Hayden heads U.S GP

Nicky Hayden has gone fastest in the second practice session with a new record time of 1:24.228.

The American, who has experience at the California track from AMA Superbike, demoted Troy Bayliss from the first session. Bayliss was still able to record the second fastest time, but now finds himself sandwiched between the factory Repsol Honda bikes of Hayden and third quickest Max Biaggi.

All of the top six fastest riders have previously raced at the circuit, with the only GP returnee, Alex Barros, taking fourth fastest, John Hopkins in fifth, and Colin Edwards in sixth.

Marco Melandri took eighth quickest behing Sete Gibernau, despite a big crash at the notorious Corkscrew section which left him with a bruised wrist and ankle.

Valentino Rossi is down in 10th place. Loris Capirossi is 16th quickest but is suffering from a bout of nausea, headache and fever. Ruben Xaus and Franco Battaini also crashed but escaped unscathed.

MotoGP free practice two:

1. Nicky Hayden 1:24.228.

2. Troy Bayliss 1:24.451.

3. Max Biaggi 1:24.542.

4. Alex Barros 1:24.564.

5. John Hopkins 1:24.679.

6. Colin Edwards 1:24.679.

7. Sete Gibernau 1:24.802.

8. Marco Melandri 1:24.938.

9. Carlos Checa 1:25.042.

10. Valentino Rossi 1:25.098.

11. Shinya Nakano 1:25.309.

12. Kenny Roberts 1:25.352.

13. Makoto Tamada 1:25.457.

14. Toni Elias 1:25.574.

15. Alex Hofmann 1:25.882.

16. Loris Capirossi 1:26.150.

17. Ruben Xaus 1:26.441.

18. Roberto Rolfo 1:27.060.

19. James Ellison 1:27.904

20. Shane Byrne 1:28.117.

21. Franco Battaini 1:30.282.

MotoGP first free practice session:

Troy Bayliss has set a new track record to lead the first practice session at the U.S GP at Laguna Seca.

The Australian put his Honda Pons RCV211 in first with a time of 1:24.547, ahead of the Repsol factory bike of Nicky Hayden. Hayden recored 1:24.639, just quicker than John Hopkins on the Red Bull Suzuki with 1:24.785.

The majority of riders completed around 50 laps in the two-hour practice session, which saw both Marco Melandri and Ruben Xaus crash. Melandri sat out the second part of the session to be checked out at the Medical centre, losing valuable track time.

Britian’s Shane Byrne finished the session 19th quickest on 1:27.857, and James Ellison finished with 1:28.809, just ahead of final rider, Blata WCM team-mate Franco Battaini.

MotoGP first practice:

1. Troy Bayliss 1:24.547.

2. Nicky Hayden 1:24.639.

3. John Hopkins 1:24.785.

4. Sete Gibernau 1:24.889.

5. Colin Edwards 1:24.922.

6. Valentino Rossi 1:24.969.

7. Alex Barros 1:25.048.

8. Max Biaggi 1:25.193.

9. Kenny Roberts 1:25.265.

10. Carlos Checa 1:25.763.

11. Shinya Nakano 1:25.779.

12. Loris Capirossi 1:25.967.

13. Alex Hofmann 1:26.203.

14. Marco Melandri 1:26.344.

15. Ruben Xaus 1:28.392.

16. Toni Elias 1:27.263.

17. Roberto Rolfo 1:27.323.

18. Makoto Tamada 1:27.511.

19. Shane Byrne 1:27.857.

20. James Ellison 1:28.809.

21. Franco Battaini 1:30.207.