Only Gagne and Kent can win the Cup and the 17 year old Californian holds an 11 point advantage going into the final 17 laps so needs to at least finish 3rd if he is to stop Kent snatching the Cup by winning the race. Just 3 tenths slower than Kent is 16 year old Australian Josh Hook who was in a front row spot towards the end of the session then got a tow from Kent in the final laps to grab 2nd position on the grid.

Unusually for a Rookies Cup race the 3rd fastest, Kevin Calia is almost 8 tenths slower with his time from the 1st Qualifying session and Daijiro Hiura is a full second slower and completes the front row.

Kent is looking forward to the race in the most determined fashion. “I can’t be beaten for second in the Cup so I’ve just got to go out, put my head down and go for the win, nothing else will do and I’ve got to hope that a couple of other guys can also beat Jake.” So is it a case of ‘win or crash’? “Something like that,” Kent answered with his trademark grin. “The bike’s great and I am enjoying the track, I’ve never ridden here before, it’s a bit bumpy, like British tracks so I’m feeling at home here.”

Gagne may be down in 10th but he has already won 4 races this year and previously also made a nonsense of his qualifying position. “We had a bit of trouble in practice, in the first session the engine just got slower and slower then stopped. So for the second they put me out on a spare bike but that felt completely different to mine, so we’ve struggled a bit to get it to work for me. I like the track though, it’s got a good mixture of slow and fast corners so I’m sure the race will be fine, I’ve just got to get a good start, get with the front guys and check out where Danny is I guess.”

Hook is obviously one of those likely to get in middle of the battle that decides the Cup and was thrilled with his superb qualifying. “The first timed session wasn’t good at all, I was pushing too hard, making mistakes and down in 12th place. I was cool for the second session, just did my own thing and was 4th fastest. I would have been happy to be on the front row so stopped at the pits, thought about it a bit and went out again. Danny was just ahead so that was a good mark for me to aim at and I got the time right there at the end of the session.”

Calia was happy with 3rd even if not with the 2nd qualifying session. “I don’t know why but I just could make a good lap time like I did in the 1st session but the bike is great, I enjoy the track. I have not been here that much it’s just my 4th race here and I think it will be a very hard and close race, just like the Sachsenring and a lot of our other races.”

There are plenty of other riders with thoughts of getting on the podium and even winning the race and Hiura is one of them. “I came here determined to win so even though I am 4th on the grid I am not happy because I am 1 second slower than Danny. The bike is fine, it is down to me to improve, I don’t know where I can find a second, that is what I have got to think about.”

Cappella heads the second row and even though he might be considered to have a home track advantage in fact he has never raced or even tested at the track before. He was a little frustrated not to have been quicker as he finished the session in the pits. “I pulled in to change the rear suspension because it was moving around a lot on the gas. Then I found there was only a minute to go so it was too late. I don’t know if I will change it for the race, I will have to think about it but I am having fun here, it’s a great track.”

Saturday’s final race of the Cup season can be seen live either on TV stations or on www.redbull.com/tv starting at 16.30 CET.

Official Qualifying Classification

1. Danny Kent (GBR) 1 minute 47.532 seconds (187.2 kph)
2. Joshua Hook (AUS) +0.305
3. Kevin Calia (ITA) +0.772
4. Daijiro Hiura (JPN) +1.073
5. Alessio Cappella (ITA) +1.338
6. Xavier Figueras (ESP) +1.404
7. Alejandro Pardo (ITA) +1.428
8. Brad Binder (RSA) +1.437
9. Xavier Pinsach (ESP) +1.583
10. Jake Gagne (USA) +1.763

Instead the Bancaja Aspar Team rider gets his kicks from triathlon – a sport that forms the basis of his training schedule and his only passion away from motorcycles. “Racing bikes is my main passion, I live for it, but immediately behind it is triathlon. It is three sports in one and they all give me the physical and mental preparation I need to race bikes.” Ever since meeting his personal trainer, Mark, in 2007 he has honed his competitive edge in triathlon as part of a daily routine geared purely towards glory.

