Drama filled the last few minutes of the qualifying session this afternoon. First, Jorge Lorenzo crashed out and ran back to his pit to get on his second bike with about 15 minutes remaining. Then, with only around 3 minutes on the clock, Lorenzo once again crashed. This time a high-side after his M1′s rear end slipped out from under him only to came back with a snap. He got up in the gravel but couldn’t put any weight on his leg and had to rely on the corner workers to help him onto a stretcher.

Seconds later, Casey Stoner also high-sided, but in a different section. He didn’t risk getting up, opting instead to let the corner workers lift him onto a stretcher and carry him off. He’s been deemed OK and should be fit to ride in tomorrow’s race, but his mystery illness is still affecting him and it remains to be seen how his fitness will come into play. Reports indicate that the illness is worse now than it was at the last two races.

Updates on Lorenzo’s injury are slowly coming in, and the most accurate seem to say he’s dislocated either his shoulder or collarbone and severely bruised his foot. So far, he’s still clear to race and intends to do so. Even with his two big falls he still sits on pole position. His high side in turn 5 on lap one during his rookie season last year means that if he does race, this will be his first time to do so at Laguna Seca.

Back to the catalyst of the 2008 championship. Rossi tops the charts, Lorenzo sticks with plunging toilets and Stoner tags along. Everyone else starts half a second back from 3rd place. Hopefully they close in on that gap before Sunday.