Dovizioso, Pedrosa begin battle for third

Repsol Honda team -mates Dani Pedrosa and Andrea Dovizioso start this weekend's Japanese MotoGP estranged by just 15 points in the championship.

It's a somewhat artificial 'battle' - given that Pedrosa missed three races through injury - but has exacting significance for Dovizioso.

The Italian is set to lose his Repsol seat as the team scales back to two riders for 2012 and finishing third in the title would do his prospect employment prospects no harm.

Dovizioso suffered his first non-score of the season after a first-lap accident at Aragon, but his strong memories of Motegi - having taken his first MotoGP pole at the Honda-owned track last year, earlier than finishing second in the race, behind future team-mate Casey Stoner.

"We go to Japan focused on returning to the podium, this has to be our target," said Dovizioso. "We will turn up at the Japanese GP this year in the same position we were last year - straight from a crash and zero points, but I'm strong-minded to transform this disappointment with extra inspiration.

"Last season we had a great race and we almost won, so I'm certain to repeat a great performance at Motegi, a circuit that I like and where I have been on the podium in all the three classes.

"Moreover, this is Honda's home GP and it's very significant to score a good result here," he continued. "Concerning the Championship, we are third in the World Standings and we aim to strengthen our position, improving some points on Lorenzo and maintaining the gap to Dani."

Pedrosa's 2010 title chances ruined when a technical problem caused a collarbone-breaking accident during practice for last year's Japanese GP. The Spaniard proceeds seeking his third race win for 2011.

useful links : san mateo movers, truck scales, palo alto movers

2011 final run in to commence at Motegi

The Grand Prix of Japan starts a succession of three races in the space of three weeks in which Casey Stoner will attempt to safe his second premier class title, whilst Jorge Lorenzo tries to hold onto his crown.

The Grand Prix of Japan takes place this weekend as the 2011 Moto GP World Championship heads into a swift termination which will see three of the final four rounds – starting at Motegi – take place in the space of three weeks.

Taking a 44-point lead into this weekend’s 15th round is Repsol Honda rider Casey Stoner, who with conquest last time out at Aragón – his eighth of the season – extended his advantage at the top over defending World Champion Jorge Lorenzo. Stoner won last year’s race at Motegi and a repeat of that result would put him in a place to be able to secure the 2011 title in the following round, his home race at Phillip Island.

The Australian knows that is purely imaginary at the moment however and remains fully focused on taking each race as it comes. Likewise Lorenzo knows that whilst his chances of retaining his title are now slim, there is still everything to play for. The Yamaha Factory Racing rider was fourth in last year’s Motegi race on his way to the 2010 title, but won the previous year so knows his way about the Japanese track well.

Reliability has been the cornerstone of Andrea Dovizioso’s 2011 season and is the reason for the Repsol Honda rider’s current position of third in the Championship, but the rarity of a DNF at Aragón – the first time he has failed to score points in a race this season – will have infuriated the Italian. He will be keen to put that right at a circuit at which he ended second in last year’s race.

useful links : san mateo movers, truck scales, palo alto movers

Capirossi: This time I’m really returning

Loris Capirossi says he certainly race in the United States Grand Prix at Laguna Seca having been forced to withdraw from the German Grand Prix less than a week ago.

The Italian planned to come back to racing action at the Sachsenring having missed the previous two races at Assen and Mugello, jokingly declaring pre-event that only he can ride his Pramac Racing Desmosedici.

However, Capirossi would then withdraw after just a single practice session, with World Superbike racer Sylvain Guintoli taking his place for the remainder of the weekend.

Nonetheless, in spite of the proximity to the next event in the United States, Capirossi insists he will return at Laguna Seca, the experienced rider reiterating the 'ownership' of his bike.

“This time I'm really recurring to the track. As I said before the Sachsenring weekend, the Desmosedici is mine, and seeing another rider on it concerned me a lot. I'm not in top form, but I've worked over the past few days to be in polite physical condition.

