The Australian Ducati Marlboro rider arrives at the demanding 2.243 mile Laguna Seca circuit for just his second time and has at least five American riders including World Champion
Nicky Hayden who chases a hat-trick of victories at his home track, riding the Repsol Honda waiting in the wings to take him on.
21 year-old Stoner is up for the challenge after extending his Championship lead to 32 points after a safe fifth place points finish in the Alice German Grand Prix last Sunday however he knows it will be tough.
After a wretched start to his title defence, Hayden has finally secured two third places on the bounce in the last two races and can see a chink of light at the end of the tunnel. He will be joined on track for the 32-lap race by his brother Roger Lee who is riding for the Kawasaki along side Randy De Puniet and
Anthony West for a one-off wild card ride.
Colin Edwards returns to his home circuit where he had a second place podium finished two years ago and has tasted World Superbike success there. Meanwhile
John Hopkins will be looking to improve on his sixth place from last year riding his Rizla Suzuki on home soil for the last time before making his move to Kawasaki for next season.
Kurtis Roberts will represent his father’s KR team on a circuit he knows well but it appears unlikely that his elder brother, former World Champion Kenny Junior will be tempted out of temporary retirement. Completing the North American theme will be another rider with a famous racing father, Canadian Miguel DuHamel who replaces the injured
Toni Elias at Gresini Honda. This will be his first appearance in almost 14 years and the former 250 rider could be well suited to the new
MotoGP machines.
