I worship the crap out of these guys. Moto GP is becoming more mainstream here in the US now. We have a few more Americans to root for these days. I started seriously following when Hayden went over. I've watched him develop in the AMA series, and always thought he could make it on the World level. He's been right there, and I'd really like to see him make the jump and win some more races. I'll always root for Edwards too, as he's the local boy around here. His house is a few miles up the road from me.
Nicky was a guest instructor at a dirt-track racing school I took a few years ago. This was the year he won the 600cc title in AMA. We raced little XR100's around a rodeo arena, and it's amazing the level of control he has, even at slow speeds. He would lap me about every 30 seconds, and he was riding about 50%, and chatting with people in the stands. Check out these videos of he and some other GP guys riding supermoto bikes.
http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-8462378466997568582&q=supermotard&pl=trueI think Rossi will stick around another year to assert his dominance over "Mini Me" (Pedrosa). He's still the man to beat even with his bad luck this year. The M1 has a new chassis now, aiming to eliminate the chatter issue. I think he'll be hard to catch in the European rounds. It's definately more entertaining than last year when he wrapped up the title with three races left. They should make him sit out three rounds every year.
If you can get to Monterrey, CA in July 21st-23rd, you should make a point to see the Laguna Seca GP this year. I vowed to go see it, but I knocked up my wife again and have a baby due. But, I'll take a healthy baby over racing any day. Maybe I'll make it next year...if she can keep her hands off me.
