Going into the early hours of June 12th, 2009, high above the earth and stretched out for billions of miles through countless galaxies, stars themselves were lining up in preparation for what was to come just two days later. Here on earth, as the morning sun shone across the Circuit de Catalunya, the crack of 800cc MotoGP motors could be heard sucking air through their lungs for the second Spanish race of the MotoGP calendar. For through their first outing into the final qualifying practice, it was clear that there was going to be an another epic battle come Sunday afternoon.

First up, Valentino Rossi came out of the gate with a commanding lead followed closest by his rival teammate, Jorge Lorenzo. In qualifying, the two members of the Fiat Yamaha factory team, split by a wall down the middle of their garage, set lap times just .013 seconds apart. On the same Bridgestone tires and mostly identical Yamaha M1s, there were no safe bets on this round. To further drive home how little there was between them, both riders set identical lap times on their closing laps, a 1’41.987.

The beginning of this race was like many others before it. Dani Pedrosa, injured, but still able to get a rocket start moved up from 8th position to 5th in the first few corners. Lorenzo, Rossi, and Stoner got to the first corner in the order in which they started and remained as such for the first 3 laps. Not so much as a razors edge separated the three as they glided into turn one for the fourth time. Rossi and Stoner went in hotter on the brakes and Rossi was able to slip past Lorenzo with ease while Stoner remained third.

Things at the front remained close but steady until Casey Stoner started to struggle with 17 laps left on the clock. By the next lap, his pace had dropped off enough to show an unrecoverable gap back to the front two riders. He’d ride out the rest of this race in 3rd position, eventually fending off a charge from Andre Dovizioso who was looking for his first MotoGP podium. Continue »

A three way tie with Valentino Rossi in the lead due to placing higher in all six of the races so far. It doesn’t get any closer than this.

A head to head between equal bikes with riders matching each others moves the entire weekend. In the end it was down to the last corner on the last lap after an amazing final lap battle. This is what MotoGP is meant to be. A full race wrap-up is coming soon, but if you missed this race, do yourself a favor and find a way to see it. Like Laguna Seca in 2008, this is a must see.

Valentino Rossi and Jorge Lorenzo’s final lap times were identical at 1’41.987. Dani Pedrosa crashed with less than five minutes to go, but appears to be OK, except for his previous hip injury. He shouldn’t miss the race. Full QP write up coming later today.