With a searing, asphalt melting lap time of 1:20.700 aboard his Ducati Marlboro Desmosedici GP8, MotoGP World Champion Casey Stoner nicked the pole for Sunday’s Red Bull U.S. Grand Prix set for Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca. Decimating the track record, the Australian’s lap was .447 seconds clear of current World Championship leader Valentino Rossi.

“This morning we were struggling a little bit, I suppose with the colder conditions,” Stoner said in a press conference. “We just couldn’t get the setup and the bike was using a bit too much travel in both ends, front and rear. We had a little bit of work this afternoon, but we definitely found something. On the brakes it’s a lot more stable and I’m able to get on the gas a little bit earlier now because it’s just a bit more stable in the middle of the corner.

“Qualifying I was a little bit nervous because I had one tire to do the lap because I messed up the first tires cause I kept pushing the front. I just couldn’t get a good feeling with it so with the last tire I just went out and I was a little bit nervous. The rear was really good, but I was struggling with the front so I had to put a nice lap together and we did enough to get the pole position. We’re very happy. That’s five on a trot now so we’re very, very happy.”

Firing from second on the grid with a lap of 1:21.147 will be Rossi.

“I start 30 second earlier,” Rossi scoffed of Stoner’ flyer of a qualifying lap. “I’m quite happy and it’s a good job because we did quite good simulation for the tires. I think for tomorrow it be a hard race for everybody for physical is difficult Laguna and also for the tires is quite critical. So anyway I start on the front row from the second place is a good target for us. In the last races we struggle a little bit more in the practice now we are in the right way so we try to make a good start and a good race.”

American Nicky Hayden — so popular here on California asphalt — was the third fastest qualifier.

“I’m quite excited to be on the front row,” said Hayden. “Things have been a little bit rough this weekend, but the team did a good job and the warmer weather in the afternoon certainly helped us. I’m happy to be on the front row.”

Starting on the inside of the second row will be Rossi’s Fiat Yamaha teammate, Jorge Lorenzo. Alongside the Spaniard will be Tech 3 Yamaha’s James Toseland and the LCR Honda of Randy de Puniet. Recently re-signed Tech 3 Yamaha pilot Colin Edwards will line up on the inside of row three, Rizla Suzuki’s Chris Vermeulen and JiR Team Scot’s Andrea Dovizioso adjacent to him.

American wildcards Ben Spies and Jamie Hacking qualified 13th and 18th, respectively.

Eric Johnson