An alert, hyperactive person, Bradley couldn’t sit still for a minute even if he wanted to. Racing pumps through his veins to the point where he constantly seems to be cycling clear of the peloton. On the racetrack he battles with his rivals, in the triathlons he races against himself. “I compete in triathlons because I am a competitive person and it is my escape from the World Championship paddock. Whenever I compete in a triathlon I give it my best but it’s nice because I’m not under any pressure. I really enjoy myself.” More than a hobby, competing in triathlon is a way of life – swimming, cycling and running keep him in peak physical condition and mentally alert. “Triathlon helps me to control my training, nutrition and recovery.”

That said, the Oxfordshire teenager never loses sight of his main focus and the fact that the most important thing for him is to dedicate himself 110% to racing motorcycles, despite the passion for triathlon that pulses through his veins. He fits his seven races (3 duathlons and 4 triathlons) around his World Championship commitments and finds gaps in the MotoGP calendar to spend time with his family away from the track. “Triathlon gives me the opportunity to visit nice places, like this year I went to Alpe d’Huez. In the paddock everybody needs things from you but at the triathlons I’m just another person and I love that – it helps me keep my feet on the ground.”

As well as competing in the Alpe d’Huez this summer he also entered the famous London event between the races in Germany and Czech Republic. Instead of packing his bermuda shorts and towel, like the majority of his 125cc rivals, Bradley headed off with his swimsuit, bicycle and running shoes to contest one of the most demanding events in Europe. The French race featured a 1.2km swim, a 30km ride around the lung-busting slopes of the Alpe d´Huez followed by a 7km run at 2,000m altitude. The following weekend he was in his country’s capital for his next challenge. “When you go to a triathlon you experience a totally pure atmosphere, everybody is the same and there are no differences. Everybody suffers the same and there is a spirit of companionship that is hard to find anywhere else. Everybody is happy for each other, the people cheer you in the streets… I love it. It takes me to another dimension and I escape from everything else. This is the true meaning of a holiday and a break for me.”

Now he is back on track for Grand Prix glory and his triathlon exploits must wait for another day. The hardest part of the season is nigh, with trips to Japan, Malaysia and Australia on the horizon. The Bancaja Aspar rider is safe in the knowledge that he is physically prepared. “I think my triathlon training gives me an edge over the rest of the competition in the class, I never feel exhausted at the end of a race no matter how hard the conditions are.”

Bradley doesn’t seem to know if he is competing to live or living to compete. But somewhere amongst the wheels, handlebars, swimsuits, running shoes and mountains lies a balance that allows him to live life his way – on the move. That is why his relaxed, affable appearance is so at odds with the chaos of his profession.

As if the tightness of the top two was not enough, Pol Espargaró lurks just a single point behind Terol as the trio continue to size each other up at every round. Just five days after the action at Indy they will be back on track Misano, eager to strike their next blows in the 11th round of an intriguing battle.

Red Bull Ajo Motorsport’s Márquez was strong in Indy despite his lingering injury concerns and proved his mettle with pole position, but tenth in the race and a first back-to-back set of victories for Bancaja Aspar’s Terol saw the 17 year-old’s advantage lessened. Third for Tuenti Racing’s Espargaró was enough to maintain a very close check on things.

52 points back in fourth place is Bradley Smith and whilst the Bancaja Aspar rider’s chances of challenging for the title appear to be weaker now, the Brit has been on the podium at Misano for the past two seasons and is still in search of a first win of 2010.

A podium for Sandro Cortese (Avant Mitsubishi Ajo) in the previous round will have boosted the German’s confidence further and he will aim to close up further on Smith in the standings, with Esteve Rabat (Blusens-STX) not far behind.

Returning to action will be Alexis Masbou (Ongetta Team) and Sturla Fagerhaug (AirAsia – Sepang International Circuit Team), with five Italian wild cards adding to the field in the shapes of Francesco Mauriello (Team Semprucci), Tommaso Gabrielli (Racing Team Gabrielli) and Junior GP team riders Giovanni Bonati, Alessandro Tonucci and Armando Pontone.

Source: motogp.com

The result in the U.S. was the Spaniard’s third successive win, the first time he has secured a treble of back-to-back victories in his GP career, and he has an impressive record at Misano. In 2008 he finished on the podium in the premier class and was sixth last year.

