US MotoGP: Legends prep for Valentino Rossi kart showdown

Three of the most famous faces in the history of MotoGP have been getting in some crucial practice ahead of a special karting clash with modern day premier class star Valentino Rossi in Laguna Seca.
Eddie Lawson, Wayne Rainey and Kenny Roberts were all lapping the spectacular California circuit in karts last week ahead of a Yamaha SuperKarts showdown with Italian Rossi, who won his 100th GP in Assen last weekend.
The ‘demonstration’ will take place at 3.30pm California time on Thursday (11.30pm UK time) and Lawson, Rainey and Roberts, who won 10 MotoGP world titles between them in a golden era for American racing, tested the Yamaha TZ250 two-stroke karts last Friday.
“The most uncomfortable thing I’ve ever driven,” said Roberts, who is plotting a shock return to world championship racing in 2010 having submitted plans to enter the new 600cc Moto2 four-stroke class.
Lawson testing the SuperKart that eight-times world champion Rossi will drive and he said: “I cannot believe its perfect right out of the trailer.”
Triple world champion Rainey is also looking forward to the event.
“I think that could be fun. I didn’t really think it could happen, but they did it. I think it’s going to be a lot of fun. This is the only way I could get on the racetrack with those guys, so I’m glad these guys have agreed to say, ‘we’ll get in a kart so we can all be out there together, I think it’s pretty cool. We plan on putting on a show.”
The quartet will drive Yamaha TZ250 two-stroke karts in the exhibition and while Rossi insists there won’t be a competitive edge to the clash given his participation in the American MotoGP race, Rainey added: “I would think there’s probably going to be a winner. We’ll just see who that is. Normally at Laguna Seca you never know who’s going to win.”