finish straight to take the lead. Point: Rossi

2 laps to go...Lorenzo gets the drive out of the final corner and drafts past Rossi...only to have Rossi out-brake him and go around the outside into turn 1 for the lead. Balls.

Rast rap...Lorenzo take rossi on the brakes to lead into the final lap. Lorenzo hangs on to the lead for most of the last lap. Thay's all fine and dandy until Rossi completely stuffs him at the last corner to take the win. Game, Set, Match: Rossi.

Stateside...Colin Edwards finished in his usual 'somewhere between 5th and 10th' with a solid 7th. Homeboy Hayden finally cracked the top ten on his Duck. According to Hayden, the Duck keepers changed 'everything but the handle grips' to better suit him. Just think how much farther up the order he would have finished if only they'd dropped that extra 20-spot on new grips.