Colin Edwards and Cal Crutchlow conclude the busiest period of the 2011 MotoGP World Championship this weekend in America, the Monster Yamaha Tech 3 Team riders heading to the spectacular Laguna Seca track full of optimism and expectation.

After collecting a hard fought 10th position in last weekend’s German round at the Sachsenring, Edwards is confident he can be even more competitive in his all-important home race.

The immensely popular Texan, who has huge fan base at Laguna Seca, put in a tremendous amount of effort to improve the set-up of his Monster Yamaha YZR-M1 machine in Germany, and he’s hoping to reap the rewards this weekend on the shortest track on the MotoGP calen dar.

Having finished seventh in the California clash in 2009 and 2010, the 37-year-old is determined to battle for a top six finish to delight what will be a large and passionate home support.

“I can’t wait to get to Laguna because I love the place so much,” Edwards said. “I have a lot of family and friends that are coming which always makes it extra special, but the American fans are brilliant to me, so hopefully I can send them home smiling on Sunday night with a good result.

“I am really looking forward to the weekend and although 10th in Germany wasn’t the result we wanted, it was actually a positive race. We certainly learned a few things about the bike because we made a lot of changes, so I’ve got good reason to be optimistic of fighting for the top six this weekend.

“That’s my goal anyway and if we have a smooth weekend, I’m sure that’s achievable. I want to get a strong result not just because it’s my home race, but it will make the summer break more relaxing and enjoyable and set me up for a strong push in the final part of the season.”

This weekend’s race presents another fresh challenge for British rider Crutchlow, who is looking forward to testing his skills on the famous Laguna Seca track, which hosts the first of two visits to America for the MotoGP paddock in the space of five weeks.

Crutchlow can’t wait to get his first taste of the 3.610km circuit and he’s looking forward to tackling the awe-inspiring Corkscrew corner, which requires skill and bravery in abundance to master.

“The result last weekend in Germany was a bit disappointing but I’m ready to bounce back in Laguna Seca and fight for a top 10 where I know I should be,” Crutchlow commented.

“I’m still searching for some more confidence in the front-end, but all of us in the Monster Yam aha Tech 3 Team are working non-stop to improve the situation and we’ve got a few ideas to try and Laguna.

“It is another new track for me but I’m really excited. Laguna Seca is such a famous name and the Corkscrew looks amazing. It looks awesome on TV, so I’m looking forward to getting on the bike on Friday and experiencing it for myself for the first time.

“I’ll have to ask Colin for some tips, but I’m just concentrating on getting a decent result that we can build on for the rest of the season. The last few races have been quite difficult but I’ll be working harder than ever this weekend to put things right.

After a hectic run of six races in eight weeks, the Monster Yamaha Tech 3 Team will enjoy a richly deserved short summer break after Sunday’s race.