LAGUNA GETS READY TO HOT UP
22 July 2006 - Moto GP

Red Bull U.S. Grand Prix - Sunday 16th July 2006

With the paddock packed with MotoGP fans enjoying the blazing Californian sunshine, the teams and riders got down to the important task of opening their preparations for Sunday’s Red Bull U.S. Grand Prix.

Kenny Roberts Jr. showed no signs of letting up the pace at his home track, topping the timesheets in both free practice sessions today. The American who rides for his father''s ''Team Roberts'' set-up clocked a time of 1’23.859, the only rider to go round in under 1 minute 24 seconds in the entire day.

Nicky Hayden, victor at Laguna Seca last year and current leader of the World Championship, was 0.266 seconds behind him in second, with team-mate Dani Pedrosa getting to grips with the track early to come in third. Marco Melandri, Chris Vermeulen and Colin Edwards rounded off the top six, ahead of Makoto Tamada, Toni Elias, Casey Stoner and John Hopkins.

A few riders, including World Champion Valentino Rossi and rookie sensation Casey Stoner, were caught out by the circuit’s world-renowned Corkscrew turn on day one at the track, both running off into the gravel but being able to continue unharmed.

There was a big surprise for Nicky Hayden after his first practice session at Laguna Seca, as his racing idol Bubba Shobert paid a visit to the World Championship leader’s pit garage.

The Repsol Honda rider was greeted by the dirt-track legend in his pit after the morning session, and was the recipient of much admiration from the three time American dirt-track and once AMA Superbike champion. Hayden and Shobert had a friendly conversation and exchanged helmets.

Tomorrow the Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca plays host to the qualifying session for the Red Bull U.S. Grand Prix, with free practice in the morning at 10am, and the qualifier at 2pm.

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