Stoner bounces back to top MotoGP warmup

Reigning MotoGP World Champion Casey Stoner led off the MotoGP Warmup session at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway with a 1´41.553 morning lap, showing some fearsome pace to put himself some six-tenths of a second ahead of poleman Valentino Rossi.

The top eight in the session were separated by less than a second, indicating that the Red Bull Indianapolis Grand prix could be one of the closest races of the 2008 season. Toni Elias will be looking to challenge for another podium from the third row on the grid, and placed third in the session ahead of Shinya Nakano, local rider Nicky Hayden, Andrea Dovizioso, Jorge Lorenzo and Chris Vermeulen.

The morning run went ahead without the presence of rain, although there could yet be some precipitation at the track before the afternoon is out.