The MotoGP series heads stateside this weekend for the first of two rounds on American soil. The Laguna Seca round marks the start of the second half of the 2011 MotoGP season, in which Casey Stoner leads the way ahead of Jorge Lorenzo and teammate Andrea Dovizioso.
Stoner will be looking to extend his streak of podiums this weekend in California. The Repsol Honda rider took his 7th consecutive podium in Germany, but Stoner is looking for a race win at the Mazda Raceway.
"I'm looking forward to going to Laguna Seca, it's a circuit I've always enjoyed quite good results at and we've always been naturally quite fast there," Stoner said. "We'll be looking to improve our results from the past three weekends, three podiums are great but I'm here to win races, so we'll be aiming to get back on the top step next Sunday in Laguna."
Lorenzo, who took the win at Laguna last year from the pole position, was able to cut Stoner's lead down to 15 points at Germany. The 2010 MotoGP champion will try to continue that momentum this weekend.
"We are very strong at the moment with a great result at both Mugello and Sachsenring, we will try to continue to reduce our gap to Casey," Lorenzo said. "I am looking forward to being back on my M1 there, riding to fight for the title."
Most of the MotoGP paddock is looking forward to the tight Mazda Raceway circuit, but 5th place rider Dani Pedrosa sees trouble ahead for the weekend. Pedrosa won the Sachsenring round in only his second race back from injury, but the Repsol Honda rider worries that his body won't be able to handle the physical demands of Laguna.
"I know that I will suffer more in Laguna Seca because there are many hard braking areas and very fast direction changes," Pedrosa said. "Anyway, it will be another race and I'll try to prepare well and enjoy it as I did in Sachsenring."
Rossi, who sits in fourth ahead of Pedrosa, will be joined this weekend by his longtime crewchief Jerry Burgess. Burgess has missed the last few rounds to tend to his sick wife, but will return to the paddock this weekend.
Ben Spies, Nicky Hayden, and Colin Edwards will all have some extra motivation this weekend as they race in front of their home crowd. Nicky Hayden was the last American to win at Laguna, a feat he accomplished five years ago. Spies, Hayden, and Edwards will also be joined by AMA Superbike rider Ben Bostrom at Laguna Seca, to make it four American's on the MotoGP grid in California.