“The track is very tough, which isn't ideal for my situation, but I'll give 110% to be able to finish the race. I'm expecting a very challenging weekend.”

useful links : san mateo mover, perry scales, usa movers, palo alto moving

Pedrosa: I want to take pleasure in the bike

Dani Pedrosa heads into the second-half of the 2011 MotoGP World Championship looking to make the best of his condition following his inspiring ride to victory at the Sachsenring over the weekend.

In only his second race back from injury, one that ruled him out of three races to all but scupper his title ambitions, Pedrosa was champion in Germany, boosting his confidence heading to Laguna Seca for the United States Grand Prix this weekend.

Indeed, the Spaniard feels the pressure is off for him now, enabling him to enjoy his racing, not least at Laguna Seca where he was a winner in 2009 and was in argument for victory last season when he crashed out.

Even so, the Repsol Honda rider feels the circuit's characteristics will mean he struggles extra than he did in Germany

"It was nice to stop, even for if only for couple of days at home to enjoy the win in Germany with my family and friends, who also deserved to celebrate.

“The United States Grand Prix will be another challenge for me. I know that I will suffer more in Laguna Seca because there are many hard braking areas and very fast direction changes. Anyway, it will be another race and I'll try to get ready well and enjoy it as I did in Sachsenring.

“The track is very different to the European circuits and the atmosphere there is special. With the exemption of last year, when I crashed, and in 2008 when I couldn't race due to injury, I've forever had fun racing in Laguna and the victory in 2009 was very exciting.

“In the second half of the season I want to enjoy the bike and gain the best results probable and would like to close the first part of the season with a good feeling.”

useful links : san mateo mover, perry scales, usa movers, palo alto moving

Stoner caught out by Lorenzo at final turn

MotoGP World Championship leader Casey Stoner looked on course to for his fifth win of the season, as he stimulated from fourth to first in the opening laps of Sunday's German Grand Prix.

The Repsol Honda star remained in front for nine laps, but wasn't able to break Jorge Lorenzo and Dani Pedrosa, both of whom passed the Australian just after the halfway stage.

Pedrosa then broke clear, leaving Stoner and Lorenzo fighting for second.

Stoner looked to have done sufficient to hold off his nearest title rival, but left a Yamaha-sized gap at the final corner of the final lap - which the reigning world champion dived into.

"We took it easy in the early part of the race and thought we'd try to conserve the tyre and warm it up slower than we did in Mugello," explained Stoner.

"After a few laps I determined to make a move to the front to see what we could do and we were able to pull a small advantage, but too small compared to the effort we were putting in so I backed off on my pace a little and tried to stay as smooth as probable and see what happens.

"They came past me and Dani was riding so strong and was capable to get past Jorge before I got there, he built a small advantage and by the time I got past Jorge and I struggled to chase him down. I made a few small mistakes and that left just Jorge and I for the last few laps.

"I tried everything I could, riding the cleanest lap possible and trying to block my line, but Jorge came up on the dirty part of the track and I thought it would be too high a risk but he made it stick and I have to resolve for third place.

"I'm still leading the championship and I'm grateful for the points here today".

Losing second to Lorenzo means Stoner's title lead has been cut to 15 points caption into this weekend's Laguna Seca round.

useful links : san mateo mover, perry scales, usa movers, palo alto moving

Distress Rossi ready to ditch new Ducati

Valentino Rossi's fight back to turn around his Ducati fortunes hit a new low on Saturday at Sachsenring, when the MotoGP superstar capable just 16th out of the 17 riders.

Rossi's best lap time, of 1min 23.320sec came on only his sixth of 30 laps and was 1.639sec at the back pole sitter Casey Stoner.

The Italian - without crew chief Jerry Burgess for the second event in a row - also lapped 0.925sec slower than he had managed on his return from a broken leg at last year's event, when he skilled fifth on a Factory Yamaha.

Rossi, the only Ducati rider using the newest GP11.1 motorcycle - which features an 800cc engine attached to next year's (1000cc) chassis and a new seamless transmission gearbox - was almost one-second at the back the 'standard' Desmosedici of his team-mate Nicky Hayden (eighth).

