Q Casey, welcome to America. It's only your second appearance at this circuit, but a very special race.

STONER: Yeah, definitely. I suppose this is actually starting to feel like a second home Grand Prix, since we only go to Australia once as well. We had a really good race here last year all weekend until the race. We were reasonably competitive. Just the whole atmosphere of America last year, we were very impressed with. All the fans were great, very supportive to me. I sort of feel a bit more at home here than a lot of the other European circuits. But we're still here to do our job. We come here with a lot of confidence in the tires, in the bike, and I think we can be a lot stronger than what we were last year.

Q We spoke about Laguna last week in Germany. You said that you enjoyed the circuit. The surface, last year, everybody agreed wasn't as good as perhaps it should have been. Very hot conditions. Have you had a chance to go around the circuit yet this year? Because it has been completely resurfaced.

STONER: No, I haven't had a chance yet, but maybe later on I'll go and have a look at the new surface. I've heard it's pretty smooth in some places. We'll have to see how the bike's going to react to it. As long as it doesn't fall apart like last year, I think we should be in for a pretty good race.

Q Like you in Australia, this is the one and only home appearance for the American riders. They always put on a very tough show, don't they?

STONER: Yeah, and they've all sort of hit their form, as well, in the recent races leading up to this. So we're definitely expecting everyone to be running up front. It's definitely going to be a hard weekend here, because we've got a lot of people with good experience on this track that feel pretty comfortable, and also a few bikes that are going to be working quite well around here. I think most bikes should be pretty similar. Hopefully we can see a nice, close race.

Q The track itself - apart from the surface - is different from the European tracks, isn't it? It's unique in many ways.

STONER: One of the only circuits left, I suppose, was Assen, in Europe - there's Mugello, as well - but Assen, that really flowed, with the hills. They sort of destroyed that over the last couple of years. Now it's a pretty ordinary track. So this is another circuit that we come to that really hasn't been designed with a computer. It really flows, with the hill. How steep some of these hills are is really quite mind-boggling. You don't realize, I think - I'm maybe going to forget until I get out there tomorrow. Coming down over the Corkscrew is definitely a bit of an adrenaline rush. With the new surface, I think it should be a bit better.

Q Finally, Casey, you've said this every week, but we're coming up to the summer break and you've got a 32-point lead in the championship. Five Grand Prix victories. It's been just an amazing opening part of the season for you and for Ducati.

STONER: The first part of the season was a really big surprise to us. It kept coming and coming, and we're still surprised. And now we're starting to understand why we're running at the front. It was a very big disappointment for us in Sachsenring because, even though, unfortunately, Valentino crashed, I didn't want that, I felt that I could have either fought for the win or at least second position reasonably easily. Unfortunately we had the tire problem, and that sort of destroyed our weekend, and I arrived fifth, which I wasn't happy with. I felt we could've had another podium result under our belt by now. But this is another race. We've still got eight left in the season, so I think we should just concentrate on that.

Q Dani, you've come here in good form after Germany, and with a very good record here at Laguna.

PEDROSA: Yes. Last year was a good race for me here. Also the last race in Germany. So we'll see. I think I can be good this year too. We have to see tomorrow the new surface. I think it will be an important thing. Also for the tires. It will be an important thing. I think the race is long. It looks like it's not so warm as last year.

Q Last year was your first time here, and obviously you enjoyed it very much, but Laguna is different, isn't it?

PEDROSA: Yes. It is. Going up and down, and it's quite fast, even if the track is small. But also you enjoy a lot this track. Like all races, also. Last year for the first time I was surprised to be so up front. I really enjoyed it.

Q The home riders, as Casey was saying, are coming into form just at the right time, as Nicky's record shows, and also Colin's. They're difficult to beat around here.

PEDROSA: Sure it will be difficult to beat them, but anyway I think everybody - it's normal that they're strong where they have more motivation.

Q John, it's the biggest weekend of the year for you, isn't it? For Colin and Nicky as well, but it is such a big event for you.

HOPKINS: Yeah, definitely. I definitely want to go out and put a good show on for the American fans. Though we haven't been able to put the Rizla Suzuki on the podium here in the past, Chris was having a really good show last year. This is one of Chris's favorite tracks in the world, as well, as being mine. I've got my work cut out for me to try to beat my teammate. But I want to go out and put it on the box here at Laguna Seca, for sure.

Q It's been a good season, hasn't it? Okay, just the one podium, and you say you want to win races. But very, very consistent. Suzuki really hit the ground running at the start of the year.

