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MONTERY, California - Spanish Yamaha rider Jorge Lorenzo shrugged off a spectacular crash during practice to capture pole position on Saturday for Sunday's US Motorcycle Grand Prix at Laguna Seca.
Lorenzo, who is chasing Australian Casey Stoner for the series points lead, clocked the fastest qualifying time of 1min21.202ec, edging Stoner to second with 1min21.274.
'VERY UGLY CRASH'
Stoner's Honda team mate Dani Pedrosa of Spain was third-quickest, Lorenzo's factory Yamaha team mate Ben Spies fourth.
Lorenzo's second pole of the 2011 season came after he was sent flying in the morning's third and final free practice. After a few moments on the ground, he stood and limped off the track. He was checked by doctors at the race medical centre and cleared for qualifying.
"It was a very ugly crash this morning. When I hit the ground I was full of pain and I was thinking that the race was over for me," Lorenzo admitted. "Fortunately, after some minutes, the pain was going little by little - but to be in the first position is better than I expected."
Lorenzo was still limping after qualifying but said the discomfort was less when he was riding.
"On the bike I don't feel so much pain, so I could go fast from the beginning and then make a very good lap time with the soft tyres," he said. "We are very proud of this result."
STONER NOT OPTIMISTIC
Lorenzo was fast early in qualifying but it wasn't until his 35th and final lap that he set his pole-winning time to deny Stoner, who had had the fastest time from the three practice sessions.
Pedrosa, who won in Germany the previous weekend, was 0.183sec off the qualifying pace. Spies was 0.376sec behind Lorenzo.
Despite booking a front-row spot on the grid, Stoner wasn't sounding optimistic. "For the whole session we were trying to find the right set-up," the Aussie, who has a 15-point lead over Lorenzo to top the standings into Sunday's race, said. "All weekend we've been struggling a little and we've found nothing with which I'm comfortable.
"We’d expected the bike to work well."
After Lorenzo had set a target with a fast lap 15 minutes into the session America's Spies delighted the home fans when he took provisional pole with 15 minutes remaining but a crash with five minutes remaining left Spies' machine damaged and he was knocked into fourth place as Lorenzo delivered his scorching late run.
CRASH FEST
"I made a mistake and locked-up the front going in to turn three while trying hard to get on the front row," Spies explained. "I banged my hand up quite a bit but it will be fine and ready for the race."
Italian Marco Simoncelli, who put his Honda on pole in Barcelona and Assen this season, was fifth-fastest.
Alvaro Bautista emerged unhurt after crashing his Suzuki during qualifying. France's Randy de Puniet also crashed heavily.
Lorenzo, who is chasing Australian Casey Stoner for the series points lead, clocked the fastest qualifying time of 1min21.202ec, edging Stoner to second with 1min21.274.
'VERY UGLY CRASH'
Stoner's Honda team mate Dani Pedrosa of Spain was third-quickest, Lorenzo's factory Yamaha team mate Ben Spies fourth.
Lorenzo's second pole of the 2011 season came after he was sent flying in the morning's third and final free practice. After a few moments on the ground, he stood and limped off the track. He was checked by doctors at the race medical centre and cleared for qualifying.
"It was a very ugly crash this morning. When I hit the ground I was full of pain and I was thinking that the race was over for me," Lorenzo admitted. "Fortunately, after some minutes, the pain was going little by little - but to be in the first position is better than I expected."
Lorenzo was still limping after qualifying but said the discomfort was less when he was riding.
"On the bike I don't feel so much pain, so I could go fast from the beginning and then make a very good lap time with the soft tyres," he said. "We are very proud of this result."
STONER NOT OPTIMISTIC
Lorenzo was fast early in qualifying but it wasn't until his 35th and final lap that he set his pole-winning time to deny Stoner, who had had the fastest time from the three practice sessions.
Pedrosa, who won in Germany the previous weekend, was 0.183sec off the qualifying pace. Spies was 0.376sec behind Lorenzo.
Despite booking a front-row spot on the grid, Stoner wasn't sounding optimistic. "For the whole session we were trying to find the right set-up," the Aussie, who has a 15-point lead over Lorenzo to top the standings into Sunday's race, said. "All weekend we've been struggling a little and we've found nothing with which I'm comfortable.
"We’d expected the bike to work well."
After Lorenzo had set a target with a fast lap 15 minutes into the session America's Spies delighted the home fans when he took provisional pole with 15 minutes remaining but a crash with five minutes remaining left Spies' machine damaged and he was knocked into fourth place as Lorenzo delivered his scorching late run.
CRASH FEST
"I made a mistake and locked-up the front going in to turn three while trying hard to get on the front row," Spies explained. "I banged my hand up quite a bit but it will be fine and ready for the race."
Italian Marco Simoncelli, who put his Honda on pole in Barcelona and Assen this season, was fifth-fastest.
Alvaro Bautista emerged unhurt after crashing his Suzuki during qualifying. France's Randy de Puniet also crashed heavily.
