Ben Spies grateful for Casey Stoner advice

American Ben Spies reckons the help and advice he’s getting from the likes of former world champion Casey Stoner is proving a massive help in him adapting to the MotoGP world championship.

The reigning World Superbike champion has been absorbing all the advice he can get as he tries to shorten the learning curve in MotoGP.

Spies has been in regular debriefs with Monster Yamaha Tech 3 team-mate and fellow Texan Colin Edwards during winter testing as he bids to make an instant impact in his first full MotoGP campaign in 2010.

And the 25-year-old has clicked with Aussie Stoner, not least because of their mutual love of bow hunting.

“A lot of what we talk about isn’t even motorcycles, “said Spies, who was an impressive fifth quickest at the last test in Sepang on only his fourth appearance on board a Yamaha YZR-M1 machine.

Spies said Stoner had been giving him a few tips and told MCN: “I really like him a lot. He sometimes catches a bit of flak with the media but he’s a true racer and that’s what I like about him.

“He’s not in it for the other stuff and he’s just about the business on the track and I’ve got a lot of respect for him.

“When he does talk about stuff I’m willing to listen. It’s good to listen to somebody that is that fast.”