His closest challenger in the race for the title remains Andrea Iannone and the Fimmco Speed Up rider showed his resilience in the previous round. A crash at the beginning of qualifying in Indianapolis resulted in an injured ankle and restricted the Italian to a start from 25th on the grid, but he still rode to fourth place. He has a best result of sixth at Misano in the 125cc class from two years ago.

Level on 108 points in third and fourth are Thomas Lüthi (Interwetten Moriwaki) and Julián Simón (Mapfre Aspar). The Swiss rider has a best result of fourth at Misano in the 250cc class, whilst Simón won there last year on his way to the 125cc title and is fresh off the back of a second-placed finish from pole in Indy.

Simone Corsi (JiR Moto2) is another rider who put in a highly impressive ride in the U.S. after the Italian started from the back of the grid. He finished fifth and has been on the podium at Misano in the 125cc class before so will be confident of picking up more Championship points on his Motobi bike.

Yuki Takahashi (Tech 3 Racing) and Gabor Talmacsi (Fimmco Speed Up) are part of a chasing pack looking for repeats of positive results at Misano. The Japanese rider finished second there in the 250cc class in 2008, whilst Talmacsi won the 125cc race.

The Moto2 field will be supplemented by two Italian wild card entries for the weekend with Mattia Pasini riding for Italtrans STR and Ferruccio Lamborghini the Forward Racing team, both on Suter chassis.

Source: motogp.com

Kent has a fine record this season as he backed up victory in the first race of the year at Jerez with 3 2nd places and 2 3rds. Gagne started slower and did not win until race 4 at Assen but he has been on the podium 4 times in total and only on the top spot. Gagne needs 3rd in Misano to take the Cup if Kent wins.

It is the first Rookies race at Misano so a new experience for most of the riders and both Gagne and Kent know very well that it is not just a battle between the pair of them. Already there have been 5 different winners in the 9 races so far contested with Daniel Ruiz, Daijiro Hiura and Kevin Calia well capable of adding another win to their tally in Italy.

There have been 9 different riders on the podium and of those, Brad Binder the 15 year old South African and 16 year old Briton Harry Stafford probably have the greatest frustration in have victory so far elude them. Both have said they are determined to put that right in Misano. Binder scored a 3rd in Mugello and two close 2nds behind Gagne at the Sachsenring.

Mugello winner Hiura is the most frustrated rider of all this year after suffering a mechanical failure in Assen and being brought down in race 2 in Brno after finishing 2nd on the Saturday. Hiura, Binder, Ruiz and Calia are all fighting over 3rd place in the Cup standings, with that place at the moment a tie between Hiura and Binder.

Stafford is back in 7th ahead of Alex Kristiansson who should be a lot fitter after the three week break since Brno when he tried to return too quickly from his broken collarbone. Unfortunately Mathew Scholtz who also tried unsuccessfully to ride in Brno will not be able to try again in Misano as his doctor at home in South Africa has warned that riding will do too much damage to the nasty injury to his big toe he sustained in the Assen practice crash.

Good luck Danny from all at MotoGPBrits.com!

Scott Redding:
“I got a good start, was on the pace and having a good battle in the leading group. I was pushing to make up more places when, unfortunately, I collided with Fonsi Nieto and got pushed off line. The field was so close together that I’d dropped right back to 27th by the time I’d got everything back together. Then it was a real battle to try and claw back places. I could make passes, but actually making them stick was much harder. After securing our best grid position of the season, I’m obviously disappointed with the final result, but I’m also determined to bounce back in two weeks time at the Indianapolis Grand Prix.”

Bradley Smith:
“To tell the truth, it was a pity how things turned out today. I was totally convinced that I had everything in place to have a good race, but things started to go sour on the grid. It was hard to know what decision to make, but we went for wet tyres on the dry setting. I had big problems with grip at the start of the race and had to take risks on every corner, which lost me positions. When the track had dried completely ten laps before the end, I started to pick up the race pace. I am disappointed because we were on top all weekend and could have had a win, but the weather knocked us off balance. This isn’t the result that I wanted from Brno, but at least I can say that I gave my all. We know what happened and now have to get back on form for Indianápolis.”