Stoner fastest in qualifying practice

Casey Stoner on his Ducati

Australian rider Casey Stoner, the reigning MotoGP champion, dominated the series' first competitive event Sunday, winning the BMW M Award qualifying shootout by more than a second over his nearest competitor.

Stoner clocked an early lap of 1 minute, 49.263 seconds on his factory Ducati on a wet Circuito de Jerez in Spain during the 40-minute timed session. Italian Valentino Rossi, a five-time MotoGP world champion, finished second with a lap of 1:50.580 on his Yamaha.

Nicky Hayden, Owensboro, Ky., the 2006 MotoGP champion, finished third on a Honda in 1:50.785.

"It's a little bit strange because we never expected to have this opportunity to win," Stoner said on the MotoGP Web site. ". . . It was a fantastic moment today and I think for sure we can do this plenty more times this season."

"I'm still happy because second position is a good result and today for me is the first day in the wet on Bridgestone (tires), Rossi said. "We still have to work on the bike, but step-by-step we are getting close."

Hayden struggled with the conditions, which began with the track wet from rain and then began drying out. The afternoon practice session was cut short by high winds.

"It's a nice little warm-up," Hayden said. "We didn't quite get the lap we wanted. I saw Stoner put down his time, but those conditions are the hardest for me, when it goes from wet to dry and it's time for slicks or intermediates. It was right on the bubble."