Gresini signs sponsor and Rossi just rocks!

The news surfaced several weeks ago that Gresini Honda and Fortuna had parted ways, as well as Camel and Yamaha. Gresini has secured a sponsor for the 2007 season, Marco and Toni will be piloting rockets supported by HANNspree, a Taiwanese company that produces TV's and LCD monitors.

With that mystery solved, attentions are turned toward Yamaha in anticipation of their new sponsor announcement. Rumors are still spinning that it will be Telefonica.... that would be more than acceptable. I heard a horrible rumor circulating about McDonalds..... sweet fancy Moses NOOOOO!!! If that's true, someone needs to sink that boat and fast. Keep your little nuggets on the NASCRAP track Mickey D's.... don't cheapen our circuits with your image. I don't want to see Valentino jockeying a McRib around Estoril.

I'm sure most of you have seen the new graphics on Rossi's test bike and helmet by now, but I have to mention them.

It is indeed King Arthur's Excalibur.... with the Yamaha forks on the handle (ahhhh, the perfect touch!). Once again, Vale shows his sublime sense of class and humor without having to say a word. We all know the story of Excalibur.... the sword, the stone, only the REAL king can possess it.... NICE!! Aaaaaand, just to solidify my earlier point-of-view, Excalibur can not, in any way, be incorporated with anything remotely associated with a Mc-Frickin-Muffin. I digress, Valentino said that the sword just represented that he was going to do his very best during the winter testing sessions. That's a very humble way to side-step the nutmeat of the gesture. Me thinks it's aimed directly at the Farmboy..... watch out Nick!!!

Nicky, by the way, is recovering from a successful surgery on his shoulder and should be back up on two by the time the testing ban is lifted in January.

Until next time......

Rubb'er Down :)

Testing concludes in Jerez

The fastest men on two wheels have concluded their last round of testing in Jerez before the ban. All of the teams seem to be very pleased with the way things are looking for the 2007 season. Dani Pedrosa put down the fastest lap in the final round, followed closely by Valentino Rossi and Marco Melandri. Blazing into the 4th and 5th place positions were the Suzuki boys, Chris Vermeulen and John Hopkins, respectively. Suzuki has made a FINE showing since testing began, surprising not only most of the MotoGP fans, but themselves as well. I am counting down the days with exhuberant anticipation until the 2007 season finally kicks off on March 10th.... It's just too damn far away :(

Jeremy McWilliams, one of Ilmor's test riders went down hard this weekend. Although he only refers to it as "taking a bit of a tumble" he will require surgery to repair his broken bones, which include a collar bone, a fractured femur, and a finger (which he will lose part of.... but says that it's been broken before and didn't really do him much good anyway... no love lost there huh Jeremy??)

Nicky Hayden didn't participate in the last round of testing. He is at home awaiting surgery for an injury to his shoulder that he sustained in the infamous Estoril crash. Dani represented the team well in his absence though as he brought Honda home on top of the time board..... good on ya Midget :)

There's not much more going on in the world of MotoGP, or the world of Motorcycle Obsession. It's been eerily quiet around here. It's a crappy, rainy Saturday afternoon and Sue's Busa, Spaz's TL and Ducati Mike's Duc are all in the patient ward at Mitch's shop awaiting repairs/upgrades so there will be no riding this weekend anyway. I am getting ready to suit-up and take the SV over to Spaz's house to see what kind of obnoxious sound we can get out of the factory cans... JOY!!!!

Until next time......

Rubb'er Down :)