As such, Rossi has now exposed that he could ditch the GP11.1 and go back to the previous version.

"We are very upset, because we are stressed very much this weekend. I am very slow and close to last," Rossi told the official MotoGP website.

"For three races now we've used the new [GP11.1] bike to try to get better on the performance of the old one.

"I tried this bike with the 1000 engine and it was not so bad, but with the 800 engine the bike became very hard to ride and I cannot load the front of the bike.

"So our show at the last three races has been very, very bad. Especially in practice. And here it has been worse.

"So now we think maybe to come back to the normal, standard, bike. I don't know when. Maybe after Brno [mid-August]. We will decide after tomorrow.

"We've tried changing more or less everything on the bike [here] and, at the end, the lap time and our act does not improve.

"So I don't know what we can do for tomorrow's race, but we won't give up and will keep annoying to improve."

Saturday marked Rossi's worst qualifying performance since he was 17th, out of 19 riders, for the 2007 Valencia Grand Prix - when he only finished five qualifying laps due to a massive accident.

useful links : san mateo mover, perry scales, usa movers, palo alto moving

Edwards and Crutchlow focused for German round

Experienced American Colin Edwards is looking to merge his place inside the top 10 in the overall rankings having scored points in six of the seven races he has started in 2011. Edwards is also resolute to leave Europe full of confidence ahead of his crucial home round at the spectacular and challenging Laguna Seca track in California on July 24th. His best result at Sachsenring was fourth position in 2007 and he is confident in improving and handling the performance from the Monster Yamaha Tech 3 YZR-M1 this season will be a vital advantage in dealing with the demands of the 2.281 mile track.

This weekend presents an additional big challenge for British rookie Cal Crutchlow, who will be making his Sachsenring debut. The 25 year-old is concentrating all his efforts on lively back from difficult races in Assen and Mugello recently and is aiming for a welcome come back to the top 10. Sachsenring is the shortest track on the World Championship schedule but surely one of the most challenging, the undulating layout made up of predominantly left-hand corners.

Colin Edwards:

“The last two races haven't been that fantastic but we can point to a bad tyre choice in both for that. We've got to take some liability for that but sometimes you roll the dice and gamble but the result doesn't go your way. That's all after me now and I'm just concentrating 100 per cent on getting a good result in Germany this weekend. This track is pretty extraordinary with so many left-hand turns but our chassis is much better than last year, so I'm sure the bike will be easier to ride in the tight and twisty sections. The break after Mugello has really helped my corporal condition. I've been able to get some good rest and the muscle damage about the ribs on the right side of my body isn't as painful as it was. I'll only understand how much of an improvement there's been on Friday when I get on the bike, but I'm expecting a lot less uneasiness than in Mugello where it was quite tough. Aside from 2003 when I had the fireball at the bottom of the hill, I've really enjoyed my time at Sachsenring. The German fans are really well-informed and they love MotoGP, so hopefully we can put on a good show for them. I'll be looking for a good result to take some energy into my home race at Laguna Seca, which is a huge weekend for me and one I'm already thrilled about.”

Cal Crutchlow:

"Like a lot of tracks so far in 2011, I haven't seen this one before but it looks in fact good on TV and I can't wait to get started on Friday. The track is obviously conquered by left-hand turns but I'm not worried that is going to be a big problem for me. The left collarbone I broke at Silverstone last month is fine and I'm happy with the development it is making. After all the weather disruptions of the last few weeks, I'm just hoping for a dry weekend so I can learn the track faster. And I'm also hoping for hot conditions because that will give me an opportunity to resolve some of the front-end issues I've been experiencing lately. When the temperature is hot I've had some issues with front-end feeling, so hopefully some hot weather will give us the ideal opportunity to find a solution. I'm confident I can be running back inside the top ten and receiving the results I know that the Monster Yamaha Tech 3 Team is capable of.”

useful links :  san jose moving, perry scales, usa movers, palo alto moving company