2009 MotoGP Rd2

This years MotoGP weekend was a little rough. We spent most of Saturday in the cold rain and didnt see any action at all as the Qualifying was cancelled due to water on the track. We arrived on Sunday morning with a forecast of no rain but were greeted by a heavy downpour as the morning warmups started. Fortunately it cleared off and the track dried up for the days racing. Lorenzo took the win in some exciting racing with Rossi and Pedrosa in tow. Our man Hayden was unfortunately torpedoed off the track in th first lap by the local hero Takahashi which was a complete bummer. Anyhow heres a few pics and a vid of the start. Added 4/28 some photos from our friend Yuji Ishihara, who was sitting in turn 5 and caught "Torpedo Takahashi" giving Nicky the "bump".

Motegi MotoGP 08

This weekend brought MotoGP to town and a couple of friends from back home made the journey to Japan to join us for the race. It was a great 5 days with a little sightseeing around Tochigi, the track Friday Saturday, and Sunday, and of course plenty of beer drinking and BS'ing through it all. As far as the race goes we were happy that we were able to witness Rossi clenching the championship as he pretty much dominated from the get go. We would have like to have seen our man Nicky Hayden hit the podium but 5th was the best he could muster. Not a bad result considering the rest of his season and all of the drama surrounding his "team" and HRC.
We really had a great time visiting with Matt and Scott(yes, those would be original KFC buckets), and I believe it made us realize for a few days just how far away home really is.
Hopefully we were able to make their Japan experience a good one, as for most people the cultural difference can seem a bit strange at times.
Here are as always a few more pics in the Flickr folder, with full credit going to my man Yujii Ishihara for the bike action photos: Click for more Pics

2007 Motegi MotoGP Race Day

Today was a rainy miserable day for the race. While the rain did stop about a 1/2 hour before the race, the track was wet and the damage was done. Our favorite riders starting together on the front row were only able to generate 1 top ten finish with Hayden getting 9th. Pedrosa crashed out right in front of us with a nasty highside and Rossi had issues with the tires on his 2nd bike forcing him from first place to 13th. Tony Elias did manage to put one Honda on the podium with a 3rd so all was not lost. Caparossi took 1st and Depuniet was 2nd, sure glad LCR Honda signed RDP for next year, Ive always said he was going to be a great one ;). With 2 races remaining the championship is over with Australian Casey Stoner winning the 2007 championship. Even with the crappy weather the Japanese fans turned out in droves and it was a pretty lively crowd cheering on several Japanese riders put on as wild card riders. We do hope the weather is a little nicer to us next year.

2007 Motegi MotoGP Saturday Qualifying

Heather and I are just back from yet another great day at the track. Qualifying brought a great front row for tomorrow, Pedrosa, Rossi, and Hayden. Couldn't have asked for better. Stoner struggled some and even my next years Honda hero Depuniet will start in front of him. I hope he doesnt plan to torpedo Nicky and Danny in the first turn again this week. Weather was even hotter today, but look out things change, and it will be cooler tomorrow with that lingering chance of rain. Not so many of my crappy bike action pictures today, putting up a few of the crowd and and other doings from the day. We were down front for Nicky and Danny's press conference, where I was able to afterwords get Nicky's attention and advise him to get the hole shot and don't look back after that, he thought that was good advice and gave us a thumbs up and smile of thanks for such wisdom, maybe it was the shock of hearing English. After, we went to a great Yaki Niku place with some friends, burnt some meat and drank a few cold ones, looking forward to more of the same tomorrow. Sorry Matt and Scott P., No Buckets this year, we are saving that for next year.