A little bit of Italy comes to Owensboro.
As the seasons change here in central Indiana, the seasonal changes are occurring in the world of MotoGP starting with the first tests of next season’s teams yesterday at the Circuit de la Comunitat Valenciana Ricardo Tormo in Valencia, Spain.
Back on September 15th we all learned here at http://www.redbullindianapolisgp.com about our 
local MotoGP hero, Nicky Hayden, making a move to Ducati for the 2009 season. This photo of Nicky and Ducati’s, Casey Stoner from the 2007 MotoGP season turns out to be a very prophetic view. The 2009 MotoGP season will see the Australian and American, both world champions, aboard the iconic Italian red machines as teammates.
Nicky Hayden bid a fond farewell to his Honda team of seven years after Sunday’s final MotoGP event of the 2008 season in Valencia. He was greeted Monday morning in the Ducati MarboroTeam garages, ready for his first experience aboard the Ducati GP8 and GP9 motorcycles. Nicky’s first ride is chronicled here at http://www.redbullindianapolisgp.com. His move to the Ducati Marboro Team was commemorated with a small decal on the bike that simply stated “Chapter 2.”
Well you should all remember from my earlier blogs what a Nicky Hayden fan I have been for many years. You may also recall I have a couple very special Ducati sport bikes that seem to accumulate the most miles during the riding season. Are you starting to get the picture of a match made in heaven? Nicky Hayden on a Ducati represents what could be a spectacular alignment of stars.
I hope all the good folks in Owensboro, Ky., are ready for a bit of Italian flare to come to town. A Kentucky tradition since 1963, the Moonlite Bar-B-Q in Owensboro, voted the “Best Barbecue in Kentucky” by Kentucky Monthly and Kentucky Living readers, may need to add Italian sausages to the barbecue pit.
I’m sure the other fine Kentucky tradition in town, Earl’s Racing Team, will be adding some Ducati memorabilia to the family collection.
I know I’m anxious to start “Chapter 2” of my collection of Nicky Hayden memorabilia.
I’ll see you all in a couple weeks at www.redbullindianapolisgp.com.
Greg
Midnight, April 15, 2008 is looming ahead
OK, everybody’s favorite experience of each year is only hours away!
That’s right, today is tax deadline day. We all have until midnight tonight to get our Federal and state income tax returns completed, filed and postmarked to our good friend, Uncle Sam.
Here’s another confession, right here, right now on redbullindianapolisgp.com; I am a procrastinator! Just ask Paul Kelly, the Web administrator. The deadline for today’s Experience blog is 4 p.m., and it’s already 3:30 p.m., and I’m still writing!
Actually, not too bad of a procrastinator, though. I spent the past cold, rainy Sunday grinding through and filing my tax returns, only because the weather was too bad to ride. Remember, I already confessed that I am a “fair weather” rider a couple weeks ago, so the foul Sunday weather was to my benefit for once.
Well, today, April 15, 2008 is a bright, sunny, +50-degree day, and guess what I’m going to do later after work? Yup, that’s right: I’m suiting up and getting a bit of saddle time on one of the motorcycles after work.
Since it’s a Tuesday, the local chapter of the Honda Sport Touring Association (HSTA) meets at a local barbecue establishment for some good food and tall tales. It’s not Earl Hayden’s favorite, the Moonlite Bar-B-Q, the Best Barbecue in Kentucky, but the scenery along the Monon Trail in Broad Ripple is much better than Parrish Avenue in Owensboro, Ky.
I think after contributing some of my tall tales with the HSTA folks, I’m going to ride over to the main post office in downtown Indianapolis and watch in amusement as all the frantic procrastinators lined up to get their tax returns postmarked before midnight tonight.
Maybe I’ll see some of you there tonight!
Thank goodness this past Sunday was a cold, rainy day so now I can have some fun today; a bright, sunny, +50-degree day, just ripe for a ride around town this afternoon.
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