On the eve of this weekend's MotoGP United States Grand Prix, reigning world champion and standings leader Valentino Rossi set the stage for a possible triumph on the track here on Sunday by winning a SuperKart 250 race.
Rossi, who last weekend racked up his 100th Grand Prix victory, dominated the four-wheeled race and crossed the finish line far ahead of retired motorcycling legends Wayne Rainey, Eddie Lawson and Kenny Roberts.
''It's too bad I don't get 25 points for this victory. I hope it will be this easy on Sunday,'' the Yamaha rider said after the race.
On Sunday Rossi will have to defend his position at the top of the standings from his Spanish teammate Jorge Lorenzo, who is five points behind, and Ducati's 2007 world champion Casey Stoner of Australia.
Rossi won here last year after a magnificent duel with Stoner which put the Italian on track to win his first MotoGP title in two years, sixth overall in motorcycling's premier class and eighth career Grand Prix championship.
