While driving through Berry yesterday on the way to Nowra, we noticed a sign that advertised the National Motoring Heritage show, due to be held at the Berry Showground today. So, this morning the birds were singing, the sun was shining and yummy breakfast at the Manning Cafe at Kiama was well and truly on the menu. Having staved off the pangs we headed south and took in the show, and what a show it was. There were exhibits from many brand-specific car clubs (Renault, Holden, VW etc) as well as my by various clubds (Shoalhaven, Illawarra and so forth) Unfortunately lack of mobility didn’t allow me to explore fully the whole show but I was able to get around and see most exhibits and get some photos as well.
The bike exhibit was very poor. A few XS-model Yamahas, a few Harleys and a couple of Britbikes. Very disappointing. The best bike there was a spectator’s bike (see the album).
I took some photos and I have posted them on my Facebook page. You can view the album without having to be a Facebook member just by following THIS LINK.
Qualifying for MotoGp last night was a bit of surprise. On a track that is regarded as a Yamaha/Lorenzo patch, the best the World Champion could manage was 5th while the Hondas smashed the first 4 places on the grid.
1 | Casey Stoner | Repsol Honda | Honda RC212V | 1:33.153 |
2 | Marco Simoncelli | San Carlo Honda Gresini | Honda RC212V | 1:33.212 |
3 | Andrea Dovizioso | Repsol Honda | Honda RC212V | 1:33.621 |
4 | Dani Pedrosa | Repsol Honda | Honda RC212V | 1:33.683 |
5 | Jorge Lorenzo | Yamaha Factory Racing | Yamaha M1 | 1:33.706 |
6 | Cal Crutchlow | Monster Yamaha Tech 3 | Yamaha M1 | 1:33.804 |
7 | Colin Edwards | Monster Yamaha Tech 3 | Yamaha M1 | 1:34.063 |
8 | Ben Spies | Yamaha Factory Racing | Yamaha M1 | 1:34.206 |
9 | Valentino Rossi | Ducati Marlboro | Ducati GP11 | 1:34.206 |
10 | Nicky Hayden | Ducati Marlboro | Ducati GP11 | 1:34.277 |
11 | Randy De Puniet | Pramac Racing | Ducati GP11 | 1:34.351 |
12 | Alvara Bautista | Rizla Suzuki | Suzuki GSV-R | 1:34.513 |
13 | Hiroshi Aoyama | San Carlo Honda Gresini | Honda RC212V | 1:34.612 |
14 | Hector Barbera | Aspar Team | Ducati GP11 | 1:34.650 |
15 | Loris Capirossi | Pramac Racing | Ducati GP11 | 1:34.866 |
16 | Karel Abraham | Cardion AB MotoRacing | Ducati GP11 | 1:35.010 |
17 | Toni Elias | LCR Honda | Honda RC212V | 1:35.433 |
Worryingly for Rossi, he qualified 9th, over a second off pole and SLOWER than Stoner’s qualifying time on the Ducati GP10 last year. The new subframe has not yielded the result that Ducati and Rossi were expecting.
And, while we’re on the subject, does it seem to you that there are some riders in this field who aren’t really justifying their excessive salaries? The two Americans, for a start, are both there for political reasons rather than performance ones. While I have been a huge fan of Aoyama while he was riding 250’s his performances in the top class have been less than stellar (he’ll keep his spot for political reasons also). But Elias? How can you go from dominating Moto2 to propping up last place on the grid in such a short period of time? And what of Loris Capirossi? Surely he’s well and truly past his use-by date?
Hopefully the dead wood will be lopped off before the 2012 season begins (but I wouldn’t hold your breath waiting)