HOPKINS: Yeah, definitely. We're fourth in the championship right now. We want to maintain that, if not climb hard, and try and claw back third place a little bit. But right now we're just trying to be consistent, run at the front. We've got some more improvements to the Suzuki coming real soon. This weekend, the way the Suzuki's been reacting, the Bridgestone tires, it should be really, really good for us this weekend.

Q What makes Laguna so special?

HOPKINS: I would say it's a race where - it's in California, it's where I was born, it's where I was raised, and all my family is here, all the family - the majority of the family that goes to England are all come here, and all the friends that I grew up with, went to school with, and stuff like that, they all come out to this race. Not only that, it's just being in your hometown, you just really want to do a lot better than normal.

Q Two races next year, Indianapolis on the calendar. I think that speaks volumes for American racing, and the interest that's coming into MotoGP in this country.

HOPKINS: Yeah, definitely, I think it's great. It's unbelievable that America's getting into it as much as they are. I think it's good. For a lot of the fans on the East Coast that can't exactly make it over here to Laguna Seca on the West Coast, I think it's going to be good for them. And then going to a track with the history like Indianapolis, I think it's going to be a real treat as well.

Q Do you feel a difference in MotoGP in America in the last few years, a lot more interest?

HOPKINS: Yeah, I think the interest, the enthusiasm, and then with Nicky winning the World Championship last year, I think it's gained interest tremendously. We've just got to keep that forward uproll movement, and keep the Americans finishing high and finishing well throughout the series.

Q You're going to change teams next season, the decision already made very early on.

HOPKINS: Yeah, definitely things were heated up. Things happen a lot earlier now than when I first started in MotoGP. It was guaranteed that I did make the switch, that I can't comment on at the moment. I've got a job to do this year. We've got to keep that Rizla Suzuki going. We've got to keep it strong and try to get it on the podium every weekend.

Q Colin, a new livery for this race, I believe?

EDWARDS: Yeah, we got a new livery. It was something that we just - Yamaha put together, and gave them the option here to do something a bit special. So we've got, for all the journalists and photographers, 5:00, we've got a picture setup, I think, over in turn 11, if you all want to come out and take some pictures.

Q Laguna is obviously very special for you. World Superbike, and then second place in the return for the American Grand Prix two years ago.

EDWARDS: Laguna's always been - hell, I have half of Texas come here every year, it seems like. They commence to drinking way too much beer and making me look silly as well. But it's usually been pretty good. Last year we had a bit of a problem, little bit of a struggle, but in the past, Laguna's always been good to me.

Q You got a run on the scooter earlier, so you've obviously had a look at the surface.

EDWARDS: It's just my style. It reminds me a lot of Donington, when they resurfaced it back in '03, '04, whenever it was. It's smooth. I think I found one bump around the track. Only one. So it's a lot better than last year. Last year it was more or less a motocross track. This year it seems really good. I'm happy with it. We'll see tomorrow. Obviously.

Q The season has had its up and downs. You said earlier it was too many downs and not enough ups. But there's been some great qualifying performances, hasn't there, and great disappointment in so many of the races.

EDWARDS: I'm going to put my request in for getting points for qualifying, now. It's definitely been peaks and valleys. It seemed like it started out pretty good at the beginning of the year, and then we hit a low point. I've got a Frenchman to thank for taking me out at Turkey, and after that, it just seemed like it was bad luck after bad luck. And then it came good again. We started coming back around and really understanding what we need for the bike, and especially the tire situation with Michelin. It's looking better. It's coming better.

Q The new tire rule, of course this is the first time we've seen it in the States. It has made a big difference, hasn't it?

EDWARDS: It's crap. This new tire rule, I don't like it at all. I'm just so used to working with Michelin for all these years, that I just keep pulling tires out of the truck until you find something that works good. And especially here. This is a real gamble, because we've never been here. I mean, we were here last year, but the new surface, with the 800s, the new bikes, what the hell rubber do you use? You don't know. How do they know? You just pull something out of the truck and you make a gamble, and we'll see if they got it right. I'm hoping they got it right, but it's still a gamble. Today, it's probably the biggest gamble of the weekend is just happening now.

Q Three or four years ago, you'd have never believed there'd be two Grands Prix in America.

EDWARDS: I watched the Indy 500 since I was a kid. The Brickyard was always something real special. To make the decision to go and have two wheels there, I'm really excited about that. I'd definitely like to be a part of it. That'll be something special.

Q Is the hat a clue to your new livery?

EDWARDS: Not really. The hat, basically, is something I did in 2002, and I won every race after that. So we'll see if it works again.

