The final minutes of the qualifying session at the Laguna Seca racetrack was shaken by two massive highsides by Yamaha’s Jorge Lorenzo and Ducati’s Casey Stoner.

Jorge Lorenzo suffered the second of his two qualifying crashes and both crashes were at the same right corner. The first coming with about 20 minutes left in the session, Lorenzo lost his front but was was able to walk away the crash and return to his garage to pick up his second bike. In the second crash he hit his shoulder and ankle and knee, he tried walking a few steps but his leg gave out and was transported by stretcher to the track medical center. Lorenzo was clearly in pain, indicating his shoulder and foot to the waiting Dr. Costa.

Valentino Rossi grabbed second place in his final run, 0.167sec from Lorenzo’s pole, but the Italian has set-up problems in the third. but especially fourth section of the circuit, but with both rivals now fighting physical problems, Laguna could again become the turning point of the MotoGP season.

Stoner also crashed, but in turn three. His highside left him winded, but was able to return to his garage without going to the Clinica Mobile, but his third place puts him on the front row.

Second row is all Honda, with Dani Pedrosa in front of teammate Andrea Dovizioso, and Toni Elias in sixth, just 0.011s from Dovizioso Repsol Honda.

Colin Edwards is seventh, alongside fellow American Nicky Hayen, at his season best so far, followed by Chris Vermeulen in 9th, who has had two crashes this weekend.

Loris Capirossi closed top ten and was 0.029sec slower than this team-mate. Marco Melandri will start eleventh for followed by Alex de Angelis and Sete Gibernau.

14th on the grid will be Randy DePuniet while James Toseland will start 15th, ahead of rookies Niccolo Canepa and Gabor Talmacsi.

Laguna Seca Qualifying:

1 Jorge LORENZO YAMAHA 1′21.678
2 Valentino ROSSI YAMAHA + 0.167
3 Casey STONER DUCATI + 0.232
4 Dani PEDROSA HONDA + 0.435
5 Andrea DOVIZIOSO HONDA + 0.457
6 Toni ELIAS HONDA + 0.468
7 Colin EDWARDS YAMAHA + 0.812
8 Nicky HAYDEN DUCATI + 0.862
9 Chris VERMEULEN SUZUKI + 0.955
10 Loris CAPIROSSI SUZUKI + 0.984
11 Marco MELANDRI KAWASAKI + 1.164
12 Alex DE ANGELIS HONDA + 1.326
13 Sete GIBERNAU DUCATI + 1.428
14 Randy DE PUNIET HONDA + 1.469
15 James TOSELAND YAMAHA + 1.712
16 Niccolo CANEPA DUCATI + 2.234
17 Gabor TALMACSI HONDA + 2.850

(no votes)

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