Okay, more of the same. Get up early, and get to the track to beat the traffic. Even getting there prior to 7:00 AM, there is still more traffic then the previous two days. This is a sign that this thing is going to be insane today.

Got to the parking spot, and decided to go to the top of the cork screw to pay tribute to a friend that died a couple years back at Daytona. With some money collected, a "brick" was bought, and put up in the patio that Laguna put in at the top of the cork screw. The plaque (brick) was a memorial to a good friend, and a true racer, Stuart Stratton. He now has the best view one could ask for.

We walked down from the top of the hill that over looks all of Laguna, and made our way to the tent at turn 4. Got a good breakfast, and walked around the vendor area some more. Ran into a bunch more friends on Ducati Island, and finished making our rounds of the vendor/manufactures area to get back to the grandstands in time for the MotoGP morning warm up session.

Nicky again came out in force, and was running hot for the entire session, with others trying to keep up to his times. Nicky consistently put in fastest laps over the rest of the field. It was really looking like it could be a break out race weekend for him, and doing it on his "home" track for the first GP on US solid in 11 years would just add to it. On top of that his two brothers were all shaping up to do well this weekend in their AMA races. Had to think that Earl (Nicky's dad) must have been the proudest father on the planet today.

Unfortunately Tommy's day didn't turn out so well. While leading the Superstock race, he got pushed wide into turn 4 by a back marker, and hit the gravel trap, throwing him on his head hard. His younger brother only a couple spots back had to see all this happen, but didn't have a choice except to complete the race. Rodger Hayden put it on the box in third with the absence of his older brother. Must suck to have to take advantage of your own brothers crash, but I am sure they know the game, and have no hard feelings for each other.

Got a good lunch, and got ready for the start of the MotoGP race. Got a seat in the turn 4 grandstands, and waiting for the track to go green. The start of the race was marked by Aaron Hagar (Sammy Hagar's brother) singing the national anthem. It was the most embarrassing thing that could happen to an American when this pretty much no-body who is the brother of some washed up 80's rock star screws up the national anthem in front of nearly 60000 people, and televised around the world. Hopefully next year they will get some one that deserves it, and not someone that's brother got him in. Even my rinky dink club gets better singers to sing our national anthem each weekend, and we don't even get 1000 people coming to watch the races!

As the track went green for the sight in lap, the riders all came out with the Americans getting a huge round of applause and screams by the fans. You could really tell the fans were really pulling for the Americans to place.

The riders lined up once done with the warm up lap,and got ready to work. As the green flag came out, Nicky put it in the front, and didn't look back. Rossi feel in behind, and followed Nicky into turn 1. From the start, Nicky and Colin were greeted with cheers in each corner on the first lap. This continued for the entire 32 laps that the race ran. Nicky showed his fans, and the world that he does have what it takes to run up front. Colin also did an amazing job putting it in second. For the first half of the race I was thinking Colin was under race orders from the team. You would watch him exit turn 4, and he wasn't even getting on it that hard, and he was right behind Rossi each and every lap. Around half way, Colin made his move, and stuffed it in at the top of the corkscrew, I am sure meet by a huge cheer from the fans all up there. Making it stick down to 11, and onto the front straight meant it was a good pass, and he had what it took to get it done.

By this point Rossi knew he could only clean up the box, and he seemed to fall in line taking 3rd. Max tried to close it up, but just couldn't push it that hard. It would have made for a much more exciting finish to see Max and Rossi go at it, and not have it in Memorex.

By lap 30, the fans were going crazy. They knew it would be an American on the box, and who better then Nicky. As he finished the race, you could tell he had just lived his dream. From here on out, it was only icing. The place went nuts, and in true MotoGP fashion, the fans rushed the track, and handed the national flag to the winner. And in true MotoGP fashion, the fans got jumped by the corner workers, who were all torn between working to keep the track safe, and celebrating an amazing moment in a 23 year olds life. What more could Nicky as for but to win his first MotoGP on American soil, after an 11 year hiatus. This will probably be his most memorable experience in racing ever.

As the riders got to the podium, Rossi showed why he is the champion he is. He gave his team mate a big huge in congratulations for his second place, and had a big smile on his face, while Nicky danced. Then he showered Nicky in champagne, and never once did he have a sour look on his face. He knew what Nicky was feeling, and he himself was proud to be up there with Nicky.

It was an extremely fun weekend, and I will be buying next years tickets tomorrow morning. Even with the 1.5 hour wait to get out of the park, it is all worth it.

Thanks,
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Charles Gallant