MotoGP: PI 2009

PHILLIP ISLAND MotoGP - October 2009: The 2009 MotoGP Championship Trophy seemed a forgone conclusion, Vale ultimately gaining another World Championship at the Malaysian round after Phillip Island, well done. I was attending to witness a Hat Trick of wins by our Casey. Three welcome surprises awaited, Casey turned out on race morning in Aussie coloured Leathers and Motorcycle, he looked fit, and he led from start to finish!

Casey again had a difficult year, winning the first round under lights, it all fell apart mid season with an undiagnosed health issue. To return, no doubt aware of all the media rumours, with no chance of winning the World Championship and be immediately successful at this level of racing only reinforces my opinion of this young man's future potential in the sport.

PIT WALKS:

THE DUCATI-STONER & HAYDEN TEAM: Totally professional and equipment right there with the best Italy has to offer:


No.27, CASEY STONER	CASEY'S DUCATI'S 'RED', UNTIL RACE DAY!!	VERY TIDY


No.69, NICKY HAYDEN	THE HAYDEN GARAGE, ALL APPEARS THE SAME EXCEPT THE RESULTS.	AGAIN, VERY TIDY

THE YAMAHA-ROSSI & LORENZO TEAM: Consistency all year, brought the Riders a World Championship and Runner Up, a huge result for Yamaha.


DOUBLE TROUBLE	VALE'S OFFICE	MULTI PART HUGGER


JERRY BURGESS AND I, DELIGHTED TO MEET THIS MAN!!	LORENZO'S REAR

THE SUZUKI-CHRIS VERMEULEN & LORIS CAPIROSSI TEAM: Struggling to keep pace with Ducati, Yamaha and Honda, Chris moves across to Superbikes for 2010.


CHRIS VERMEULEN AND I, VERY APPROACHABLE GUY.	CHRIS'S SUZUKI PLUMBING	COLOUR CODED CHAIN LINKS!

MotoGP STARS MET THE FANS DURING PIT WALKS.


No.4, ANDREA DOVIZIOSO	No.5, COLIN EDWARDS	No.14, RANDY DE PUNIET	No.36, MIKA KALLIO

MotoGP PRACTICE DAYS: WET, did I say it was 'raining'!


CASEY, ONTO GARDNER STRAIGHT	DANI PEDROSA


MIKA KALLIO, GUNNING IT	LORIS CAPIROSSI

MotoGP RACE DAY: DRY, well it is Melbourne, Casey attracted even more interest with the 'white' Ducati.


CASEY & AUSSIE FLAGGED DUCATI, A TREMENDOUS EFFORT BY THE TEAM.	YAMAHA'S AT THE READY.


VALE, ALL THE NORMAL PROCEDURES....	THE START, CASEY UNCHALLENGED TO THE END.


CASEY, DOWN TO BUSINESS THROUGH TURN 11.	ALEX DE ANGELIS, WAY OVER THROUGH TURN 10.

ROSTRUM: Casey did the Hat Trick! Never headed throughout, Valentino achieved a close second place with Dani Pedrosa third.


GO CASEY!	CASEY, VALE AND DANI.	HAT TRICK = HAPPY MAN!

THE LEGENDS: The Legends were at it again this year with the addition of Troy Bayliss, Troy having retired from World Superbike after winning his third World Championship in 2008. WG made sure the Fireblade got off the line this time with a huge burnout, followed by Mick on another Fireblade. Troy made do with a Ducati 'Troy Bayliss' Limited Edition machine, very nice. Magoo made sure all ran smoothly with the machinery at the back of the pits whilst Randy Mamola used the dual seat Ducati to again scare his lucky? pillion passengers witless.


WG	OUR MICK	BAYLISSTIC	MAGOO


RANDY'S MOTOX2 DUCATI DUAL SEATER	WELL ANCHORED PILLION 'STRAP'	OVERWORKED BREMBOS

FUN STUFF: Once again it was not difficult to uncover some of the funny and strange goings on around the spectator areas:


VB ADVERT	ROSSI HAIRDO	ROSSI HAIRDO, TAKE 2

FORGOTTEN ERA: The quantity, quality and overall presentation just keeps getting better, this machinery is just superb.


WOW, DONALD SEXTON'S CR750, VERY NICE INDEED.	DID I SAY THE PRESENTATION IS GETTING BETTER!


THE 'IRVING VINCENT' MACHINE	IT'S GETTING LIGHTER!


DUCATI'S ARE POPULAR	PRESENTATION	VERY NICELY DONE

NEW MACHINERY: The Motorcycle News EXPO once again had some great machinery for the masses and BRP made a huge effort with their display, test ride and new Spider RT machinery display, top marks:


BMW S1000RR, A QUANTUM LEAP INTO SPORTS BIKES BY BMW	BREMBO'S ON A STOCK BEEMER	GREAT FINISH


BEST OF BOTH WORLDS	'YRZ500' (RZ500 TWO STROKE ENGINE INTO A YZF-R6 CHASSIS), TADAH.	WOW


HMMMM	BRP SPIDER RT, VERY VERY TASTY	HUGE FINAL DRIVE RATIO

I LOVE NEW TECHNOLOGY, TABLETS, LAPTOPS, DIGITAL CAMERAS, MOBILE PHONES/WIRELESS BROADBAND, GPS, ETC. ALL SO COOL AND 'PORTABLE'......