The original Phillip Island racing circuit in Australia was first built in 1928 and was 10 miles in length. Known as the Australian Grand Prix, the race ran over public roads and was 100 miles in duration. Races ran at the dusty and dangerous track through the late 1930s, but in 1956, a group of businessmen created a permanent, purpose-built circuit just two kilometers away from the old street course. Cast as the Phillip Island circuit, the 2.762-mile, 12-turn circuit has experienced a somewhat torrid history — opened and closed a number of times in the past 30 years— until 1989, when the now named MotoGP World Championship Series placed the track on its schedule in 1989. The premiere race was a classic as Wayne Gardner, Wayne Rainey, Christian Sarron and Kevin Magee battled to the bitter end, the Australian Gardner prevailing to claim the victory before an adoring national crowd.

Flash ahead 19 years to the 2008 Australian Grand Prix. On a sunny Sunday afternoon, once again it was an Australian winning on home nation asphalt as 2007 MotoGP World Champion Casey Stoner raced away from newly crowned 2008 World Champion Valentino Rossi and American Nicky Hayden to win his home Grand Prix for the second consecutive year. When the 27-lap race began, it was Hayden and 22 year-old Stoner racing away from the pack on their 800cc works bikes. Seven laps in, Stoner held sway over the Kentucky Kid by .177 seconds, however one lap later, the Marlboro Ducati rider shook off his adversary and began to pull away.

“Nicky was following me for a long time and then Nicky seemed to drop off and give me some breathing space,” explained Stoner of how he won his fifth Grand Prix of the season. “From that we built up a great advantage."

“We knew that the race was going to be hard, as normally you cant get away here, but we did,” added Stoner. “Nicky was with me for a while but then he seemed to drop off. To be World Champion last year and in running for second this year is great, If we can challenge for the title again next year it will be fantastic, and if not for now the home victory is something that we can be happy with.”

Meanwhile, behind the fleeting duo, a brawl for third place took place between Tech 3 Yamaha’s James Toseland, Fiat Yamaha’s Jorge Lorenzo, JiR Team Scot MotoGP’s Andrea Dovizioso and San Carlo Honda Gresini’s Shinya Nakano. Also caught up in the mix was Valentino Rossi, who fought his way through the fray to pass Toseland on lap number 13. With 4 laps left in the race, Rossi was six seconds down on Hayden, yet the Italian kept digging, and on the white flag lap, passed Hayden for second in turn one. Hayden would hold onto the final podium spot, with fourth falling to Jorge Lorenzo and fifth to Shinya Nakano.

Said third place finisher Hayden after the race: “At the beginning it was really fun. It was good to be at the front keeping the pressure on Casey. This track is so hard on tyres that I knew it would be a gamble and nearly went harder today; in fact, on my sighting lap I put a harder tyre on before changing it on the grid. This season has been so hard, but we’ll keep pushing for results and to salvage something until it’s over.”

With two races left on the 2008 MotoGP World Championship schedule, Nicky Hayden, who will move to the Marlboro Ducati team in 2009, is sixth in series’ points.

Phillip Island MotoGP:

1. Casey Stoner (Ducati)
2. Valentino Rossi (Yamaha)
3. Nicky Hayden (Honda)
4. Jorge Lorenzo (Yamaha)
5. Shinya Nakano (Honda)
6. James Toseland (Yamaha)
7. Andrea Dovizioso (Honda)
8. Colin Edwards (Yamaha)
9. Randy de Puniet (Honda)
10. Loris Capirossi (Suzuki)