Q Nicky, this will be the first time you've ridden in a race in your home country as World Champion. That makes it very special.

HAYDEN: It really does. It's definitely a great feeling to come home as the World Champion. But that was kind of last year. It seems like a long time ago now. But just racing your home GP's cool enough as it is, and to be in MotoGP is a pretty awesome feeling. I was telling somebody earlier, I can't believe they pay me to do this sometimes. I'm so excited about the weekend, I feel like sometimes I'm stealing from them. So I'm pretty excited about it all.

Q A very different situation to when you were arrived last year.

HAYDEN: Yeah. Slightly different. Last year I came in really quite a different situation. I had a bike I was really comfortable on, and things were really clicking along, where this year at times it's felt like a bit of a nightmare. But we've gotten a little bit better the last few weeks. I definitely like coming to Laguna, so hopefully we'll have a good result. I really need a good result to try to really get my season going. That's the plan.

Q Two third places at Germany and Assen. You said "that's fine, but we're not there yet," and there is still quite a bit of ground to be made up, isn't there?

HAYDEN: They were kind of distant third places. In Sachsenring, we had a really good tire. Obviously Michelin had a good tire there. We had some problems, but it seemed like our bike overheated, is what happened at the beginning, so we've maybe figured that out, which we were worried about if it was going to be hot this week. The team's done a good job. I've definitely got some - they found a better direction, found things that I liked a lot more. I really need to focus on that this weekend, try to give those guys the right information and good feedback so we can make progress and not be Sunday fast. The last few weeks, we've fallen way behind on Friday and Saturday, and qualified bad. So definitely try to give the boys some good info so they can make the right decisions. Qualifying's going to be really important. I need to up my game in qualifying, I think it's pretty obvious.

Q What has been the problem? We go through it every week - there's been a lot of problems.

HAYDEN: Mid-season review here? Yeah. I've no real need to bring everybody down. Everybody's in a good mood. I don't want to sit up here and whine and complain. But yeah, definitely a lot of things. The rule change. Honda clearly had the best 990 last year. We had the best package - bike, tires, everything. This year we've fallen behind a little bit. So I think that, and just - I could give you a list of excuses, but who really wants to listen to any excuses? Bottom line is results haven't been what we want, what Honda wants. So just stay motivated and keep working. Racing's a funny game. Things change real fast. The last thing you do is give up. Just keep believing in yourself, and get yours

Q Your brother's riding the Kawasaki this weekend. It's going to be interesting, isn't it?

HAYDEN: Yeah, definitely, two wild cards riding. It's pretty exciting. I know Rog is excited. We've started talking a little trash and stuff. I'm sure he's going to be looking forward to it. I know it's a dream come true to him, and a big opportunity. Also Miguel getting to ride I think's pretty cool, too. It just adds to the weekend - if there wasn't enough!

Q Indianapolis. A lot down to you. You brought the World Championship back to America, and I'm sure it has helped. It's really tremendous to have two races here.

HAYDEN: It's awesome, really. Brazil used to be about as close to home, when I first started. So to get to California, and now to have two, seems like a good deal. I think. I think it'll help make Laguna - they can work together and push each other to try to make each race better. Already, I think Laguna's done a better job this year. Everything seems a lot more organized, and things are going pretty smooth. We'll see what happens on the weekend. Indy seems ready to roll out the carpets. Also having the 125 and 250 is something kind of unique, completely different. But that's still a long way away. I need to worry about this weekend. I'll try to just have fun this weekend, see what happens. I'm looking forward to it all.

Q Nicky, you mentioned a problem with your bike last week. What exactly was it?

HAYDEN: We think it got too hot, because a few of the other guys, Nakano and Checa, had some problems too, especially in the beginning when I was in a big pack. As I got some clear air, it seemed to start running better. We got a few things that they brought to try to make it run cooler this week. But it looks like it's not going to be a problem here, with the weather. We've maybe not quite solved that Friday afternoon problem just yet, but the race problem, we got.

Q Casey, Colin mentioned that you've had to make a tire choice today, not knowing the surface, not knowing the tires. Have you ever had to do anything like that before?

STONER: Everybody has to. We all have to go through the same thing. Nobody's been on this circuit with this surface. I know Colin and a few other riders aren't really keen on it, but personally, it's leveled the playing field. There's no big advantage for Michelin any more. They can't ship their tires in overnight and have a perfect one for race day, which Bridgestone didn't have that advantage to them. So personally, everyone's in the same boat. You've all got to choose your tires on Thursday before the race, and we do the best to set the bike up for the tires that we have.

EDWARDS: I still like it the other way. [Laughter]