Apologies for the delayed edition of today’s Racing Insider column, but later today we’ll have our first ever audio interview with Australian Superbike Championship director Yarrive Konsky. It’s something that’s new to MotoOnline.com.au, but both audio and video is something that we’ll be hoping to provide at high quality in the near future as we source the correct equipment.

MotoGP

Is MotoGP champ Rossi all but confirmed for World Rally?

This weekend’s Grand Prix of Japan marks the 700th motorcycle GP in history, and it’s fitting that it’s to be held in the home country of the Japanese manufacturers as they’ve been at the forefront of world motorcycle racing at the premier level mostly through thick and thin.

It’s been a long road to 700 grand prix events with many great athletes and stars born and bred within the series, so congratulations to both Dorna and the FIM on achieving what today’s MotoGP series is today.

Looking towards the future of MotoGP it’s becoming more apparent that reigning world champion Valentino Rossi will be looking at a career in the World Rally Champion within the next few years, and it’s very likely that he’ll hang up his motorcycle racing boots if he wins the championship both this year and the next – which would make it 10 world championships in his illustrious career.

Word from Motegi is that he’s very close to securing a deal with Ford, despite his Yamaha team’s association with Fiat, but when you’re Valentino Rossi you can essentially do whatever you like and attract the leading sponsors in the world to support your goals.

For now though, this year is going to be very much a challenge for Rossi if he is to beat Casey Stoner again, because Stoner has been supremely confident in his Ducati Desmosedici with its all-new carbon-fibre chassis and swingarm.

Both Valentino and Casey have wrapped up the world championship at Motegi in the last two seasons when it was run later on the calendar, so the Grand Prix of Japan is a memorable event for both of them and their challenge for victory on Sunday afternoon will certainly be one to watch.

Former teammates Dani Pedrosa and Nicky Hayden will both be nearing full fitness following their injuries that they had to race through in Qatar’s season opener.

Pedrosa has said he’ll have around 10 percent more movement for this weekend, while Nicky has been home to the States in between rounds and has the all clear on his back injury suffered in that massive qualifying highside in Qatar.

Rizla Suzuki had shown great pre-season pace that wasn’t capitalised on in the opening round, but don’t be surprised if either Chris Vermeulen or Loris Capirossi give the front runners a real push in the coming rounds.

The Suzuki may just be the second best bike in MotoGP behind Yamaha in 2009

In fact, from the outside it seems that the Suzuki could be the third best bike behind the Yamaha and Ducati – well, the Ducati in the hands of Stoner anyway because the Suzuki may even suit selected riders better than what the Desmosedici does because it’s easier to adapt to.

One other thing to look for this weekend is the official debut of Playboy on the fairings of Randy de Puniet’s LCR Honda, although don’t get too used to the bunny on the side of Randy’s bike because at this point the deal only extends over the first few rounds before its reviewed to see if Playboy (in Italy) is happy enough with the coverage that they have been getting.

Okay, that’s enough for MotoGP for today, but the news is just never ending in the premier class it seems!

Industry
A dispute between Donington Park’s owners and the Donington Ventures Leisure Limited company which leases the circuit has cast the British Grand Prix into doubt, with Donington’s circuit owners taking up legal proceedings and seeking over five million dollars in unpaid rent and the forfeit of the contract.

The dispute also casts doubt over the running of the Superbike World Championship round scheduled to run this season, as well as that of the British Superbike Championship if it’s not cleared up quickly enough.

A release on the subject can be found in our Press Releases section right here.

World Endurance
One of my most respected competitors from when I competed in the AMA was multiple times champion Jason Pridmore, who has since retired fulltime from AMA racing and now competes in the Endurance World Championship.

JP’s beginning to the season didn’t quite go to plan as he suffered a broken left arm and heel after crashing in the early hours of the morning. According to Cycle News in the States, Pridmore has returned to Northern California to get surgery by Dr. Arthur Ting, who has worked his magic on many top level motorcycle riders in the past.

It’s a hard luck story for Pridmore, and he is actually joined by Damian Cudlin this year as they train together and Pridmore helps Cudlin work towards his AMA aspirations.

Australian Superbike
There is still no official confirmation as to where the final round of the Australian Superbike Championship will take place, although it’s expected that it will be finalised shortly.

One thing that we do know is that the series won’t be travelling to Western Australia’s Barbagallo Raceway, well not in the July date that was mentioned in Tasmania.

Since the final round will be replacing the Calder Park round (if Calder does in fact need to be replaced as expected), then it would make sense to hold it at Winton, which is another Victorian circuit and has a great track record in recent years from both a rider and spectator standpoint.

Australian Motocross

Reed may be on target for an outdoor assault

Our good friends over at Australasian Dirt Bike magazine are reporting that current AMA/World Supercross Champion Chad Reed could be competing in the upcoming round of the MX Nationals to be held at Toowoomba in Queensland next month.

The word was spreading throughout the pit area at the second round of the series in Canberra last weekend that Reed may be making a return to domestic racing for the round in preparation for the American Motocross Nationals.

Reed isn’t currently scheduled to compete in the outdoors over there this year, but it is a series that’s missing from his glowing resume, so there is a possibility that he’ll race motocross again this year after being signed to a Supercross only contract over the past few years.

Let’s hope it’s true and that he does come back home for the next MX Nationals round. After all, he is the current Australasian Super X Champion!