The press conference room in the Assen media centre was packed to the rafters on Wednesday afternoon as MotoGP’s ‘big guns’ previewed the 61st annual FIM World Championship event at the historic Dutch venue. Fiat Yamaha’s Barcelona protagonists, Valentino Rossi and Jorge Lorenzo, were joined by the man who sits alongside them at the head of the standings on 106 points, Ducati Marlboro’s Casey Stoner, to set the scene for the Alice TT Assen. Also answering questions were Rizla Suzuki’s Loris Capirossi and Repsol Honda rider Andrea Dovizioso. Aiming to create his own piece of history this weekend as he goes in search of Grand Prix victory number 100, Rossi looked ahead to the next three days of action, stating, “It is a great track here, it is always difficult because some of the corners have high banks, whereas others are very flat so it is difficult understand the braking points. I made my only mistake in a race last season here (referring to an early collision with Randy de Puniet), so we have to make sure it is better this year.” Just like in the Barcelona race, Lorenzo was right alongside his teammate to hype up this Saturday’s event, and he too was full of praise for the historic circuit. “I always tell everyone that this is my favourite track. I liked it even more before it was modified but it continues to be great fun to ride and the atmosphere is wonderful,” he said. “Also, I am really pleased that the championship is so close this year and we hope to carry on providing a good show.” Looking far less peaky than he did on the podium of the last round, Stoner was non-committal on his chances of repeating his 2008 Assen victory. “We had a fantastic race here last year, and our bike worked very well. We have a new bike this year and it is a different situation, so we have to wait and see what happens when we start on Thursday.” Ahead of that practice session, a selection of FIM World Championship riders took to the track with some classic machinery as part of the ‘MotorDreamEvenTT’ appetiser on Wednesday. Lorenzo was one of those trying out a vintage bike, riding a Jarno Saarinen 250cc Yamaha, whilst Monster Yamaha Tech 3’s 2006 nearly-man Colin Edwards finally got the chance to ride a race-winning machine at Assen -Jack Middelburg’s 500cc machine from 1980. Rizla Suzuki’s Chris Vermeulen rode the 1976 500cc Suzuki of his hero and mentor Barry Sheene, Hayate Racing rider Marco Melandri took control of a Lorenzo Pasolini 1968 Benelli replica and Dutch 125cc youngster Jasper Iwema was riding a 1972 Seel machine for the afternoon run-out. Scot Racing pair Yuki Takahashi and Gabor Talmacsi, meanwhile, rode a 1976 Mike Hailwood Honda replica and a 1976 Bob McIntyre Honda, respectively. Before the end of the day, the first confirmation of a new arrival in MotoGP for 2010 was made in the San Carlo Gresini hospitality area. Reigning 250cc World Champion Marco Simoncelli was announced as part of Fausto Gresini’s project for next season, making his debut in the premier class. More, from a press release issued by Pramac Racing Team: CANEPA ILL IN ASSEN. KALLIO ENERGIZED AFTER BARCELONA TEST After having participated to last Wednesday’s press conference to present the Dutch Grand Prix, Niccolò Canepa is back in the prestigious Assen circuit not in the best physical conditions due to influenza. The Pramac Racing rider is now recovering and will try to be at his best for tomorrow afternoon free practice. On this track the Italian rider made his debut in a European competition: it was in 2004 when he has ridden for the first time in the Superstock 1000. His teammate, Mika Kallio, is in great form also thanks to the good results achieved in the last test in Barcelona, when also thanks to some technical updates, he registered the fourth best lap time. The Finnish rider really appreciates Assen circuit and believes to be able to have a good race. In 2006, when he was competing in the 125cc class, he conquered here victory starting from pole position. Assen circuit is the only one that since 1949, when the World Championship was created, where a race has been organized every year. For this reason and with the high average speed allowed by the lines of this track, Assen circuit is known as the “University of Motorcycle racing”. The track is 4555 meters long and it has 11 right turns and 6 left turns. The main straight is 560 meters long. Fabiano Sterlacchini – Pramac Racing Technical Director “We arrive here in Assen with a lot of trust. During the day of testing in Barcelona we reached a really competitive level and also here we will have the same updates that should help us to improve. We have some other small updates but we will evaluate only tomorrow if we will use them or not. Mika is really concentrated and on this track he has already achieved good results in the past. Hopefully he will be able to repeat with us. Niccolò arrives here a bit ill but we hope he can be as his best for tomorrow first free practice.” Mika Kallio – Pramac Racing rider “This has usually been for me a favorable track in the past. In 2006, when I was riding in 125cc, I won starting from pole position. In the past years also Ducati achieved some positive results here and therefore we can aim at a good result. For sure I preferred the track a few years ago, now the first part is too slow. The things I like the most of this circuit is the atmosphere there is thanks to the great fans that come here. I can breathe a marvelous ambient with true motorcycle fans. Here there is history and we can see it.” Niccolò Canepa – Pramac Racing rider “Five years ago I have done my European debut on this track. I was 16 and I was riding for Kawasaki Bertocchi in the Superstock 1000 World Cup and if my memory isn’t too bad I concluded in 22nd position. Who knew that I would have come here five years later in the top class of motorcycle racing? I have done many sacrifices to arrive here and I know I have still many to do. I am trying to use in the best way possible this first year to learn the secrets of this new world. It hasn’t be easy to get used to it, but time is on my side. I was ill in the past few days and I hope I’ll better tomorrow when the time to step on track will come.” More, from a press release issued by Indianapolis Motor Speedway: MotoGP PREVIEW: TT ASSEN EVENT: TT Assen WHERE: TT Circuit Assen, Assen, Netherlands. Circuit is 2.830 miles (4.555 km), with 17 turns. Race is 26 laps. WHEN: Saturday, June 27. It is the seventh of 17 events this season. 