Australian Casey Stoner, winner here in 2007 when he went on to clinch the MotoGP world title, was quickest in first practice on Friday for the US Grand Prix at Laguna Seca. While world champion Valentino Rossi posted the sixth fastest time just seven weeks after breaking his right leg, Ducati's Stoner set a blistering pace on a sun-baked but breezy afternoon. The 24-year-old Australian, who is bidding for his first win this season, completed 24 laps on the twisting, technically challenging circuit with a best time of one minute, 21.699 seconds. Yamaha's championship leader Jorge Lorenzo of Spain was next best on 1:21.932 with Honda's Italian Andrea Dovizioso third on 1:22.225. Spaniard Dani Pedrosa, fresh from victory at the German MotoGP and the winner at Laguna Seca last year, was fourth on the timesheets on a Honda. Lorenzo, who leads the championship by 47 points over second-placed Pedrosa, is aiming to extend his startling run of eight successive podiums this season, all of them in the top two. In many respects, Rossi's performance was the most impressive of the day, the 31-year-old Italian having missed four races since his leg injury last month at his home grand prix at Mugello. The nine-time world champion made a spectacular return to competition by finishing fourth in last week's German Grand Prix at the Sachsenring and he has lofty expectations at Laguna Seca where he pipped Stoner to the title in 2008. “If I can ride like at Sachsenring, it's possible to have a good weekend here,” said Rossi.”
