Valentino Rossi, Eddie Lawson, Wayne Rainey and Kenny Roberts, 18 GP world titles between them, completed a series of Superkart demonstration laps at the spectacular Laguna Seca circuit.
It was supposed to be part of those events for the Mazda Speedway that leads into this weekend’s GP race, but it turned out to be a mini race with the Italian rider coming out on top over the Americans by 15 seconds on a one lap sprint.
The Grand Marshal was Colin Edwards.
Valentino Rossi:“Yes, I’m happy because for me now is possible say I beat Kenny Roberts, Wayne Rainey, and Eddie Lawson, so is so important.
The kart was fun.
Is so fast and share the track with these names, with these great names of the past was fun and important.
”“Before the first part, the first three laps, Eddie (Lawson) come to me and say, ‘We go slow, we stay all together behind Kenny (Roberts) for say ‘ciao’ to the crowd.
And I say, ‘Okay, like an exhibition.
’ I start slow from the pit, but out of the first corner I was already alone.
Everybody push a lot, so I say, ‘Now for the race, go full throttle, 100 percent.
”“Honestly I was bit nervous about the Superkarts before because I know how fast these things are!” “I sometimes drive one in Italy with friends, just for fun, but I know that Kenny, Eddie and Wayne like to race and they’re quite serious! Also this isn’t the easiest track… Anyway, it was great fun and I enjoyed myself a lot.
Wayne Rainey:“We had a plan, and it didn’t quite work.
We were all going to stay together, but suddenly we looked round and said ‘where did Valentino go?’” Eddie Lawson:“It was a lot of fun, getting to race against these guys, and against Valentino for the first time.
I maybe wasn’t so fast today…fourth fastest.
”Kenny Roberts: “We’ve got to keep building Valentino’s confidence, building him up slowly to help him out.
Now maybe he is ready to take the win on Sunday”