Laguna Seca, USA

The one place that everyone wants to be at a MotoGP race is in the paddock. Simultaneously, it is one of the most difficult places to get into, as, quite simply, Dorna does not sell passes into the paddock. The usual way - other than in a professional capacity, or working as a marshal - is to purchase a VIP package through one of the very few specialist travel companies authorized to issue paddock passes, such as our friends over at Pole Position Travel.

But now, MotoGP's (and MotoMatters.com's) official charity organization Riders For Health are providing an extra route into the paddock. Today, the charity announced that they will be auctioning off pairs of paddock passes for each of MotoGP's 18 races this season, with the money raised going towards Riders' outstanding work providing primary health care in Africa. If you want to get into the paddock and have a chance of meeting your own personal hero (be it Valentino Rossi, Bradley Smith or even Jerry Burgess), then read the press release below carefully, and dig deep for Riders.

Exclusive MotoGP paddock pass auction for Riders

On the third day of looking back at 2009, we return to the July 5th weekend, and the Red Bull US GP at Laguna Seca. The light is always beautiful on the Monterey Peninsula, and Scott Jones knows how to get the best out of. Enjoy some of his highlights from a weekend of racing in California. 

Nicky Hayden sold a shedload of 848s with this livery

Speed

Eddie discusses kart tactics with Vale

There was some confusion after the DMG announced the schedule for the 2010 AMA Pro Racing series. For on the calendar for the US national Superbike series, there was a gaping hole where Laguna Seca should have been. In previous years, the AMA had shared the weekend with the MotoGP series, providing a necessary time filler for the missing support classes. Without the AMA, the Laguna Seca MotoGP weekend would be a pretty quiet weekend.

The problem, it seems, was just temporary. The leading US racing magazine Roadracing World is reporting that the DMG has reached a deal with Laguna Seca after all, and that the teams are being told to start booking hotel rooms in anticipation of the AMA series running at the Laguna Seca MotoGP weekend on July 25th, 2010.

At last weekend's Red Bull Indianapolis GP, along with the usual vendor shows, stands, test rides and other activities, a rather special demonstration was being given in the media center. The oscar-winning special effects director John Bruno - responsible for the effects in some of the best special effects movies of all time, such as Titanic, Terminator 2, The Abyss, X-Men The Last Stand and a host of others - was showing footage from his latest 3D projects, which included a three-minute highlight reel from the previous race in the US, the Red Bull US GP at Laguna Seca.

I was intrigued by the thought of watching motorcycle racing in three dimensions, and decided to go and take a look. I am old enough to remember some of the previous 3D projects, which required the wearing of cheap cardboard classes with different colored lenses (Jaws 3D anyone?) and had failed to impress me even at a fairly tender age. I was lucky enough to walk in on a special presentation being given to the Tech 3 Yamaha team by John Bruno himself, just as the standard (non-motorcycling footage) was finishing.

The MotoGP footage started with an opening shot of the Corkscrew at Laguna Seca, and from the off, I was hooked. Choosing the Corkscrew to open on was a stroke of brilliance, as that most iconic of turns is famed for its incredible drop, and for the first time on a TV screen, the elevation change just leapt off the screen at you. Perhaps even more impressive was the bump at the top of the turn: Though it has been flattened off in recent years, the ridge at the top where the track drops down is suddenly blindingly obvious. It really was just like being there, whereas every other time I have seen the Corkscrew - either on TV or in photos (even the fantastic shots by our very own Scott Jones), the pictures have failed to do justice to the turn.

Anticipation

Dislocated collar bone - check. Broken metatarsal in foot - check. Race face - check.

Oh say, can you see?

If you're sitting around waiting for the Red Bull US Grand Prix from Laguna Seca to start, you could do worse than to head on over the official MotoGP.com website. MotoGP.com will be showing free live coverage of the pre-race build up to the race, getting you in the mood and up to speed for the Laguna Seca race. Coverage does not include footage of the race - you'll either have to switch on your TV or ante up for a MotoGP.com subscription - but it's a nice way to kick of race day. You can watch the race build up on the Live Video page of MotoGP.com.

