Good weekend at Laguna Seca. For both WSBK and MotoAmerica, tight competitive races at the front despite the shallow fields. Nice to see Nicky Hayden hustle that outdated Honda onto the podium for his home race.
Ducati's situation is very difficult, in terms of competing for a championship. I blame electronics. Modern racing electronics allow the four cylinder bikes to mimic the traction and torque of the twins off slower corners, thus neutralizing the traditional v-twin advantage there. That is definitely progress on the racetrack, even if not a superior solution for production bikes for public consumption. (High performance fours with modern electronics are certainly a better solution than high performance fours without modern electronics, no doubt.)
MotoGP and WSBK are certainly the twin peaks of motorcycle roadracing, and offer the clearest expression of "driver skill matters" of any motor racing on planet Earth. Not all peaks are created equal, however. There is a stark contrast between the quality of the field in MotoGP and WSBK. But that is not a totally bad thing, IMO. For the many Nascar fans who lament the demise of the old Busch Grand National series (with its separate identity, venues, and stars), rejoice that it lives on in WSBK.