Lets go racing…
When Mari Hulman George, chairman of the board of Indianapolis Motor Speedway, gave the most famous command in racing for the 91st Indianapolis 500, she said, “Ladies and gentlemen, start your engines!” For the first time in the history of this event, “The Greatest Spectacle in Racing,” three women were among the 33 starters of this traditionally male-dominated race.
Several weeks ago I shared with you the track day experiences of Indianapolis Motor Speedway (IMS) executive Mel Harder and the opportunity these types of events provide for many weekend warriors across the country. A motorcycle track day is a great opportunity for anyone who rides a bike, male or female, young or old, to get out on a closed course and experience a little taste of the competitive spirit of racing and the thrill of speed.
I’ve had several people ask me how to get involved in a track day event. Really all you need is a bike, a good full-face helmet, a set of one or two-piece leathers, a back protector, some over-the-ankle boots and some sturdy, gauntlet-style motorcycle gloves. A typical track day is set up with three different rider skill groups, beginner, intermediate and advanced. Most organizations will offer instruction and training sessions for track day beginners to help make your day an enjoyable learning experience.
If you are located in the Indianapolis area or anywhere in the mid-Great Lakes area, we have a great track located in Mount Meridian, Ind., Putnam Park Road Course. Check out their Web site and schedule for upcoming motorcycle track day events: www.putnampark.com.
A quick check shows an event coming up the weekend of July 26-27, sponsored by Sportbike Track Time. Our local Ducati dealership, Ducati Indianapolis, is co-sponsoring a track day on Monday, July 28. I couldn’t think of a better way to spend a Monday than skipping out of work and experiencing the thrill of speed at the Putnam Park road course! I’m sure your boss would understand.
So, ladies and gentlemen, start your own engines and let’s get geared up and go racing at the next motorcycle track day in your neck of the woods.
See you all next week at redbullindianapolisgp.com.
Greg
New playground in town
Last week I had a rare opportunity to get an in-depth, behind-the-scenes tour of the newest civic jewel of Indianapolis, the Lucas Oil Stadium.
A longtime friend and fellow Ducati owner is a project manager for one of the major contractors on the Lucas Oil Stadium project. I spent Friday afternoon tagging along with him on a walk-through inspection from the lowest level up to the nosebleed levels of the new stadium. The folks from Otis haven’t got their part of the project done yet so there were a LOT of stairs involved in this little walkabout.
WOW, this playground is one very big house! The view from the playing field is hard to describe. I don’t see how my friend and fellow Ducati owner Nick Harper can keep his attention on this field of play in such an intimidating space. My favorite view was definitely from the upper-suite level, in close proximity to multiple flat panel monitors and soon-to-be stocked bars and buffet counters. Remember, an important part of all my experiences seem to involve food!
One of the more interesting design features of the main lobby space is a collection of Lucas Oil-sponsored racing memorabilia that includes race cars, planes and boats, to name a few. The only thing missing is a MotoGP bike in the collection! Maybe the folks over on West 16th Street can help fix that for the grand-opening events in August this year. Also, mark you calendars for Aug. 16. The new stadium will be open for self-guided public tours so we all can see what our tax dollars are being spent on.
Well, that was one incredible experience Friday afternoon at the new Lucas Oil Stadium. The only thing that could possibly top that experience would be trying to ride more than three different bikes in 24 hours.
Mission accomplished! Number six is tucked away in the family room.
See you all next week on redbullindianapolisgp.com .
Greg
Celebrating my 29th birthday, again!
Well, it’s happened again. Another year has come and gone as I sit here in the Cincinnati airport waiting for a two-hour delayed flight to San Francisco. What a way to start the 23rd anniversary of my 29th birthday. Hey no calculators allowed!
This past weekend in the Hoosier state turned out to be a real wet one. So wet, in fact, that the “Great Flood of 2008” is being billed as a 100-year flood event in the south-central area of the state. The last big flood that established that 100-year record was way back in 1913. I’ll have to give Dave Hilberry a call over at the Indianapolis Speedway Hall of Fame Museum photo archives and see if he has any photos of the track from the 1913 event to look at.
One of the least enjoyable experiences of home ownership is having to deal with some of the challenges Mother Nature can toss your way. Yes, I am a victim of the “Great Flood of 2008”. The basement level of my house became a bit of an in-ground swimming pool. I’ve always thought an in-ground pool would be a nice feature to add to the property, but maybe in the back yard; not the basement! The water coming up through the floor drains and sump pit quickly overwhelmed my sump pump and all my efforts to stop it.
It’s kind of amusing that a swimming pool pump with which one of my brothers came to the rescue actually got the incoming water under control. Um, maybe I need to build that pool to use the new pump with!