More images from Scott Jones at Laguna, this time of the warm up session prior to the race.

Nicky Hayden had a special paint job, stars 'n' bars style

Valentino Rossi saves his front tire

Jorge Lorenzo took part in warm up, and got up to speed slowly

A reminder for all our American readers wondering why the Laguna Seca MotoGP race hasn't shown up on their DVR. While normally, MotoGP is shown on SpeedTV, today's race is to be shown live on network TV, broadcast by Fox. The race starts at 2pm local time (PDT) at Laguna Seca, which equates to 5pm EDT (there's a list converting the race start time into the correct time all around the world on this website). You can also check the starting time on the excellent TV Racer website.

So remember, if you're based in the US, the MotoGP race at Laguna Seca is on Fox, not Speed, live at 2pm PDT.

Viewers based in the UK have a choice of viewing. The race is scheduled to be shown live on BBC2 at 10pm BST, but it will simultaneously be broadcast live on British Eurosport with the fabulous voices of Toby Moody and Julian Ryder. So people capable of receiving both the UK and British Eurosport have the luxury of choice. For most of the rest of Europe, however, the MotoGP race will not be shown on Eurosport, so consult your local TV provider.

Qualifying practice turned out to be one of the most dramatic sessions we have seen for a long time at Laguna Seca, and not in a good way. By the end of the session, two of the three men leading the championship had suffered violent highsides and been stretchered off, though both Casey Stoner and Jorge Lorenzo are expected to race tomorrow.

It all started off much as expected, with Casey Stoner and Jorge Lorenzo leading the way, Stoner the first into the 1'22 bracket, followed shortly after by Lorenzo. The two young championship protagonists were soon joined by Andrea Dovizioso, and as the first quarter of the session ended, the Repsol Honda man and his team mate Dani Pedrosa took charge, Pedrosa taking over pole.

The Repsol Honda resurgence would be short-lived. Within a couple of minutes, Jorge Lorenzo and Casey Stoner were playing leapfrog with provisional pole again, Stoner getting down into the low 1'22s and then Lorenzo cracking the 1'21s with a lap of 1'21.950. Valentino Rossi, who until that point had been well down the order, soon chipped away at his best time and was soon up to 3rd, a quarter of a second off Lorenzo's pole time.

As the 20 minute approached, Jorge Lorenzo suffered  the first of the two crashes he was to have during qualifying, folding the front in Turn 10 and sliding off relatively unhurt into the gravel, his main concern how to get back to the pits in time to improve his time. In the meantime, Casey Stoner took back pole, shaving hundredths off first Lorenzo's time, and then his own, with a lap of 1'21.910. Minutes later, Valentino Rossi joined Stoner and Lorenzo in the 1'21s with a lap of 1'21.958, then another of 1'21.954. 

News is starting to seep in of the injuries suffered by Jorge Lorenzo and Casey Stoner, both of whom suffered nasty highsides in the final minutes of qualifying at Laguna Seca. The good news is that both men are likely to be able to race tomorrow, but the bad news is that they are both pretty banged up.

Casey Stoner escaped with the least damage. According to reports on GPOne.com, Stoner only suffered a badly bruised hip, and should be able to race without problems tomorrow. Of course, Stoner is still suffering with the mystery virus which has plagued him at the last couple of Grand Prix, though some of the color seemed to have returned to the Australian's face today, and Stoner looked a good deal better than he did yesterday.

Jorge Lorenzo came off the worst of the pair. In another huge highside, resembling all too starkly the kind of crashes Lorenzo was prone to last season, Lorenzo fell heavily on his shoulder, and banged up his knee. According to reports on both GPOne.com and Roadracing World, Lorenzo has suffered a dislocated collarbone and a badly bruised metatarsal in his right foot. Lorenzo has also been pronounced fit to ride, though by Dr. Claudio Costa, who places more faith in the riders mental resilience rather than their physical health. If Lorenzo does ride, he will be far from at full strength.

UPDATE

The official MotoGP.com website is reporting that no decision will be made on whether Jorge Lorenzo will race until tomorrow (Sunday).