Spies: I got what I needed.

After doing hundreds of laps at Indy, if Spies does not get a podium at the Gp,then he doesnt deserve a Moto gp ride.

200 laps ... bit of an advantage isnt it? damn!

Sorry, but I don't really see it as an advantage. If he had more experience on a GP bike then it would be. His competition will have how many races on these bikes compared to him? He has a long way to go before he'll be comfortable and competitive. Also, they weren't doing any setup work on the bike. They were tire testing from a base line set-up.

A podium?!?! pgoda, did you forget what brand motorcycle he will be riding?

He is not to the point of being able to corner the GSV-R like Hopkins does, as that is what it will take for a Suzook to keep up with the front-runners.

BenSpies will be lucky if he ends up Top 5. If here were on a pneu-Honda or Yam M1, then maybe he could podium.

with all due respect to a talented guy, he's being beaten by Canepa after 200 laps. Canepa is no great shakes . . . and then there's the bikes to consider ! Give the kid a break and let him try to enjoy the ride.

Pam and TLR...what rubbish,i agree with chu chu. AAhhh poor Spies is not used the bike. Didnt Rossi hop onto a superbike and win the Suzuka 8 hours with Edwards,lapping 1:5 seconds quicker than Edwards?
You are already making excuses for Spies's failure when the Moto gp boys arrive,its pathetic.So you really think doing over 200 laps is no advantage!!!!!!!! you are mad

All those test riders said that the track is very easy to learn (less than 10 laps to learn), so 200 laps doesn't afford much advantage. Still, that really shows motivation. He wants that job no doubt about it. Wish Suzuki could take their machine to the next level though.

Has Suzuki been on the podium at all this year?

Faulty reasoning padgoda. Rossi was used to 500cc 2 stroke so going to WSBK was a piece a cake by comparison. The reverse is a different story. But lets see where the chips fall at Laguna, shall we.

Pagoda - wrong - Edwards set the fastest lap in the Suzuka 8 hour not Rossi.

Read the article on Crash.net again - Spies was tyre testing for Bridgestone using a base setup. The test was arranged to test tyres as it's a track that MotoGP hasn't been to before.

The Suzuki isn't a competitive bike so Spies will be doing very well if he gets a top ten at Laguna or Indy

Apologies Pagoda - Correction - Rossi did set the fastest lap in the 2001 Suzuka 8 hour.

It would almost be funny if it weren't so pathetic. Spies has hardly turned a wheel in MotoGP and already the little kids and bigots are bashing him. He still has much less seat time on a GP bike than any of his competition, he'll be riding a bike that's a long way from being the best and what he did at Indy was totally legal by the rules.
As for his talent, try checking qualifying times for the 2007 MotoGp and AMA Superbike races at Laguna Seca. Spies, on a heavier, much less exotic Superbike would have qualified 18th, ahead of 3 GP riders. If he gets a competitive ride I expect he'll end up being the next American champion for all you rednecks to bash.

The Indy track looks like a McDonalds toilet very clean, very functional, but not very interesting

Try the McD toilet at Yass .. NOT clean (ever), yes it serves a purpose but certainly not interesting. Hope it doesn't rain at Indy .. it'd be like Yass all over again!!

Is there a Macca's at Yass - I didn't know Yass was still there.

Hey Roadrage - for what it's worth everyone gets bashed on this column - but the current 800cc format suits ex 125 and 250 riders so Ben will find it hard. What Americans (and Australians for that matter) ought to do is put more of their super sport riders in 250 and let them have the proper apprenticeship for motogp WITH sponsors

I mean seriously Andrew Forrest (Fortescue) or whatever his name is makes about 10 mill a day selling iron ore to China, surely he could flick a bit to gp racing.

In the last supersport race there were three Aussies on the podium but it is an ultra cheap form of racing

Andy,
I'm afraid the future of any world road racing for americans is in serious jeapordy with the take over of AMA by DMG. I whole heartedly agree with you about swithing from supersport. The Red Bull Rookies cup is a fantastic idea that will hopefully lead to an american up and commer getting into GP racing, only time will tell.
Americans are far too proud to ride one of those puny 250 or 125 bikes, faster is better right?
Anyone remember the last time there was an american in the 125 or 250 class?