Nearly a year has passed since the launch of the Xbox 360, and the racing market is more crowded than ever. In the last several months, we have seen the brilliant port of Burnout Revenge, not to mention the unique Test Drive Unlimited, a casual cruiser that brings commerce and community into the fray. A number of other titles, including Full Auto and MotoGP 06, have taken the basic racing mold in other directions with varying amounts of success.

MotoGP: Jerez Test Concludes

The MotoGP book has closed for 2006 with the test at Jerez, where Dani Pedrosa headed the timesheet on the final day with a time of 1'39.910. Pedrosa's time was the fastest lap of the three-day test and the Spanish rider was the lone man to dip under the 1'40 mark. Pedrosa was followed on the timesheet by the fastest man during Day 1 and Day 2, Valentino Rossi. Marco Melandri was third-fastest, with Rizla Suzuki riders Chris Vermeulen and John Hopkins rounding out the top five. In other significant news on the final day, Ilmor rider Jeremy McWilliams broke his leg after a serious crash.

Pedrosa's Day 3 performance is impressive when compared to his competitors, but is also impressive when compared to the overall times set by the more powerful 990cc machines. Pedrosa's time beat Valentino Rossi's lap record at the circuit, which was set in 2005, by over a half-second.

MotoGP: Jerez Test - Day 2

Valentino Rossi continues to top the timesheet as the second day of testing at Jerez concludes. The weather was more agreeable for Day 2 than the cold and rain of Day 1, yet most riders in the MotoGP paddock held off until after noon to make a go of it as the track dried off from yesterday's precipitation. Rossi was joined on Day 2 by the same roster as yesterday, with the addition of Pramac d'Antin's Alex Barros, who opted to sit out the first day and its inclement weather.

Rossi not only improved on his Day 1 time by over a second, he also was able to log a significant amount of time on his new 800cc machine in spite of sitting out the morning session - 82 laps in all, which was the most of any rider. Although it is just pre-season testing, The Doctor's dominance at Jerez indicates a positive end to an improbable 2006 for the five-time MotoGP champion, but current runner-up.

Valencia From the Other Side of the Fence

The vast majority of bike journalists get into the profession - if that's what our line of work can be called - because first, last and middle we love motorcycles. That we can make some modest income from our passion is a wonderful bonus.

In my case, the situation is even worse. When I'm not writing about bikes I organize the Thundersprint, so pretty well every minute of my working life is taken up with all things two wheeled. And, in any quiet moments, I don't forget to offer a prayer of thanks for being so lucky.

So what does a motorcycling journalist and bike event organizer do for a relaxing weekend away from the office? Well, the answer is obvious: visit a bike event. Fortunately, my wife and daughter and are also into the motorcycling lifestyle and so we left a rain swept England for sunny Spain and what was being billed as the greatest motorcycle race of a generation: the last round of MotoGP at Valencia.

Bighorns shut out Bulls

The Helena Bighorns got a big night from goalie Nick Yassick, who made 24 saves to shut out the Billings Bulls in a 4-0 drubbing Friday night.The Bighorns (13-8), who are currently ranked third in the Nor Pac Rocky Mountain Division, have swept the Bulls (8-15) over the last three games beginning one week ago."This is (Yassick's) fourth win in a row," said Bob Richards, Bighorns associate coach. "He came back to us about three weeks ago and he's been playing real well."Yassick received help at the other end of the ice where Levi Beall scored the first two goals of the game to give the Bighorns a lead.Beall's first was an unassisted shot past Billings' goalie Ian Frank 8:15 into the first period, and the second came off an assist by Bobby Bonnett midway through the second."(Beall) works hard every night," Richards said.