If there were any doubts over Jorge Lorenzo's condition after his rough crash at the end of the final free practice session, they were erased when the reigning champion soared to the top of the time sheets to claim the USGP pole position at Laguna Seca.
Lorenzo set a 1'21.202 lap time around the Laguna Seca circuit to beat out Casey Stoner for the pole position by .072 seconds.
Lorenzo lead for the majority of the session, but with about 15 minutes left in the session his teammate Ben Spies climbed to the top of the timesheets. Spies' time of 1'21.578 would eventually be beaten by Lorenzo and two Repsol Honda riders, Stoner and Dani Pedrosa, before the end of the session.
Spies came out in an attempt to retake the lead, but a late session crash stopped him from reclaiming a front row spot. Instead, the American will start from the top of the second row alongside Marco Simoncelli and Andrea Dovizioso.
Valentino Rossi was able to take 7th during the MotoGP qualifying session, but is still more than a second off of the pace. Rossi will be joined by Hector Barbera and Nicky Hayden on the third row.
MotoGP - Qualifying Results - Laguna Seca
- Lorenzo - 1'21.202
- stoner - 1'21.274
- Pedrosa - 1'21.385
- Spies - 1'21.578
- Simoncelli - 1'21.696
- Dovizioso - 1'21.731
- Rossi - 1'22.235
- Barbera - 1'22.238
- Hayden - 1'22.271
- Crutchlow - 1'22.385
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