This little unplanned event from Mother Nature ended up scrapping most of my weekend plans that included a much-anticipated visit to the new BMW Motorcycles of Indianapolis grand opening gala Saturday afternoon. I was really looking forward to all the delectable German delicacies and the sight of the R. Falcone Motorsports staff in lederhosen. Um, maybe my expectations have once again gone astray!
I did manage to get a ride in with my riding/eating buddies Sunday morning. Mike, Craig and I rode out to the Putnam Park race course to hang out at the Ducati Indianapolis and Commonweath Motorcycles-sponsored track day event. Boy, it was a hot one, but Mother Nature delivered a clear, sunny and dry day for all the guys putting their motorcycles through their paces. On our way back, we stopped and enjoyed a fine south-of-the border lunch before getting back to the house to watch the American Motorcyclist Association races at Road America in Elkart Lake, Wis. The Suzuki team won the 1000cc class, again.
As you may have noticed in prior posts, no day of riding with this crew is complete without a trip to a local ice cream shop for a final treat of the day. Next time you’re at Ritter’s, try their watermelon Italian ice blend. Yum!
Well, it looks like my flight to San Francisco is finally getting ready to board, and hopefully there’s no experiences to report back to you next week. I’ll have to head down to the Dainese D-Store in downtown San Francisco and see if I can find a birthday present for myself. I wonder if Scomas down at the wharf would make me a birthday cake with 29 candles?
See you all next week on redbullindianapolisgp.com
Greg
How to beat the GAS man!
Finally, a full week of beautiful weather in central Indiana. I was able to park the H3 Hummer for most of the week and make the daily commute with two wheels. It’s still pretty amazing to spend over $10 to fill the tank of a motorcycle, but that really beats the $75 it takes to feed the Hummer its full meal. Starting a typical workday off with a ride definitely gets you in a great state of mind. About the time the joy of the morning ride is starting to wear off, you start thinking of a good, winding route back home for the evening commute. Wow, am I glad the dreariness of winter is finally gone away.
This past weekend a local motorcycle accessory dealer, Adam’s Biker Outlet, hosted an open house at their store in Carmel, Ind. The Brickyard marketing team had asked if I could bring my Honda CBR1000RR Repsol up to Adam’s for this open house event. Sure, what a great way to spend what turned out to be a glorious day of sunshine, good cooking, great music and new friends. If you ever what to get your motorcycle detailed, I can highly recommend Adam’s detailing team. This customer was very satisfied with his motorcycle detail experience! 
I ended up bringing the Honda Repsol Nicky Hayden replica bike and a new ’08 Yamaha YZF R1 Fiat M1 replica I’ve recently added to the stable. I figured what better way to represent this September’s Red Bull Indianapolis GP front grid than putting two former MotoGP world champions, Valentino Rossi and Nicky Hayden, together at Adam’s open house event.
Not to be shown up, Mel Harder from the Brickyard popped in with a very appropriate vehicle to pace this fast crowd, the 2008 Corvette that will be pacing this year’s Indianapolis 500 in May. Now that was quite the display of both two-wheel and four-wheel sports vehicles for Adam’s guests to enjoy.
Well, it’s now the start of another week. The dreary weather is back with both rain and frost. I’m back to the four-wheel commute, wondering once again if spring is ever going to stay around for a while and if the Hummer still likes the GAS man.
See you all next week on redbullindianapolisgp.com
Greg
When only the best will do …
A Kentucky tradition since 1963, the Moonlite Bar-B-Q in Owensboro, Ky., has been voted the Best Barbecue in Kentucky by Kentucky Monthly and Kentucky Living readers. Now ask anybody from Kansas City or Dallas or maybe Memphis, and they will all solidly refute that claim, boldly claiming their local barbecue to be the finest in all the land!
Where am I going with all of this? Another fine Kentucky tradition is Earl’s Racing Team in Owensboro, Ky. A few weeks ago, I had the opportunity to visit the home of Earl’s Racing Team with Mel Harder from the Indianapolis Motor Speedway. The Hayden’s had graciously agreed to loan a very special motorcycle to the IMS to exhibit in their booth at the Dealer News Powersports Expo in Indianapolis.
On a brisk but sunny Sunday morning, Mel and I drove down to the “OWB” to meet up with Earl Hayden at the family compound. Nestled in the back of garage complex was a Hayden racing fan’s NIRVANA of racing memorabilia! Proudly sitting next to a collection of Nicky, Tommy and Roger Lee championship motorcycles, leathers, helmets and trophies was the 2006 Honda RC211V motorcycle that carried Nicky over the finish line at the Circuito de la Comunitat Valenciana in Valencia, Spain, in November 2006, winning the 2006 MotoGP World Championship.
