INDIANAPOLIS, Monday, March 30, 2009 Casey Stoner completed a clean sweep of three official MotoGP preseason tests, leading the final tune-up for the 2009 season with a dominant performance March 28-29 at Jerez, Spain. 2007 MotoGP World Champion Stoner cemented his status as the series front-runner entering this season with a top lap of 1:38.646 on his Ducati during a simulated qualifying session March 29 at the 2.748-mile Jerez Circuit. Reigning World Champion and Red Bull Indianapolis GP winner Valentino Rossi was second at 1:39.365 on his Fiat Yamaha. “I really don’t know where that fast lap came from, especially at this track where I’ve never even been on the podium before,” Stoner said. “It’s been something of a bogey track for myself and the Ducati. This is a very, very good step for us. “It’s a great start to the year, but the real work now begins in Qatar.” The season-opening Qatar Grand Prix is scheduled for Sunday, April 12. The Red Bull Indianapolis GP will take place Sunday, Aug. 30 at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway. Stoner also led the official test Feb. 5-7 at the Sepang Circuit in Malaysia and the official night test March 1-3 at the Losail Circuit in Qatar. Rossi was held up by a slower bike on one of his fast laps, and then available time for the entire field was sliced when James Toseland crashed on the Tech 3 Yamaha, creating a red flag. Toseland suffered extensive bruising. “I am not sure I could have beaten Stoner today, though,” Rossi said. “He was faster over one lap than me. It was strange not to have a qualifying tire. The grip is not the same, but Bridgestone have done a good job and you can still push, so I think it will be possible to have some fun. Now we have finished testing, and we’re waiting to go racing. I think we’re in good shape, and it will be possible to push from the start.” Veteran Loris Capirossi was third at 1:39.757 on his Rizla Suzuki, while Jorge Lorenzo was fourth at 1:39.791 on his Fiat Yamaha. Lorenzo was one of only two riders who recorded their best time Saturday, March 28, and he was quickest overall that day. Chris Vermeulen rounded out a strong preseason of testing for Rizla Suzuki, fifth overall at 1:39.848. Mika Kallio was the top rookie, sixth overall at 1:40.149 on the Pramac Ducati. It was a final test of mixed results for American riders Colin Edwards and Nicky Hayden. Edwards ended up 10th overall at 1:40.305 during the simulated qualifying session on his Tech 3 Yamaha. 2006 World Champion Hayden, runner-up at the inaugural Red Bull Indianapolis GP, was 11th at 1:40.401 on his Ducati. “I started the timed session and I knew I could do a low (1:) 40, but to do a 39 I just didn’t have the right setup,” Edwards said. “The harder I tried to push, I seemed to get more chatter, and it was a bit of a speed limit. We’ve got a good idea of how to make it better, and we are just a little bit too hard on the front fork spring. “When I saw Casey do a 39.1 on only his third lap, I knew my package wasn’t ready to do that, and I’m not going to take any risks with the first race so close. I’m happy with the way the winter has gone. Yamaha has done a great job, and at every test we have been competitive.” Hayden was forced to mount his backup bike during the simulated qualifying session due to a clutch problem. “This morning we made some small improvements, and I was able to go a bit quicker, but the qualifying session was a bit of a disaster,” Hayden said. “We were making some changes beforehand but ran out of time to get the bike ready, and I lost some time at the beginning of the session. Then when I went out we had a clutch problem, and I had to change to my second bike, which I’ve hardly ridden this weekend, and it had a different setting. “Casey has shown the package is good, and to be honest, I’d hoped to be closer to him by this stage. But it’s time to go racing now, so we’ll go out to Qatar, work hard and see what happens.” Repsol Honda standout Dani Pedrosa didn’t participate in this test, recuperating from surgery to repair a broken left arm earlier this month during the Qatar night test. He is expected to compete in the season opener April 12 at Qatar. TESTING RESULTS (Top overall times) Pos. Rider Team Time 1. Casey Stoner Ducati Team 1:38.646 2. Valentino Rossi Fiat Yamaha Team 1:39.365 3. Loris Capirossi Suzuki MotoGP 1:39.757 4. Jorge Lorenzo Fiat Yamaha Team 1:39.791 5. Chris Vermeulen Suzuki MotoGP 1:39.848 6. Mika Kallio Pramac Racing (Ducati) 1:40.149 7. Andrea Dovizioso Repsol Honda Team 1:40.168 8. Sete Gibernau Grupo Francisco Hernando (Ducati) 1:40.228 9. Toni Elias San Carlo Honda Gresini 1:40.266 10. Colin Edwards Tech 3 Yamaha 1:40.305 11. Nicky Hayden Ducati Team 1:40.401 12. Marco Melandri Hayate Racing Team 1:40.405 13. Randy de Puniet LCR Honda MotoGP 1:40.646 14. Yuki Takahashi Scot Racing Team (Honda) 1:40.814 15. Alex de Angelis San Carlo Honda Gresini 1:40.869 16. James Toseland Tech 3 Yamaha 1:41.122 17. Vittoriano Guareschi Ducati Team 1:41.485 18. Niccolo Canepa Pramac Racing (Ducati) 1:41.551 19. Kousuke Akiyoshi Repsol Honda Team 1:42.058 *** 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 three events in 2009 at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway the Indianapolis 500, 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.