Your guess for the top five at Laguna Seca?

[Crasherfromwayback]

Reality check today which showed that there is daylight between the top 4 and the Merican Superbike riders. All the hype about Spies could haunt the guy into becoming the new Mr Edwards.

Can't see that happening. Did you ever see Edwards dominate the Superbike scene like Spies did?

but I don't think the Tech III bike was very "satellite" this weekend.

Spies is 26, Renzo and Simoncelli 23, Dovi 24, Pedro and Stoner 25. He's picked a really bad time to arrive. Stoner on a Honda will be frightening and he's going to be teammate to Lorenzo... I fear for his mental health.

Yeah I think his bike look more competitive for sure. Bout time too. I also agree that it's a tough time to arrive in moto GP...no wonder he didn't want to wait another year! I think he'll find his way though. He seems smart enough to learn things pretty quickly.

I also agree Stoner on the Honda will be nasty for him (and everyone else).

Right now though...Lorenzo is on another planet from the other aliens.

[BMWST?]

Well for a little while there I was looking Godlike... but wound up just OK.

WTF happened Spies fans? Home track, home fans, bike that should have been on the front row. 6th out of 12. Thank fuck Pedro crashed and De Puniet was injured.

Still he didn't look as big a knob when he got amongst the good guys this time so maybe there's hope when he gets on a factory machine.

he was going really wel but went in too deep into the corner onto the front straight lost a lot of time

[speed63]

[QUOTE=Crasherfromwayback;1129820614]Can't see that happening. Did you ever see Edwards dominate the Superbike scene like Spies did?


For sure and Edwards won more than one title.

[speed63]

[QUOTE=Crasherfromwayback;1129820614]Can't see that happening. Did you ever see Edwards dominate the Superbike scene like Spies did?

For the record':

Edwards in 2002 beat a tough World champion called Bayliss:

Eleven race wins
Five pole positions
Twelve front row starts
Recorded the Castrol Honda team's 50th race win ­ race one at Oschersleben
Recorded the most number of podium finishes in a season ­ 25 (Previous best ­ Doug Polen, 21 in 1991)
Recorded the most race wins for Castrol Honda in a year - 11 (Previous best ­ John Kocinski, nine in 1997)
Recorded the most successive race wins in a season - 9 (Previous best ­ Troy Bayliss, six in 2002)
Recorded the most successive podium finishes - 25 (Previous best ­ Carl Fogarty, 12 in 1995 and 1999)
Set a new record of double wins for a Castrol Honda rider - 8 (Previous best ­ Aaron Slight / John Kocinski ­ two each)
Set a new record of all-time wins for a Castrol Honda rider - 31 (Previous best ­ Aaron Slight, 11)
Recorded the 20th double win for Honda ­ Assen, Holland
Recorded the 100th win by USA riders in World Superbike ­ race two at Oschersleben
Set a new record of pole positions for a Castrol Honda rider ­ 13 (Previous best ­ Aaron Slight, six)
Colin Edwards ­ Castrol Honda ­ World Superbike record
1998 5th 279.5 points
1999 2nd 361
2000 1st 400
2001 2nd 333
2002 1st 552

Fairly dominant I would say

[SS90]

For the record':


...............

Fairly dominant I would say

I think that "dominant" is a matter of perception.

I don't see those figures as "Dominant", rather I see them as "consistent"

Dominant would be having the championship wrapped up 3/4 of the way through the season, and setting Pole 90% of the time in my opinion.

Even in MotoGP Edwards is simply "consistent", he doesn't set he world on fire, he finishes most races in the top 10, and is smooth and controlled.

I see dominant riders as guys like Doohan, Agostini, Rossi, Merkel, Foggarty, and Coppins (no specific order or discipline)

Just as in NZ I would see Stroud as dominant.

I believe Edwards won the 2 championships because he was consistant, had a team (Castrol Honda) that, after so many years being the bridesmaids, pulled out all the stops for the win.

Dominant? Not in my book, determined more like.

[rachprice]

Yeah no one is saying that Edwards isn't good, though he has definitely done a lot better than he currently is

Anyway, Im a shameless Spies lover

Ben Spies 6th - 77 points

"I got a really good start and was third but then for the next couple of laps I just couldn't get my speed up fast enough. The group in front pulled a bit of a gap on me but once I found my rhythm I caught Nicky and Valentino pretty quickly. I passed Nicky and got right on the back of Valentino and it was a good fight with him. I was actually going to attack him on the next lap when I had a problem entering the final corner on lap 25. I ran wide and lost out and although it wasn't the podium I wanted in front of my home crowd, I'm happy because I had the speed to come through the field and I had the speed to be on the podium. I couldn't quite finish the job and that was down to me. But I'd rather leave here knowing I could have been on the podium rather than leave here in eighth place and not on the pace. I can't ask for a lot more because I'm in the top six again, leading non-factory rider in the race again and putting up a strong fight, so I'm not too upset."

[Crasherfromwayback]

For the record':


1998 5th 279.5 points
1999 2nd 361
2000 1st 400
2001 2nd 333
2002 1st 552

Fairly dominant I would say

Then Spies came along and won the title in his FIRST ever season. Took Edwards three seasons mate.

Now Spies is kicking Edwards's ass in his FIRST season of Moto GP. On the SAME bike...in the SAME team...at tracks he's never seen AGAIN.

So you still think Edwards is as good as Spies?

Tui.

[denill]

[QUOTE=speed63;1129820704]

Can't see that happening. Did you ever see Edwards dominate the Superbike scene like Spies did? For sure and Edwards won more than one title.

It's a no-brainer really.

There is no way Edwards will win a MotoGP race, no matter what he's riding.

No one would say the same about Spies..............

[Drew]

So you still think Edwards is as good as Spies?

Tui.

He's not as cool though.

Pissing with rain at qatar, "Lets go get a beer". Nice one Collin.

[Crasherfromwayback]

He'll be getting plenty of chances to drink beer shortly mate.

[codgyoleracer]

I also suspect that Spies is uber-fit, - as he definatley has strengths later in the race over others.
I was quite impressed with those last few laps from Haybale - fending off Bigben who fancied his chances at re-overhailing him.

[speed63]

I love the comments on here and how they are interpreted by some aggressive one eyedness lol

I never said Edwards is better than Spies, just that Colin deserves some respect , and sure he has not done well in GP in fact I am not a fan but from what Drew said I should be .

I just commented that Spies is under the spotlight and has a long way to go. Spies is good and refreshing for the image of the sport......tis all

[merv]

Then Spies came along and won the title in his FIRST ever season. Took Edwards three seasons mate.

Don't forget Edwards started WSB on the Yamaha in 1995 so he actually won his titles on the Honda in his 6th and 8th years.

[Crasherfromwayback]

I never said Edwards is better than Spies, just that Colin deserves some respect , and sure he has not done well in GP in fact I am not a fan but from what Drew said I should be .

I respect anyone that races at that level. Just respect some more than others.

[Oscar]

Then Spies came along and won the title in his FIRST ever season. Took Edwards three seasons mate.

Now Spies is kicking Edwards's ass in his FIRST season of Moto GP. On the SAME bike...in the SAME team...at tracks he's never seen AGAIN.

So you still think Edwards is as good as Spies?

Tui.

Jeez, you don't half get excited about your latest boyfriend.
When did you fall out of lurv with Casey?