MotoGP - Assen

So...the MotoGP posse rolled into Assen with Rossi, Stoner, and Lorenzo all tied at the top of the championship with 106 points each. Whatever happens, we'll have a new championship leader in 26 laps...assuming all three riders don't crash out, or whatever.

Lights out and Pedrosa hit the front into turn 1 followed by Rossi and Stoner. Lorenzo got a crap start from second on the grid and spent the first few corners back in around 6th. Stoner picked off Rossi and Pedrosa at the and of the back straight to move to the front. A few corners later, Stoner runs really fucking wide and lets Rossi through to the front. 1 lap...3 different leaders...sweet. Meanwhile, Lorenzo got his shit together and latched on to the back of the leading 3 riders. Vermeulen was having a good ride 'up' in 5th position...must be contract time. The real party was the battle for 6th spot. Homeslice Hayden lead the group, and for once, was looking comfortable. Ducati must've finally dropped that extra 20-spot for new handgrips. Maybe a carbon-look yoke cover might put him in the top 5...someone get Lockhart Phillips on the line.

A few laps later, Lorenzo moves past Pedrobot into 3rd spot. Pedro tries to get the spot back, but can't hang with Lorenzo's pace and tosses his Honda into the grass. Cut to shot of a rather disappointed Puig...Gold! Two corners later, Lorenzo kills Stoner on the brakes and moves into the first loser spot. Where's Rossi? About 1/2 hour in front of Lorenzo. The top 3 would remain the same to the end.

While the top 3 toodled around, the 'battle for 6th spot' party was still a raging kegger. Toseland, Kallio, Hayden, De Puniet, De Angelis, Capirossi, and Melandri (sort of)all took turns at the front of this group. Kallio looked to be the Fin to beat until slid off in the last long left-hander and ground his pinky off in the process. Toseland got the better of the group followed by De Puniet and Hayden. Edwards and Vermeulen took a lonely 4th and 5th respectively.

So...Rossi won his 100th GP and, of course, had to celebrate. On the cool down lap, his fanboys brought out a giant poster-thingy which pictured all 99 of his previous victories. I was hoping for something more along the lines of Rossi doing 100 push-ups, doing 100 shots of whiskey, or just giving everyone in the crowd 100 Euros.

Race Result:

1) Rossi - Yamaha

2) Lorenzo - Yamaha

3) Stoner - Ducati

4) Edwards - Yamaha

5) Vermeulen - Suzuki

6) Toseland - Yamaha

7) De Puniet - Honda

8) Hayden - Ducati

9) Capirossi - Suzuki

10) De Angelis - Honda

11) Melandri - Hayasaki

12) Elias - Honda

13) Gibernau - Ducati

14) Canepa - Ducati

15) Takahashi - Honda

16) Talmacsi - Honda

Fail Boat

Pedrosa - Honda

Dovizioso - Honda

Kallio - Ducati

Next weekend...Laguna Seca.

T...out.