Casey Stoner of Ducati will start Moto GP's Aragon Grand Prix from pole position after edging championship leader Jorge Lorenzo in qualifying Saturday. Stoner's lap of 1 minute, 48.492 seconds around the Motorland Aragon circuit was nearly eight-tenths quicker than Lorenzo, who is looking for to extend his season-long streak of podium finishes to 13. “We're getting better with this track and the track is also picking up more grip,” Stoner said. “We're in a better position than we've been all year.” Dani Pedrosa of Honda, who has won two straight to sit 63 points behind fellow Spaniard Lorenzo in the standings, starts third and Nicky Hayden fills out the second row. “The last lap was better but I made a mistake on one of the corners and it was too late to correct,” Pedrosa said. “Tomorrow I'll try for a nice start and a good race.” Italian rider Valentino Rossi starts seventh Sunday, when Moto GP will pay its respects to Moto2 rider Shoya Tomizawa, who was killed when he fell and was hit by two trailing bikes in San Marino two weeks ago. All riders across each racing category is wearing Tomizawa's No. 48, which will be retired from Moto2 racing Sunday, in honor of the Japanese rider. Andrea Iannone of Italy will start the Moto2 from pole position after beating British rider Scott Redding by 0.04 seconds. Tomizawa honored Japanese motorcycle racer Shoya Tomizawa has been given a posthumous award by fellow Moto2 riders and his racing No. 48 has been retired from the championship as a tribute. Tomizawa, 19, died in a crash at this month's San Marino Grand Prix at Misano. Promoters Dorna said in a statement that Moto2 riders had voted unanimously at the Aragon Grand Prix in Spain to award Tomizawa the season's Michel Metraux trophy for the best rider in the category. The trophy will be presented to the rider's family at the Japanese Grand Prix on Oct. 3. Many of the riders at the Aragon circuit were wearing Tomizawa's number on their leathers, helmets and bikes Friday while a minute's silence will be held at a gathering on the main straight Sunday after the MotoGP warm-up. Tomizawa won the first race in the new Moto2 category, which has replaced 250cc, in Qatar this season. He died of his injuries after falling and then being hit at around 240kph by other riders.