Earl Hayden is one proud father, and we spent the better part of an hour talking about all his kids’ accomplishments and touring the Earl’s Racing Team compound before loading up Nicky’s 2006 MotoGP championship motorcycle in the trailer for the trip back to Indianapolis.
Now back to the Moonlite Bar-B-Q. If you’re ever in the “OWB” and have the chance to ask Earl Hayden where a good place is for lunch, you better be ready to experience the Best Barbecue in Kentucky, if not the best in the land! And, oh by the way, it is just across the street from the Hayden family compound, ready to serve an outstanding gastronomic experience in the finest Kentucky tradition.
See you all next week on redbullindianapolisgp.com.
Greg
Red Bull Indianapolis GP Media Day
Well, the big day finally came. On Monday, July 16, 2007, the Indianapolis Motor Speedway rolled out the red carpets to the world, announcing the big event to be held on Sept. 14, 2008. The Red Bull Indianapolis GP.
Ralph Sheheen shared with the crowd gathered at the Speedway, to the surprise of many, that the first motorized race of any kind here at the world’s most famous racetrack took place on Aug. 14, 1909, and it was a motorcycle race.
The day’s events actually started earlier with a gathering of over 200 motorcycle enthusiats behind the Murat Centre in downtown Indianapolis. Kenny Roberts Jr. joined the group on a Honda CBR1000RR borrowed from Dreyer Honda. I offered KR Jr. to trade bikes and ride the Hayden Repsol replica. He declined!
It was an awesome, police-escorted ride led by Kenny Roberts Jr. from downtown Indy out to the Indianapolis Motor Speedway with everyone corralling into the Tower Terrace area for the big announcement.
Mr. Sheheen then started the press conference, which led into the showing of the video taken at the track earlier in the month, the experience I shared with you all last week.
The highlight of the day had to be the signing of the agreement by Dorna CEO Carmelo Ezpeleta and Indianapolis Motor Speedway CEO Tony George to bring MotoGP to Indianapolis.
After the world experiences an Indianapolis Motor Speedway event, this will be just the beginning of a new tradition for the second century of IMS’s history.
Wow, what a day, what a moment, what an experience!
See you all next week on redbullindianapolisgp.com
Greg
Introduction
Hello all, and welcome to my first installment for the redbullindianapolisgp.com blog. Actually this is my first-ever blog, so this should be a lot of fun in the months to come, sharing my activities leading up to the inaugural Red Bull Indianapolis GP.
My name is Greg Sickmeier, and I am a lifelong resident of the Indianapolis area. In fact, I spent my first six weeks in this world across Georgetown Road from the front straight of the Indianapolis Motor Speedway a long, long time ago. Maybe this explains my love of racing and my need for speed!
A bit about me: I am a graduate engineer from General Motors Institute in Flint, Mich., now known as Kettering University. I’ve worked for Allison Transmission, another Speedway company, for 33 years in the service, sales, marketing and training organizations. James Allison, our company’s founder, is also one of the founders of the Indianapolis Motor Speedway in 1908. I just can’t seem to get to far from my roots on Georgetown Road!
During the early 1980s, I raced a Honda CB750F in AMA Pro Superbike and ran a lot of WERA and CCS events during a 12-year time period. At a few of the later events I attended, the Hayden’s were showing up, with Tommy, Nicky and Roger Lee in tow. They were on 125’s, and the youngest ones couldn’t even reach the ground. Someone had to hold the bikes up to get them started and catch them in the pits when they came back in. Earl’s Race Team was a very shoestring operation, with Earl’s old Ford box van packed to the ceiling. Wow, who would have known that all three of the boys would have turned into such great riders and sportsmen!
Another midlife crisis
I drifted away from motorcycles for a few years and have played a lot of ice hockey over the past 14 years or so. A couple years ago, I bought another street bike, and now this impulse purchase has turned into another serious midlife crisis! Four Honda’s, three Yamaha’s and two Ducati’s later in the past three years, I am thoroughly enjoying this second go-around with the motorcycles and the local sport bike scene.
Do you wanna be in the movies?
My involvement with the Indianapolis Motor Speedway and the Red Bull Indianapolis GP started last summer with a phone call from a senior IMS staff member about borrowing my ’07 Honda CBR1000RR Repsol replica motorcycle for a promotional event. Boy, was I excited when I found out what was in the works! That photo shoot turned into a full-blown video session on the “Yard of Bricks” at the track. Yup, that’s me in the Red Bull Indianapolis GP Event Introduction video on the Repsol with Stephan Gregoire on the 1910 Thor. Check it out!
In future installments, I’ll share some more on that experience, along with many other experiences since then and many more experiences to come as we all count down to the inaugural Red Bull Indianapolis GP on Sept. 14, 2008.
I hope you all stay tuned each week here on redbullindianapolisgp.com for “The Experience.”
Greg