2008 RACE WINNER: Casey Stoner, by 11.310 seconds over Dani Pedrosa 2008 POLE WINNER: Casey Stoner, 1 minute, 35.520 seconds U.S. TV: MotoGP: 6-7 p.m. (ET), Sunday, June 28, SPEED. 250cc: 5-6 p.m., Sunday, June 28, SPEED. THE AMERICANS: U.S. riders Colin Edwards (Houston, Yamaha Tech 3) and Nicky Hayden (Owensboro, Ky., Ducati Team) will compete in this race. Edwards is sixth and Hayden is 15th in the MotoGP standings after six races this season. “¢Colin Edwards: “We’ve had bad starts, jacked-up conditions. I had a rain map put into the bike for Motegi. I felt like we should have been fighting for the podium. I’ve had all these little things going on all year, and it’s just like, ‘Can I catch a break?'” Assen, I go good at. Laguna, I go good at. Donington, I go good at. Even Sachsenring, I’ve had a good race there. I’m looking real forward to the next four races. Laguna, Assen and Donington are three tracks that I just love, so we’re looking forward to a good run here.” “¢Nicky Hayden: “Assen is a special circuit for me I love it here. The final split is my favorite because you have a run of fast corners that are crucial to a fast lap. The weather can change from one minute to the next, so it will be important to make the most of all the track time available to us. I’ve had some of the best races of my career at Assen, like the fight for the win with Colin (Edwards) in 2006, which is my favorite. In 2007, I finished third, and the last year I had the heartbreak to lose the podium in the last corner! We know we have a lot of work to do, but myself and the team are hoping that the Catalunya race was the start of a major turnaround that we can continue to build on until the end of the season.” THEY SAID IT: “I really look forward to going to Assen. Holland is where my family came from, so there are always people around that remember my grandfather and tell me how they are related to me, so I feel like a bit of me is coming home!” Rizla Suzuki MotoGP rider Chris Vermeulen, a native of Australia with Dutch ancestry FAST FACTS: TT Assen is the only circuit that has been part of the World Championship since its inception. The track is nicknamed “The Cathedral” “¦ Valentino Rossi can earn his 100th victory in Grand Prix racing with a victory this weekend in Assen. Eight-time World Champion Rossi (six MotoGP, one 250cc, one 125cc) has 73 victories in MotoGP/500cc, 14 in 250cc and 12 in 125cc. Fellow Italian legend Giacomo Agostini leads the all-time win list with 122 “¦ Valentino Rossi, Jorge Lorenzo and Casey Stoner are tied atop the MotoGP standings with 106 points after six races this season “¦ American Colin Edwards has finished third at Assen twice, in 2005 and last year. Edwards, from Houston, appeared to be headed to his first MotoGP victory at the circuit in 2006 when he crashed in the final corner, handing the victory to fellow American Nicky Hayden “¦ Hayden has finished in the top four at TT Assen every year since 2005 “¦ With the addition of 125cc World Champion Gabor Talmacsi of Hungary to the MotoGP grid, nine of the 19 riders in the series have won a world title in at least one World Championship class. Sixteen of the riders have won a Grand Prix in a World Championship class “¦ American Stevie Bonsey will continue in the 250cc World Championship at this event aboard an Aprilia for the Milar-Juegos Lucky Racing Team. Bonsey, from Salinas, Calif., will race for the team for the rest of the season. He finished 15th in his debut with the team June 14 at the Grand Prix of Catalunya, becoming the first American rider to score points in the class since Kenny Roberts Jr. in 1995. Bonsey, 19, competed in the 125cc class the last two seasons and is the first full-time American rider in 250cc since Kurtis Roberts in 1997 “¦ American Cameron Beaubier will continue his first season in the 125cc class at this event. Beaubier, 16, from Roseville, Calif., is 26th in the World Championship standings this season for the Red Bull KTM 125 factory team. *** 2009 IMS tickets: Established in 1909, the Indianapolis Motor Speedway has long prevailed as an icon of motorsports excellence. Beginning in 2009, the Speedway celebrates its Centennial Era, commemorating the 100th anniversary of the facility in 2009 and the 100th anniversary of the Indianapolis 500 Mile Race in 2011. Tickets for the two remaining events in 2009 at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway the Allstate 400 at the Brickyard and Red Bull Indianapolis GP can be purchased online at www.indianapolismotorspeedway.com at any time. Tickets for groups of 20 or more also are on sale. Contact the IMS Group Sales Department at (866) 221-8775 for more information. More, from a press release issued by Playboy LCR Honda: SUNSHINE WELCOME THE MOTOGP RIDERS AT ASSEN Assen, 24 June: the MotoGP circus moved to the north of the Netherlands this week end for the seventh round of the season at the Dutch historic circuit of Assen. With its great atmosphere and unique history Assen is one of the riders’ favourite circuit even it has changed recently reducing the lap distance from 6.027km to 4.555km in 2005. Riding the LCR Honda RC212V Randy De Puniet currently hold 9th place in the premier class points standing thanks to his good placements in the first part of the season. The Frenchman arrived in Assen determined to get closer to the front and has got clear ideas about his machine set up ahead the 26-lap race on Saturday. De Puniet: “Assen is another amazing track on the MotoGP calendar. I like it very much although it was modified three years ago, which took away some of its character. I have been very fast at Assen in the past even last year I was fast there but in the beginning of the race Rossi hit me and I ran off the track into the gravel. The straights are not very long and the high corners required speed suit my riding style and my bike set-up. Considering the competitiveness of my machine package and my positive results at recent races I think we can again finish in the top ten this weekend.”