Honda LCR rider Casey Stoner made a dramatic exit from the Italian Grand Prix at Mugello when he crashed out of third place on lap nine of the 23 lap race. Stoner received massage treatment for a sore neck at the medical centre but was otherwise unhurt. After an impressive charge from ninth on the grid into third behind race leader Valentino Rossi, Stoner crashed his Honda RC211V at uphill turn three when he lost the front-end. Stoner was racing strongly on the front-running pace, closing on Rossi and Ducati rider Sete Gibernau when he made his early exit. The 20-year old Australian had moved into third position after a tense three lap battle against fellow Honda rider Marco Melandri, who eventually finished sixth. The race was by Rossi who is now level with Stoner on 65 points, in sixth place, in the world championship. Stoner and the Honda LCR team will not participate in tomorrow’s MotoGP test day at Mugello.